A young man named Bryan Christopher Kohberger was arrested in Pennsylvania for the murder of four college students in Idaho. Mr. Kohberger is a graduate student in criminal justice at a university in Washington State, just a short distance away from where the students were murdered in Idaho.
In other news, the Belarusian government summoned the Ukrainian ambassador after a Ukrainian missile was shot down over Belarus.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Caroline Glick, Dean, Fjordman, JW, Reader from Chicago, 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.
Bahamas Securities Commission Says it Seized $3.5B in FTX Assets ‘For Safekeeping’
The Securities Commission of the Bahamas said Thursday the agency seized all digital assets under the control of FTX’s Bahamian subsidiary FTX Digital Markets Ltd. — to the tune of more than $3.5 billion — “for safekeeping” following the cryptocurrency exchange’s collapse.
The regulator said in a press release that the funds were transferred to digital wallets under its exclusive control on Nov. 12, the day after FTX filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, after determining “there was a significant risk of imminent dissipation” of the assets under FTXDM’s control based on information disgraced founder Sam Bankman-Fried provided concerning cyberattacks on the system.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Cost of Living Crisis: Swedish Supermarkets Report Surge of Food Thefts
Swedish food retailers are sounding the alarm over a recent surge in food thefts across the country, particularly meat products, as inflation and costs of living continue to rise.
Several spokesmen at food retailers have warned over the growing food theft trend, such as Andreas Selsborg, store manager at the grocer Willys in the city of Uppsala who said, “The thefts have really escalated in the last year. We have petty thefts almost on a daily basis. And the bigger thefts are sometimes monthly.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
FTX Founder Reportedly Cashes Out $684K After Being Released on Bail
Authored by Helen Partz via CoinTelegraph.com
FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is reportedly cashing out large amounts of cryptocurrency soon after being released on bail, on-chain data suggests.
SBF has cashed out $684,000 in crypto to an exchange in Seychelles while being under house arrest, according to the on-chain investigation by DeFi educator BowTiedIguana.
Decentralized finance (DeFi) analyst BowTiedIguana took to Twitter on Dec. 29 to report on a series of obfuscated wallet transactions allegedly linked to SBF, suggesting that the former FTX CEO could have violated release conditions to not spend more than $1,000 without permission from the court.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
S&P 500 Wraps Worst Year Since 2008
The three major U.S. stock indices are targeting their worst annual performance since 2008, with the S&P 500 skidding over 20% in 2022.
Stocks fell on Friday as growth shares dipped in the final trading session of a year marked by aggressive interest rate hikes to curb inflation, recession fears, the Russia-Ukraine war and rising concerns over COVID-19 cases in China.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
2022 Saw More California Businesses Relocate to Florida
Despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s invitation to Floridians to move to California ahead of the November election, California businesses continue to leave, and increasingly to Florida.
While their top relocation destination is overwhelmingly Texas, several major companies have relocated to Florida since Newsom’s been in office.
The most recent include several major companies that announced their relocation plans this year, after “Tech Flight” began from Silicon Valley to Miami in late 2020.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
28-Year-Old Suspect in Slayings of Idaho College Students Arrested in Pennsylvania
Authorities in Pennsylvania arrested a suspect in the killings of four University of Idaho students who were found stabbed to death in their beds more than a month ago, Moscow Police Chief James Fry said Friday.
The killings initially mystified law enforcement and shook the small town of Moscow, Idaho, a farming community of about 25,000 people that had not had a murder for five years. Fears of a repeat attack prompted nearly half of the University of Idaho’s over 11,000 students to leave the city and switch to online classes.
Bryan Christopher Kohberger, 28, was arrested early Friday morning by the Pennsylvania State Police at a home in Chestnuthill Township, authorities said. Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson said investigators believe Kohberger broke into the students’ home “with the intent to commit murder.”
He is being held for extradition to Idaho on a warrant for first degree murder, according to arrest paperwork filed in Monroe County Court. An extradition hearing is scheduled for Tuesday. He is also charged with felony burglary in Idaho, Thompson said.
