Gates of Vienna News Feed 1/11/2023

A shipping container at a chemical plant in La Salle, Illinois exploded this morning, setting off a large fire and prompting an order for people in the area to shelter in place. A toxic greenish substance dropped out of the huge smoke plume and was found by local residents on their vehicles and lawn furniture. Police advised people not to touch the green stuff, and suggested that a mixture of equal parts of vinegar, peroxide, and water would deactivate the toxic residue. The shelter-in-place order was later lifted.

In other news, a 17-year-old student with a migration background was arrested in Germany for stabbing his teacher to death.

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

Thanks to Dean, DV, JW, LP, MM, Reader from Chicago, Roger, 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
» Egg Prices Rise More Than 64% in Some States
» FTX Uncovers $5 Billion in Liquid Assets Amid Bankruptcy Proceedings
» Parents Fear Baby Formula Costs Could Spike as Supplies Remain Low: ‘A Really Hard Blow’
» Texas Announces Record Budget Surplus of Nearly $33B: ‘Unprecedented’
 
USA
» “Landmark” Lawsuit Accuses Mainstream Media of Forming Coalition to Censor “Misinformation”
» Air Force Football Player Hunter Brown Dies Suddenly at 21
» AOC Backs Calls to Ban Gas Stoves, Claims They Cause Brain Damage
» Biden Aides Discovered More Classified Documents at Second Location: Report
» Breaking: Biden Admin Extends COVID-19 Public Health Emergency AGAIN
» Breaking: Houston Hero Who Shot Armed Robber Turns Himself in, Prosecutors Refer Case to Grand Jury
» Breaking: Trump Slams FBI Over Collusion With Big Tech as Revealed in Twitter Files
» DC Police: 2 Children Shot While Getting Off Metrobus
» Delivery Driver Carjacked by Armed Man Near Lori Lightfoot’s Chicago Home
» FAA System Meltdown Sees Twitter Users Blast ‘Incompetent’ Buttigieg: ‘No Experience’
» Florida Bill Would Prohibit Financial Institutions From Tracking Gun and Ammo Purchases
» Gavin Newsom Announces Digital IDs for California
» Here’s Why More Women Have Been Purchasing Guns in Recent Years
» Houston Taqueria Robbed Again, 5 Days After Customer Shoots Would-be Thief Dead
» Michigan’s Muslim-Majority City Council Approves Animal Sacrifice for Religious Purposes
» NYC Grocery Stores Consider Locking Up Food Due to Rampant Theft; Workers Are ‘Traumatized’
» Officials Urge La Salle Residents Not to Touch Green Substance Released During Fire
» Rubio Calls Out JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Sounds ‘Alarm’ Over Partnership With TikTok Parent ByteDance
» Semiautomatic Weapons Ban Becomes Illinois Law
» Sen. Graham Demands Special Counsel Probe as Biden Breaks Silence Over Classified Docs
» SF Man Reaches Limit With Homeless, Pulls Out Hose and Sprays: ‘I Just Snapped’
» Suspect in NYC Van Attack That Killed 8 Wanted to Hang ISIS Flag in Hospital Room, Court Hears
» Twitter Users Celebrate Biden Agency Backtracking on Gas Stove Ban: ‘Paper Straw People Defeated Again’
» Vaccine Advisors ‘Angry’ Scientists and Moderna Withheld Data on COVID Booster Efficacy Before FDA Approval
» Watch: Neil Degrasse Tyson Throws a Fit After Interviewer Questions COVID Vaccine Efficacy
 
Canada
» Canadian Woman Dies in Emergency Room After Seven-Hour Wait; Husband Says She Was ‘Neglected’
» Canada Police ID Toronto Homeless Man, 59, Allegedly Murdered by 8 Teen Girls in ‘Swarming’ Attack
» Computer “Outage” Hits Canadian Flight System Hours After US System Went Down
» Extinction Rebellion Vancouver Island ‘Not Ramping Down’ As Disruptive UK Protests Called Off
» Hundreds Rally in Support of Jordan Peterson Outside Ontario College of Psychologists After They Call for His Re-Education
» Parents ‘In Disbelief’ After ISIS Flag Sent Out by Toronto School Principal in Email
 