Kohberger is a PhD student in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Washington State University, which is a short drive across the state line from the University of Idaho.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Dump trucks continue to carry small mountains of snow through Buffalo a week after a blizzard crippled the western New York area, dropping more than 4 feet of snow in some places and claiming the lives of at least 39 people.
After six days, Erie County and Buffalo officials lifted the travel ban in Buffalo early Thursday morning thanks to crews who were able to clear enough roads throughout the city.
Buffalo residents are still asked only to venture out for essential needs as hundreds of high-lift vehicles and dump trucks continue to clear streets of snow. After being stuck inside for days, however, people are in need of supplies and trying to get back to any notion of normalcy.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Pardons Woman Convicted of Murder, 5 Others on Drug, Alcohol-Related Offenses
President Biden on Friday granted full pardons to six individuals who have served their sentences and have since turned their lives around to become valued members of their communities, the White House said.
Among those pardoned are a domestic abuse survivor convicted of murdering her husband and five others who served sentences for drug and alcohol-related charges.
Biden has previously described America as “a nation of laws and second chances, redemption, and rehabilitation.” He has stated his commitment to pardoning individuals who have demonstrated their rehabilitation and served their communities.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Big Brother, Big Tech: Feds Use Facebook to Study COVID Vaccine, Testing, And Mask Messaging
Legislation that would use federal agencies to “nudge” social media platforms to reduce the spread of “harmful content” isn’t going anywhere in the waning days of the 117th Congress.
As evidenced by the ongoing release of the “Twitter Files,” however, that’s no impediment to the government — and the research universities that so heavily depend on federal funding — enlisting Big Tech to promote favored narratives and throttle competing arguments on contentious topics.
Federal agencies and U.S. universities together have funded or sponsored a dozen studies mentioning Facebook and COVID-19, according to the National Institutes of Health’s ClinicalTrials.gov database.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Bohemian Grove Frequently Asks Country Singer John Rich to Attend, He Says “Hell No”
Big & Rich singer John Rich posted to Truth Social on Thursday to reveal he’s been asked on multiple occasions to attend the secretive Bohemian Grove meetup held by the Satanic elite.
“I’ve been invited to the Bohemian Grove by more famous people than I can shake a stick at, and EVERY time my answer was ‘HELL NO,’“ he wrote.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
California Deputy Fatally Shot During Traffic Stop, Suspect Had ‘Extensive Criminal History’
A California sheriff’s deputy was shot and killed Thursday afternoon during a traffic stop, allegedly by a prolific offender who had been released early from a 25-year prison term but was set free by an activist judge.
The shooting led to a massive manhunt for the suspect, who was then shot and killed by police.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Climate-Activist Celebrities ‘Wasted Thousands of Gallons of Water’ During California Drought
Several climate-activist celebrities have come under fire for wasting water during California’s drought this year, according to reports.
Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, Sylvester Stallone, and Kevin Hart are among hundreds of residents of an exclusive area of Los Angeles issued with warnings about water usage during a “severe” drought emergency period.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the celebrities are among more than 2,000 customers in the San Fernando Valley enclaves of Calabasas and Hidden Hills issued with “notices of exceedance” by the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Criminologist Grad Student Hit With Four Counts of First-Degree Murder
MOSCOW, Idaho — Bryan Christopher Kohberger was charged with four counts of murder and felony burglary for allegedly stabbing to death four University of Idaho students in an off-campus rental home, officials announced Friday at a press conference.
Kohberger was arrested Friday morning in eastern Pennsylvania for the grisly Nov. 13 slayings of Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Ethan Chapin, 20, and Xana Kernodle, 20.
“These murders have shaken our community, and no arrest will ever bring back these young students,” Moscow Police Chief James Fry told reporters, as he appeared to choke back tears.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Elon Musk Mocks Fauci as ‘Creepy’ After New York Times Report
Twitter CEO Elon Musk taunted Anthony Fauci after the New York Times reported the government official had walls filled with portraits of himself hanging in his home office.
“Creepy,” Musk responded on Twitter.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Federal Judge Says San Francisco Can’t Clear Homeless Camps
San Francisco has been embroiled in a lawsuit over homeless encampments, a federal judge has temporarily banned the city from clearing homeless encampments.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hollywood star Kirk Cameron’s Christian book reading drew record numbers of parents and kids after the Indianapolis Public Library refused to host him but caved after a massive backlash.
“This was the largest event held at the library in its 137 years of existence,” Zac Bell with BRAVE Books, the book’s publisher, said. “The turnout was phenomenal! We were blown away.”
Kirk said: “No more will the family of faith be shut out from the public square! Join me and @bravebooks.us to champion a new movement to take back libraries for goodness, kindness, faithfulness and self-control.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
House Sergeant at Arms Claims J6 Response Would Have Been ‘Vastly Different’ if Rioters Were Black
The Capitol police would have carried out a bloodbath if the mostly white Jan 6 protesters were black, according to House sergeant at arms William Walker.
From NBC News, “Jan. 6 response would have been ‘vastly different’ if rioters were Black, House sergeant at arms told investigators”.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Republicans in the US Congress are preparing to establish a new subcommittee, as part of the House Judiciary Committee, that will investigate suspected abuse of power by several federal agencies and departments.
Recent revelations about the FBI’s involvement in censorship on social media platforms, which have become public knowledge thanks to the publishing of Twitter’s internal documents, is not the only instance of those abuses, nor is the FBI the only entity that what is currently referred to as the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government will look into.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Idaho Murder Suspect: Who is Bryan Christopher Kohberger?
The suspect arrested Friday in connection to the murders of four University of Idaho students studies criminal justice at Washington State University and appeared to be hiding out at his parents’ home in eastern Pennsylvania after the killings.
Bryan Christopher Kohberger, 28, is a PhD student at the department of criminal justice and criminology, according to the WSU website.
The college town of Pullman, Washington, is about eight miles from the King Road home where Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Madison Mogen, 21, Ethan Chapin, 20, and Xana Kernodle, 20, were stabbed to death between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Nov. 13.
Kohberger was arrested at about 1:30 a.m. Friday by local police and the FBI at what appeared to be his parents’ home in the gated community of Indian Mountain Lake in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania, court and public records show.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
MOSCOW, Idaho — Neighbors of the Washington State University graduate student arrested in Pennsylvania Friday morning in connection with the murders of four Idaho co-eds were shocked to learn the alleged killer — who had evaded police — was living among them in their typically “quiet” community.
Bryan Christopher Kohberger was arrested thousands of miles from Idaho, in Albrightsville, Pennsylvania, early Friday morning. But police have since said he was a graduate student at Washington State University, and he had been living in Pullman.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Judge Declines to Return Mark McCloskey’s Guns, Money Despite Pardon
A Missouri judge on Wednesday declined to return Mark McCloskey’s firearms and paid fines despite his receipt of a pardon from Republican Gov. Mike Parson.
The St. Louis lawyer and his wife, Patricia, came into the public spotlight in 2020 when the pair pointed firearms at demonstrators who had entered their neighborhood. There were no shots fired during the incident.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Lawmakers to Investigate US’ Use of Spyware Tools
The US government has recently purchased spyware from two of Israel’s hacking firms, thus raising the attention of Congress, which has been utilizing its efforts in controlling the usage of hacking tools.
Representative Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, found that the Drug Enforcement Administration had acquired Graphite, which is a spyware tool, and wrote the agency a letter to inform them there could be consequences if regarding the spyware’s usage if the agency uses it outside of its legal limits.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Liberal Media’s Attempts to Rehab Sam Bankman-Fried’s Image Torched: ‘Something is Going on Here’
Some members of the liberal media are already trying to rehab disgraced “crypto king” Sam Bankman-Fried’s image, and some critics suggest he believes he will never be held accountable for his alleged crimes.
On “The Five” Wednesday, Rachel Campos-Duffy pointed to what she called a New York Times “puff piece” bemoaning that Bankman-Fried’s indictment and extradition may hurt the Bahamas, where he was apparently living and working, as the nation just off Florida’s coast relies heavily on tourism and investment monies.