Europe and the EU
» Baroness Claire Fox Calls for UK Legal Protections Against PayPal’s Ideological Censorship
» British Public Broadcaster Gives Platform to Banished Jihadi Bride Shamima Begum With 10-Part Podcast
» Climate Activists Hurl Molotov Cocktails at Riot Police as Authorities Seek to Reclaim German Village Occupied by Far-Left Squatters
» French Workers Vow “Mother of All Battles” As Macron Govt to Raise Retirement Age to 64
» German Police Surround and Crack Down on Camp of Anti-Coal Protesters
» Guinness Hikes Beer Prices in Ireland, Risking “Financial Hardship for Many”
» Multiple Danish Banks Disrupted by DDoS Cyber-Attack
» Orban is Europe’s ‘Last Mohican’
» Poland Asks US Congress for Help With WWII Reparations Claim Against Germany
» Swedish Right-Wing Govt to Develop National Strategy for Gang Crime After Record Year of Fatal Shootings
» UK: Just Stop Oil ‘Can’t Rule Out’ Disrupting King Charles’ Coronation or Local Elections and Could Also Target Strike Days Amid Plans to Ramp Up Protests This Year
 
Israel and the Palestinians
» Israeli Man Stabbed and Wounded at West Bank Outpost; Attacker Shot Dead
 
Russia
» Bunkers for Sale in Ukraine
» Putin Sacks Top Commander in Ukraine After Three Months
» Russian Reshuffle Puts Top General in Charge of Faltering Ukraine Invasion
 
South Asia
» 5 People Were Killed in an Explosion Near the Foreign Ministry in Kabul
» India Set to Overtake China as World’s Most Populous Country in Next 3 Months: UN Report
 
Far East
» 5 Dead, 13 Injured After Car Ploughs Into Pedestrians in China’s Guangzhou City
 
Australia — Pacific
» Extinction Rebellion Protesters to Disrupt Major Cycling Race
» ISIS Terrorist to Return to NSW Town
 
Latin America
» Fresh Protests: Brasilia UPS Security Days After Riots
 
Immigration
» Afghan Illegal Arrested for Raping Teen Boy in Public in French Village
» France: 6 Injured in Stabbing Spree at Paris Train Station, Algerian Suspect Neutralized by Police
» Germany: Student With ‘Migration Background’ Arrested for Stabbing Teacher to Death
» Germany’s Left Demands Countrywide Migrant Quotas as Country Buckles Under Strain of Mass Immigration
» Hungarian Border Guards Stopped Average of 738 Illegals a Day in 2022, Double 2021 Numbers
» Manhunt Ends as Algerian Convicted Killer Who Escaped German Cuorthouse is Arrested in France
» Migrants Who Arrive on Cross-Channel Dinghies Will Face ‘Rapid Removal’ From UK Under New Rules Being Eyed by Suella Braverman
» Parents of French Woman Axelle Dorier, Who Was Dragged 800 Meters to Her Death, Say ‘A Minority of the Population is Destroying Our Nation and Behaving Like Savages’
» Supreme Court to Look at Whether Encouraging Illegal Immigration is Protected Speech
» Teen Arrested in Germany for Stabbing Teacher to Death After Receiving One-Day Expulsion for Misbehavior
» UK: Aspiring Royal Marine Stabbed to Death by Afghan Asylum Seeker While Acting as Peacemaker in Row Over E-Scooter, Court Told
» UK: University U-Turns on Plans to Sell Student Accommodation to be Used by Asylum Seekers After Protests From Local Residents
» Ukrainians Most Common Traffickers of Illegal Migrants Into Czechia Last Year
 
Culture Wars
» Breaking: Dress Code Ordered by Oakville School Board in Response to Biological Male Teacher Wearing Prosthetic Breasts
» California Public Schools ‘Saturated’ With Teachers Who Learned Critical Race Theory When Training: Report
» Church of England Establishes £100M Woke Fund to “Address Past Wrongs of Slavery” as Parishes Struggle
» Exclusive: Expert Witness in Trial of BC Nurse Claims Questioning Child Sex Changes is ‘Transphobic’
» Harvard Medical Offering Course on Sex-Change Treatments for ‘Infants’
» Maine Transgender Inmate Convicted of Murdering Parents Moved to Women’s Prison
» Minnesota Teachers to be Required to Push CRT, Support Trans Identity to Obtain Teacher’s Licenses
» Oregon Allows Public Schools to Hide Official Use of Neo-Pronouns ‘Fae/Faer/Faers’ From Parents
» Toronto Catholic School Teacher Brags of ‘Trans Jesus’ Icon in Class Prayer Space
» ‘Woke’ Golden Globes Tanked: Ratings Hit Historic Low in 2023
 

Egg Prices Rise More Than 64% in Some States

Egg prices continue to skyrocket, adding even more pressure on consumer wallets.