“If you steal billions of dollars from average Americans, you are not a celebrity. You are a criminal. And yet this guy is being treated like a celebrity. And I believe something is going on here,” she said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Marine Recruiters Stop California Smash-and-Grab Jewelry Heist, Tackle Fleeing Suspects
U.S. Marine recruiters intervened recently to stop a smash-and-grab jewelry heist at a Los Angles shopping mall, tackling two of the four suspects to the ground as they attempted to flee.
Marine Staff Sgt. Josue Fragoso was meeting with an applicant at his recruiting station two doors down from Daniel’s Jewelers in the Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance when he heard glass shattering and loud screams from bystanders, he told Fox News on Wednesday.
Fragoso and his potential recruit sprinted toward the jewelry store, where four people wearing masks and armed with hammers were destroying the glass display cases before running off with thousands of dollars of jewelry.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
MIT Faculty Adopt Free Expression Statement That Protects ‘Offensive’ Speech
Massachusetts Institute of Technology faculty have adopted a resolution that defends freedom of speech and expression — even speech some find “offensive or injurious.”
The “Free Expression Statement,” approved by the faculty senate Dec. 21, states that “Learning from a diversity of viewpoints, and from the deliberation, debate, and dissent that accompany them, are essential ingredients of academic excellence.”
The statement was approved by a vote of 98 to 52, a source close to MIT told The College Fix.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Musk Plans to Shut Down Twitter’s Seattle Office as He Seeks to Cut Platform’s Expenses
Twitter CEO Elon Musk has announced plans to close its Seattle office and will allow its employees to work from home as part of the cost-cutting measures the Tesla founder has implemented to put the social media platform on a stronger financial footing.
Musk has reportedly already stopped paying rent at the Seattle office. His downsizing will leave the platform with physical locations only in San Francisco and New York, according to the Washington Examiner.
The new head of the company in November began mass layoffs in November, ultimately cutting more than half of the entire workforce. He has also toyed with the idea of expanding operations in Texas as lawmakers have invited him to bring the company’s headquarters to the Lone Star State.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Throughout 2022, there were many high-profile stories about warrantless surveillance and data leaks. Not only did these stories highlight the risks of third parties getting unauthorized access to people’s personal data but they also demonstrated the importance of privacy-preserving technologies such as end-to-end encryption which can prevent third parties from accessing this data.
But in a recent New York Times (NYT) op-ed, author and government adviser Reid Blackman argues that end-to-end encrypted messaging app Signal’s commitment to privacy is “morally dangerous” and suggests that people don’t need to worry about broad surveillance or unauthorized access to their data.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ray Epps Confessed to Jan. 6 Committee He ‘Orchestrated’ Attack on Capitol
In the newly released transcript of January 6th provocateur Ray Epps being questioned by the House Select Committee, the suspected undercover government operative confessed that he “orchestrated” the riot.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Second ABC News Producer Dies Suddenly
ABC News lost a second producer in addition to executive producer Dax Tejera last week.
Erica Gonzalez, a morning show producer at ABC 10News San Diego, died suddenly last week, with a fundraiser referring to her death as “unexpected.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Study: Vax Mandates Are ‘Unethical’ & Not ‘Science-Based’
A new study has found that college-based vaccine mandates are “unethical” and are not “science-based.”
A group of prominent research scientists conducted a risk-benefit analysis of the COVID-19 vaccine boosters for young adults.
The study was launched as a response to the controversial continuation of mandates at universities and colleges across the nation.
The researchers hoped the results from their study would go some way to filling a gap the CDC and FDA refuse to fill.
In a paper published by the British Medical Journal, researchers concluded the mandates are not a science-based policy.
They discovered that the vaccines are failing to prevent infection and transmission and warned that the risks of severe side effects outweigh any potential benefit.
The researchers included Dr. Marty A Makary of Johns Hopkins University, Tracy Beth Høeg, Vinay Prasad, and Kevin Bardosh of the University of Florida, according to WND.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Warns Democrats About Released Tax Returns, Says Weaponized Partisanship is ‘Two-Way Street’
Former President Trump on Friday criticized House Democrats for releasing six years of his tax returns, saying such “weaponized” partisanship is a “dangerous two-way street.”
Trump responded on his Truth Social media platform hours after the Democrat-controlled House Ways and Means Committee released six years of his returns — after committee members last week voted along party lines in favor of the release.