In December, egg prices climbed the most in Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico, according to retail data firm Datasembly, which collects real-time data from over 200 retailers across North America including Walmart, Kroger and Target.

A cartoon of 12 eggs increased over 64% in all the aforementioned states, according to the retail data firm. That compares to the 18% increase seen in states such as Oregon, California and Washington, according to the data.

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

FTX Uncovers $5 Billion in Liquid Assets Amid Bankruptcy Proceedings

A lawyer for cryptocurrency firm FTX announced in a bankruptcy hearing that the company had located more than $5 billion in liquid assets belonging to the company.

That sum includes cash, cryptocurrency and other investments and is separate from the amounts in possession of the Securities Commission of the Bahamas, which is worth roughly $425 million, according to Yahoo News.

Andrew Dietderich, a lawyer advising FTX, further addressed allegations that hedge fund Alameda Research, a sister firm of FTX, illegally used the crypto company’s investor assets to finance its investments.

“We know what Alameda did with the money,” he said. “It bought planes, houses, threw parties, made political donations, made personal loans to its founders. It sponsored the FTX Arena in Miami, a Formula One team, the League of Legends, Coachella, and many other businesses, events and personalities. It gambled on cryptocurrency investments, often unsuccessfully.”

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

Parents Fear Baby Formula Costs Could Spike as Supplies Remain Low: ‘A Really Hard Blow’

Louisiana mom of four Amber Bergeron said struggling families, including her own, could be dealt a “huge blow” as baby formula prices are set to skyrocket by 20% once Biden’s import tariff waivers expire.

“[The cost increases are] really a hard blow for me,” she said Wednesday on “Fox & Friends First.”

“It’s really a hard blow for my entire household, and I’m sure for households all around the country,” she added.

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

Texas Announces Record Budget Surplus of Nearly $33B: ‘Unprecedented’

Texas announced Monday that the state government hauled in a record-setting budget surplus of $32.7 billion that topped the forecasted surplus by $6 billion.

State Comptroller Glenn Hegar said in a statement, “We cannot, and we will not, lose sight of the fact that every tax dollar received by the state is coming out of Texans’ pockets.” But he also cast doubt on whether Texas will be able to repeat the blowout budgetary performance and urged lawmakers to be cautious in deciding what to do with the funds.

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

“Landmark” Lawsuit Accuses Mainstream Media of Forming Coalition to Censor “Misinformation”

Chairman of Children’s Health Defense (CHD) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other plaintiffs have filed a lawsuit against the Trusted News Initiative (TNI) alleging antitrust and First Amendment violations.

TNI, launched in March 2020, is a coalition of some of the world’s largest news organizations, including the Associated Press, the BBC, the Washington Post, and Reuters, who partnered with Big Tech with the aim of stopping the spread of “misinformation.”

Kennedy, CHD, and several other organizations, journalists, and individuals filed a lawsuit in the District Court for the Northern District of Texas-Amarillo Division alleging that these legacy news organizations partnered with Big Tech to “collectively censor online news” about COVID-19 and the 2020 presidential election that did not align with the official narratives.

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

Air Force Football Player Hunter Brown Dies Suddenly at 21

Air Force football player Hunter Brown, an offensive lineman, has died suddenly at just 21 years old, according to reports.

The school announced that Brown had unexpectedly suffered an unspecified “medical emergency” on Monday.

He reportedly collapsed while leaving his dorm on his way to class and first responders were unable to save his life.

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

AOC Backs Calls to Ban Gas Stoves, Claims They Cause Brain Damage

Celebrity Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has spoken out in support of the Biden administration’s calls to ban gas stoves from American homes.

As Slay News reported, the Biden admin is considering a nationwide ban on gas stoves over claims they emit “harmful pollutants.”

According to a report by Bloomberg, Biden officials claim that a ban on the appliances being used in American homes “is on the table.”

The far-reaching admission was made by U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) commissioner Richard Trumka Jr.

Trumka reportedly told Bloomberg that gas stove appliances are a “hidden hazard” that “can be banned.”

“Any option is on the table,” Trumka told the outlet during an interview.

Ocasio-Cortez took to social media to say she backs by the move and argued, without evidence, that gas stoves cause brain damage.