“The Democrats should have never done it, the supreme court should have never approved it, and it’s going to lead to horrible things for so many people,” Trump also said. “The great USA divide will now grow far worse. The radical, left Democrats have weaponized everything, but remember, that is a dangerous two-way street!”
Still, the former president also argued the returns show how successful he is.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Twitter’s COVID-19 Censorship Led to Loss of Life, Says Former White House Adviser Dr. Scott Atlas
Authored by Katie Spence via The Epoch Times
When discussing censorship, there are often “vague implications” on the effects of that restriction. But by censoring medical science and health policy, “you are killing people,” Dr. Scott Atlas firmly stated in an interview that aired on Newsmakers by NTD and The Epoch Times on Dec. 28.
“Censorship of the correct science and medical information, during this pandemic, absolutely killed people. It prevented people from making intelligent decisions. It prevented people from making the appropriate use of caution,” Atlas alleged of Twitter censoring doctors such as himself.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
U.S. Virgin Islands Attorney General Denise George filed a lawsuit on Tuesday accusing banking giant JPMorgan Chase of covering up child sex crimes committed by the disgraced and deceased pedo Jeffrey Epstein.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Virginia Lawmakers Consider Repealing Some Gun Restrictions
Virginia lawmakers could soon consider legislation seeking to repeal prohibitions on where firearms can be carried in the Commonwealth under proposals pre-filed by Republican legislators earlier this month.
House Bill 1428, pre-filed by Republican Del. Dave LaRock and state Sens. Amanda Chase and Frank M. Ruff, seeks to repeal an existing Virginia law that makes it unlawful for individuals to carry certain loaded semi-automatic center-fire rifles, pistols or shotguns on public streets, roads, alleys, sidewalks, public right-of-ways, public parks or “any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public” in certain parts of the state.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Voters Seek Revenge on Democrats Who Released Trump Taxes
Voters are not in a very Christmas-y mood when it comes to Washington’s punishment politics.
In fact, they’d like to see some payback.
While a majority of voters are OK with House Ways and Means Committee Democrats releasing former President Donald Trump’s federal income taxes, they also feel that what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Alberta First Province to Announce Permanent Fuel Tax Relief Program Beginning Next Year
After a number of provinces implemented fuel tax relief during record high oil prices earlier this year, Alberta is the first province to announce a permanent fuel tax relief program.
Under former premier Jason Kenney, the United Conservative Party government suspended its 13 cent-per-litre fuel tax on April 1. That tax was partially reinstated in October, to 4.5 cents per litre on gas and diesel, as oil prices fell below $100 USD per barrel.
In a broadcast to the province last month, Smith said the entire fuel tax relief program will return for six months. That relief begins on Jan. 1, 2023, and will run to June, after which time the province will implement its permanent fuel tax relief program.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Elon’s Transparency Policy Shows Nobody Reads the CBC
Twitter’s new transparency policy that shows how many people view each tweet has exposed the CBC as having laughably low view counts given its high follower count.
On December 15, Twitter implemented a transparency policy change that allowed all users to know how many views every tweet receives. Previously, only a tweet’s author could access this information.
CBC’s main twitter account has 3.4 million followers — yet it averages less than 100,000 views on each of its tweets. Assuming a tweet receives 75 thousand views, that’s about 2% of CBC’s followers who actually see what the state-broadcaster tweets.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Controversial Influencer Andrew Tate Arrested in Romania on Sex Trafficking Allegations: Report
LOS ANGELES — Controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother were arrested Thursday in Romania on human trafficking and rape allegations, according to local reports.
In a statement, Romania’s Directorate for the Investigation of Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) said local authorities raided several luxury homes linked to four suspects as part of an ongoing investigation into organized crime, human trafficking and rape.
Romanian newspaper Gndul identified the two British citizens in custody as Tate — who is known for his extreme and misogynistic comments — and his brother Tristan.
houses around Bucharest where they were allegedly sexually assaulted and forced by violence to do pornography for social media. The victims included one with American citizenship and another woman from Moldova, Gndul reported.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Declassified: British Government Backed Executing Osama Bin Laden Nine Months Before 9/11
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was briefed by a top civil servant that Osama Bin Laden, then one of the FBI’s most wanted for a string of terror attacks but before the 9/11 atrocity, should be ‘whacked’, declassified memos have revealed.