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

Biden Aides Discovered More Classified Documents at Second Location: Report

Aides to President Joe Biden have reportedly discovered a second batch of classified documents stored at a separate location, according to NBC News, which cited a “person familiar with the matter.”

Reports emerged earlier this week that a lawyer clearing out Biden’s office at the Penn Biden Center in Washington had discovered a set of classified documents which reportedly included intelligence on Ukraine, Iran and the UK. The documents were discovered in November and handed over to the government. The National Archives has asked the Department of Justice to investigate the matter.

The location of the second batch, as well as the number and nature of the documents, remains unclear, per NBC and confirmed by other news sources. The Biden administration says they had been searching for any misplaced classified materials following the November discovery.

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

Breaking: Biden Admin Extends COVID-19 Public Health Emergency AGAIN

The Biden administration has yet again extended the Covid-19 public health emergency determination for another 90 days, the White House announced on Wednesday.

Since first being announced on January 31, 2020, the public health emergency has been renewed ten times already, making this latest extension the 11th.

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

Breaking: Houston Hero Who Shot Armed Robber Turns Himself in, Prosecutors Refer Case to Grand Jury

An armed man who shot and killed a robbery suspect at a Mexican restaurant in Houston last week may face criminal charges, as the Harris County District Attorney’s Office has referred the decision to a Texas grand jury.

The unnamed 46-year-old shooter, who also returned stolen cash to other patrons in the restaurant, was questioned by homicide detectives but has not yet been arrested or charged, Fox News reports.

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

Breaking: Trump Slams FBI Over Collusion With Big Tech as Revealed in Twitter Files

Former President Donald Trump released a statement slamming the FBI and other agencies for colluding with big tech to censor Americans and for violating first amendment rights, with Trump citing the newly revealed Twitter Files in the video.

“The now-famous Twitter Files have proven beyond all doubt that the corrupt officials at the FBI have been coordinating a massive censorship, surveillance, and propaganda campaign against the American people, and quite frankly, me. In a most recent and notorious example, the FBI worked to stop the truth about the Biden family’s criminality,” Trump said.

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

DC Police: 2 Children Shot While Getting Off Metrobus

DC Police say the children were shot as they were getting off the Metrobus Wednesday evening.

WASHINGTON — Police are investigating after two children were shot while getting off a Metrobus in Northwest D.C. Wednesday evening.

According to a spokesperson from the Metro Transit Police Department (MTPD), the shooting happened on or near a Metrobus in the area of 14th Street and Sheridan Street just before 4:15 p.m.

MTPD says two children were injured in the shooting. The kids’ ages were only confirmed as being 10 or under.

The two children were taken to an area hospital for help with their gunshot wounds. Police say there may be a third victim in this shooting.

This is an ongoing investigation.

Police are no on the lookout for a man in his 20s wearing dark pants and a dark jacket in connection to the shooting.

           — Hat tip: DV [Return to headlines]
 

Delivery Driver Carjacked by Armed Man Near Lori Lightfoot’s Chicago Home

A food delivery driver was robbed at gunpoint and had his car stolen by an armed carjacker less than a block from the Chicago home of Democrat Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

According to Chicago police, the incident occurred around 10:50 pm on Monday night.

A delivery driver was confronted by an armed man in the 2600 block of North St. Louis, less than a block from the mayor’s Wrightwood Avenue home.

Lightfoot is well protected by a security detail, but her neighbors, and the rest of Chicago’s residents, have to live in the wild west.

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

FAA System Meltdown Sees Twitter Users Blast ‘Incompetent’ Buttigieg: ‘No Experience’

Twitter users lambasted the state of modern air travel and directed blame at Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it had suffered a system failure.

On Wednesday morning, the FAA announced the agency was working to restore the Notice to Air Missions System, which had severely limited operations of the National Airspace System. After multiple hours, the system continued to produce errors before slowly coming back online around 9 a.m. ET.

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

Florida Bill Would Prohibit Financial Institutions From Tracking Gun and Ammo Purchases

Florida lawmakers announced legislation this week that would prohibit financial institutions from tracking firearm and ammo purchases in the state.

The proposed bill comes after the world’s largest payment processors said last year that they will adopt the International Organization for Standardization’s new merchant code for gun shop sales. Firearm and ammo purchases were previously categorized as “general merchandise.”

State Sen. Danny Burgess and Rep. John Snyder, both Republicans, said they will introduce the “Florida Arms and Ammo Act” with the backing of Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson.