Speaking with the Prime Minister before he met with then-President Bill Clinton in December 2000, ‘Downing Street official’ Sir John Sawyers told Prime Minister Tony Blair that “We’re all in favour of whacking UBL but we need a bit of notice and a chance to influence the timing”. ‘UBL’ was then the UK government shorthand for Osama Bin Laden, The Times reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The drop in wholesale gas prices is not expected to result in cheaper energy bills for households in Europe or the UK, according to analysts.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Netherlands to Ban Gas Cars by 2025 — Welcome to the Great Reset
The Netherlands and Europe are beginning the process of banning combustion engine cars first in cities while the elite are quickly moving to the countryside. The Tyrannical Lisp tells all.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
One Arrested as Finnish Beauty Company Suspected of Human Trafficking
Helsinki police have arrested a foreign national operating a beauty company who is accused of engaging in human trafficking, luring workers from abroad, and refusing to pay them their promised wages.
The foreign beauty entrepreneur is suspected of human trafficking, tax fraud, and extortionate employment discrimination and has been under investigation by a regional human trafficking team within the police for crimes committed within the last year.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Paris Mosque Sues French Writer Houellebecq Over Anti-Muslim Comments
The rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris has filed a complaint against award-winning French writer Michel Houellebecq over “staggeringly brutal” comments made during a recent interview in which the author drew divisions between “native French people” and “the Muslims” responsible for “robbing and assaulting them”.
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
Top German General Calls for an End to Ukraine War
Ganser is a retired brigadier general and was, among other things, deputy head of the military policy department in the Federal Ministry of Defense and military policy advisor to the German Permanent Representative to NATO. Born in 1948, he worked in the command staff of the German armed forces from 1992.
He argued for a cessation of hostilities: “Military-political reason speaks for an early end to this costly war”. A victory for Kiev is unrealistic, he said After Moscow’s initial failures in Ukraine, some observers “overreacted” and overestimated Ukraine’s chances of victory.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
— as PM insists any demand by Vladimir Putin for a ceasefire will be ‘completely meaningless’ unless he withdraws his troops
The Prime Minister, attending a meeting of the British-led Joint Expeditionary Force in Riga, Latvia, pushed for a focus on ‘degrading Russia’s capability to regroup and to resupply’.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
A major new report has found that the BBC is inserting woke social engineering messages into fictional TV shows.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Caroline Glick: Where the Netanyahu Government Differs From Its Predecessors
With the swearing-in of the latest Netanyahu government, Israel will embark on a new course in foreign policy—and just in time. For the past year-and-a-half of the Bennett-Lapid-Gantz government, Israel’s foreign policy ceased to be independent. In the days and weeks before Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz formed their coalition, they committed themselves to a policy of “no surprises” for the Biden administration. The promise, which became the basis for the government’s actions in the months that followed, meant that under their stewardship, Israel subordinated its foreign policy to the White House. It took no action of which the administration disapproved and either supported every administration policy or avoided taking any steps to substantively undermine President Joe Biden’s actions in the region, whether in relation to Iran or the Palestinians, Saudi Arabia or Lebanon or elsewhere.
As the Biden administration aggressively pursued its strategy of realigning the U.S. away from Israel and the Sunni Arab states by legitimizing Iran’s nuclear weapons program and enriching the regime through nuclear diplomacy, Israel stood on the sidelines. It occasionally clucked its opposition to the contents of the deal being negotiated, but it supported the Biden administration’s slavish, indeed fanatical commitment to strategic appeasement of Iran in exchange for temporary and substantively insignificant nuclear concessions on Iran’s part…
| — Hat tip: Caroline Glick | [Return to headlines] |
Southwest Cancels 43 Flights Friday, After CEO Pledges Full Schedule, ‘Great Operation’
Southwest Airlines has canceled 43 flights and delayed 266 others on Friday despite its CEO appearing on television and vowing a “great operation” and “full schedule.”
That is 1% of its total flights canceled, but that is still more than its rivals.
Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan made the remarks on ABC’s “Good Morning America” as Southwest Airlines appears to be back on track following days when thousands of its flights were canceled in the aftermath of the Christmas weekend winter storm.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Turkish ‘Progress’: Six-Year-Old Girl Married by Her Sheik Father
No doubt, Turkey is more secular and modern than Afghanistan and Iran. But that is not good enough news for Turkish girls and women.
A total of 327 women were murdered by their husbands, ex-husbands, fiance’s and partners, between January 1 and November 11, 2022, according to the Turkish Federation of Women’s Association. The Islamist government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan should be proud.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Belarus Says it Downed Ukraine Air Defence Missile
Belarus has summoned the Ukrainian ambassador, saying it shot down a Ukrainian air defence missile in Belarusian territory.
It happened on Thursday, during one of Russia’s heaviest aerial onslaughts against Ukraine so far.
Footage from Belarusian state television appeared to show missile debris in a field.
A Ukrainian military spokesman said the incident was “the result of air defence”.
Belarus — a key ally of Russia — has called on Kyiv to carry out a full investigation after the S-300 rocket came down near the border.
Kirill Kazantsev, an officer with Belarusian missile defence forces, has said they are considering two scenarios.
“The first is an accidental launch [by Ukraine] of the air defence missile because of the low training level of the military crew or missile malfunction. The second is a deliberate provocation by the Ukrainian military forces.”
It is the first time Belarus has shot down a Ukraine missile since the Russian invasion in February.
| — Hat tip: JW | [Return to headlines] |
MRA, a London-based organisation, has scored them by assessing activities which may include importing and exporting, owning factories or having other investments.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
The Belarus foreign ministry summoned the Ukrainian ambassador for a formal protest, describing the incident as ‘extremely serious’. The defense missile landed in the Brest region.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine War is Now in Deadlock, Spy Chief Warns
The war in Ukraine is now in deadlock, a spy chief from the country has reportedly confirmed, telling the BBC that neither his country nor Russia have been able to break the other’s defences in an apparent plea for more weapons.
Kyrylo Budanov, the head of military intelligence in Ukraine, has reportedly told the broadcaster that fighting between his nation and Russia is now deadlocked, with neither side being able to make any headway.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Zelensky Gives His Government Powers to Restrict Media, Block Websites, Order Big Tech to Censor
On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed off a controversial bill that substantially increases the government’s regulatory authority over the news media. The new law will give the government new censorship powers and is a fresh blow to press freedoms in the country.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Japanese Researchers Investigate Link Between COVID Jabs and Deaths, Severe Adverse Reactions
Japanese researchers are investigating the mechanisms by which experimental Covid-19 vaccines could be causing deaths and severe adverse reactions.
In a report out of Japan, Hiroshima University School of Medicine Prof. Masataka Nagao highlighted how the bodies of vaccinated persons he performed autopsies on were abnormally warm, with upwards of 100 degree F (~40ºC) body temps.
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UK and France Join Group of Countries to Impose Chinese Travel Restrictions
PARIS (AP) — France, Spain and England will implement tougher COVID-19 measures for passengers arriving from China, authorities said Friday.
France’s government is requiring negative tests, and is urging French citizens to avoid nonessential travel to China. France is also reintroducing mask requirements on flights from China to France.
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A woman was caught on video during an angry rampage inside an Adelaide CBD McDonalds on December 29, as police confirm the 19-year-old has been charged with a string of offences.
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has admitted to having “no records” of 377,980 illegal immigrants enrolled in its “Alternatives to Detention” program, in which the alien migrants are released into the country with electronic tracking devices.
In a December 22 letter to Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), ICE responded to their Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for information on the non-detention program with the news, reported the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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Border Patrol, NGOs Dropping Off Hundreds of Illegals at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport Daily
Illegal aliens are being rerouted from the Mexican border to Phoenix Sky Harbor airport by border officials and non-governmental organizations, reports claim.
According to Fox 10 Phoenix, illegals crossing the border in droves are driven by bus to the airport where they’re given plane tickets to continue their treks into the US.