“The ‘Florida Arms and Ammo Act’ draws a line in the sand and tells multi-national progressive financial institutions, and their allies in Washington, that they cannot covertly create a backdoor firearm registry of Floridians — or else,” Simpson said in a statement.

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

Gavin Newsom Announces Digital IDs for California

While announcing the 2023/2024 budget proposal, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said that the state will launch a digital ID in “a matter of months,” and that the state will “do it like no other state has done it.”

California has been working on a digital ID, with the state’s DMV receiving permission to test a Digital ID back in 2021.

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

Here’s Why More Women Have Been Purchasing Guns in Recent Years

HOT SPRINGS, Arkansas — According to The Firearm Industry Trade Association (NSSF) more women are buying guns. In fact, their data shows that 1-in-3 first-time gun buyers were women.

A gun shop in Hot Springs is noticing this trend.

Erin and her husband Roger Latsha have owned Arego’s Guns in Hot Springs since 2015. In that time, they’ve seen a change in who’s coming in to buy firearms.

In 2015, Arego’s had almost 20,000 total customers and 6% of them were women.

In 2021, not only did the business sell more guns, but there were three times more women purchasing firearms than six years ago.

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

Houston Taqueria Robbed Again, 5 Days After Customer Shoots Would-be Thief Dead

Just five days after a patron of Houston’s El Ranchito #4 taco restaurant fatally shot a man who robbed customers at gunpoint, the eatery was broken into and robbed yet again.

The latest robbery occurred around 2:30 am Tuesday. Restaurant owner Pedo Lopez told News 4 San Antonio that the thief broke his slot machines and stole $100 from them. According to Lopez, break-ins at his store aren’t rare at all.

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

Michigan’s Muslim-Majority City Council Approves Animal Sacrifice for Religious Purposes

A Detroit-area city on Tuesday voted to approve allowing residents to sacrifice animals at home for religious purposes.

The Hamtramck City Council, whose members are all Muslims, approved the practice, 3-2, Tuesday.

The matter was put up for a vote in December, but city council members kept a ban in place. The issue was revisited this month after legal advice and objections from resident Muslims, the Detroit Free Press reported.

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

NYC Grocery Stores Consider Locking Up Food Due to Rampant Theft; Workers Are ‘Traumatized’

Shampoo, toothpaste, and razor blades are all items that grocery stores have increasingly started locking behind counters. Soon, that list might include food.

“People have no fear of coming to your store and stealing,” said Nelson Eusebio of the National Supermarket Association.

“Our employees are terrified,” Eusebio continued. “We have young people that come to work, young cashiers who work part-time, these kids are 16-17 years old. They’re traumatized.”

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

Officials Urge La Salle Residents Not to Touch Green Substance Released During Fire

“Do NOT touch this substance,” the LaSalle Police Department wrote in an alert to residents. “If you see this substance near or on your residence it can be deactivated”

La Salle officials are telling residents not to touch a green-colored substance that was released into the area during a massive fire at a chemical building in the southwest Chicago suburb.

According to La Salle police, an “oxidizer” that appears green color was released during a fire at a and explosion at the Carus Chemical plant Wednesday morning.

“Do NOT touch this substance,” the La Salle Police Department wrote in an alert to residents. “If you see this substance near or on your residence it can be deactivated.”

The department said residents will need a mixture of one gallon of water, one gallon of peroxide and one gallon of vinegar.

“At this time, we are asking that La Salle residents continue to shelter in place,” the department wrote.

           — Hat tip: LP [Return to headlines]
 

Rubio Calls Out JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Sounds ‘Alarm’ Over Partnership With TikTok Parent ByteDance

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., sent a letter to JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon on Wednesday, expressing “strong concern” over a reported partnership between the bank and TikTok parent ByteDance for developing in-app payment technology.

The letter warns against dealing with ByteDance due to its ties to the Chinese government, and warnings from U.S. officials about national security concerns due to the company’s data collection practices.

“As you are no doubt aware, ByteDance is controlled and directed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), meaning that data, including private information belonging to Americans and other foreigners, available to ByteDance is also accessible to Beijing,” Rubio wrote. “It is outrageous that JPMorgan Chase would elect to join ByteDance in a partnership geared toward broadening and deepening the company’s, and as a result, the CCP’s, access to countless volumes of user data.”

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

Semiautomatic Weapons Ban Becomes Illinois Law

Illinois banned the sale or possession of semiautomatic weapons Tuesday when Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed legislation driven largely by the killing of seven people at a 4th of July parade last year in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park.