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Eleven Injured After Suspicious Fire in German Asylum Accommodation
Eleven migrants, eight of them children, were injured after an asylum accommodation in north-eastern Germany caught fire this week, with investigators theorizing the cause to be negligent arson.
The fire broke out on Monday in the asylum accommodation in the town of Friedland in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on the third floor of the apartment building as police stated in a press release that their current theory is the blaze was caused by negligent arson and that any technical cause has been ruled out.
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NC State Broadcaster Suspended for Referring to ‘Illegal Aliens’ at Sun Bowl in El Paso
N.C. State radio broadcast Gary Hahn has been suspended for mentioning “illegal aliens” during the Sun Bowl in El Paso Friday.
While calling the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, where the Wolfpack were playing against the Maryland Terrapins, Hahn gave a score update on the Sun Bowl in west Texas, when he made the comment.
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The most popular party in Switzerland, the Swiss People’s Part (SVP), known for its agrarian roots and opposition to mass immigration, is set to pursue a referendum calling for the renegotiation of international treaties, or even their complete abandonment, if the Swiss population hits 10 million.
The proposed referendum comes at a time when Europe increasingly faces environmental catastrophe, a housing crisis, and huge strains on public resources due to soaring immigration levels. Many European nations are among the most densely populated nations in the world and life in them is only expected to become more crowded in the near future unless dramatic action is taken. Switzerland is no exception.
“Our country is cracking in every corner. We are going through the debacles of recent years. If we don’t intervene, we will be overtaken by events,” said Marcel Dettling, the SVP’s campaign manager.
Dettling warns that economic migration remains high, especially from groups known for their difficulty integrating into Switzerland, a fact highlighted by Switzerland’s alarming prison population data.
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A family of Texas ranchers say that the good life they knew just a few years ago is no more due to the influx of migrants flooding across the border and attempting to break into their home.
Deborah Douglas, 72, lives with her adult son, Scott, and his young daughter in their ranch on the border of Edwards County and Kinney County, around 50 miles north of the southern border.
In a new interview with Tulsi Gabbard on Fox News this week, Douglas explained that their home has been subjected to attempted break-ins from migrants three times in the last 18 months.
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The founder of The Babylon Bee explained his reasoning for refusing to delete a satirical tweet about transgender admiral Rachel Levine in a new interview about “self-censorship” and Twitter.
“We needed to delete this tweet and admit we engaged in ‘hateful conduct’ in order to get back on [Twitter]. We didn’t even consider doing that,” Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon said in an interview with pro-life group Live Action that was released Thursday.
The Babylon Bee’s official Twitter account was suspended in March after it shared a post jokingly naming Levine “The Babylon Bee’s Man of The Year.”
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Female Swimmer Who Tied Lia Thomas Slams Transgender Sports Policy: Taking Women ‘Back to the 1970s’
A former collegiate female swimmer who swam against transgender competitor Lia Thomas slammed the continuance of the left’s encouragement for transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports.
In an interview with “The Ingraham Angle” on Thursday, Riley Gaines said transgender policy is turning back the clock on Title IX and women’s rights and is anything but “progressive” as advertised.
Guest host Raymond Arroyo asked Gaines if women continue to have equal access to sports while government and schools force them to compete with transgender athletes.
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Swiss Reject ‘Non-Binary’ Gender Dictates
The Confederates will continue to only have “man” and “woman” in official documents in the future. At the last Federal Council meeting of the year, the government in Bern passed a report on the “Introduction of a third gender”, in which it rejected gender ideology.
The Federal Council had come to the conclusion that the social prerequisites for an official third gender were not given. The “binary” gender model is therefore still firmly anchored in Switzerland. In the debate, many parliamentarians referred to the “National Ethics Committee”. This body had already come to the same conclusion in a report in 2020.
In addition to “female” and “male”, there should be no “diverse” or “non-binary” in passports, other official documents and in the population registers for the time being.
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“28-Year-Old Suspect in Slayings of Idaho College Students Arrested in Pennsylvania”
A criminal justice major? So wanted to work for the FBI or perhaps the Uvalde, TX police department. Sure increases one’s confidence in America’s law enforcement, doesn’t it?