Pritzker acted without hesitation after the House voted 68-41 to make Illinois the ninth state, as well as Washington, D.C., to prohibit the sale or possession of semiautomatic weapons. The vote concurred with a plan the Senate OK’d Monday night.

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

Sen. Graham Demands Special Counsel Probe as Biden Breaks Silence Over Classified Docs

Update (1850ET): Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Wednesday called for Attorney General Merrick Garland to appoint a special counsel to investigate the handling of classified documents by President Biden while he served as vice president. Graham said the appointment of a special counsel is necessary to investigate Biden after Garland announced the appointment of career prosecutor Jack Smith to investigate former President Trump’s possession of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.

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

SF Man Reaches Limit With Homeless, Pulls Out Hose and Sprays: ‘I Just Snapped’

A San Francisco man reached his limit with the homelessness crisis in the California city and pulled out a hose and sprayed a homeless woman after she refused to move.

Collier Gwin, the owner of the Foster Gwin Gallery on Montgomery Street in Jackson Square, said he “just snapped.”

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

Suspect in NYC Van Attack That Killed 8 Wanted to Hang ISIS Flag in Hospital Room, Court Hears

A man who killed eight people on a New York City bike path in 2017 smiled as he proudly spoke of the carnage, asking to hang the flag of an Islamic militant group in his hospital room, a prosecutor said Monday in the first federal death penalty trial since U.S. President Joe Biden took office.

Prosecutors allege Sayfullo Saipov steered a rented pickup truck onto a concrete trail along the Hudson River and accelerated to 106 km/h, running over cyclists and pedestrians and leaving a trail of dead and injured on Oct. 31, 2017.

The rampage came to an end when the truck crashed into a school bus a few blocks from the World Trade Center, a collision that left one child with serious brain damage. Saipov was then shot by a police officer, who says the suspect emerged from the wreck and pointed black pellet and paintball guns that looked like deadly weapons at him.

After he was shot by the officer, Saipov was arrested at the scene.

Saipov, now 34, has pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges.

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

Twitter Users Celebrate Biden Agency Backtracking on Gas Stove Ban: ‘Paper Straw People Defeated Again’

Twitter users mocked what appeared to be backtracking by the Consumer Product Safety Commission on the idea of banning gas stoves Wednesday.

The CPSC Commissioner Richard Trumka Jr. suggested on Monday that a ban on gas stoves was “on the table” because of the “hidden hazard” of potentially harmful levels of nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide emitted by them. The news quickly received backlash from social media users, though some Democratic figures such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez supported the idea.

However, by Wednesday, CPSC Chair Alexander Hoehn-Saric clarified that the agency as well as the Biden administration are not actively looking to ban gas stoves.

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

Vaccine Advisors ‘Angry’ Scientists and Moderna Withheld Data on COVID Booster Efficacy Before FDA Approval

Some vaccine advisors who were responsible for advising on federal policy on whether to authorize the COVID-19 booster shot have said they’re “disappointed” and “angry” that government scientists and vaccine-maker Moderna neglected to present a set of infection data before the FDA could give their advisement.

The data in question suggested that the updated booster could be no more effective at preventing infection than the original shot.

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

Watch: Neil Degrasse Tyson Throws a Fit After Interviewer Questions COVID Vaccine Efficacy

This is hilarious.

Where is this “social contract” when it comes to the state locking up criminals and preventing crime? Where is the social contract when it comes to protecting our borders and stopping mass immigration?

The “system” in place to review vaccines that Tyson cites was scrapped as a result of “Emergency Use Authorization” orders.

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

Canadian Woman Dies in Emergency Room After Seven-Hour Wait; Husband Says She Was ‘Neglected’

A Canadian woman died after waiting seven hours in the emergency room, with her family blaming complications and shortcomings in the country’s health care system for the death.

“I would like to express my deepest condolences to the family of the patient who died at Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre,” Canadian Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson wrote in a statement released Monday. “This is a tragic loss, and my heart goes out to them. I understand they want answers.

“Nova Scotia Health has begun an investigation, known as a quality review, into this case to determine what happened, how we can do better, and what we can do to prevent it from happening in the future.”

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

Canada Police ID Toronto Homeless Man, 59, Allegedly Murdered by 8 Teen Girls in ‘Swarming’ Attack

Canadian police on Tuesday named the 59-year-old homeless man killed in what authorities deemed a “swarming” attack allegedly carried out by eight teenage girls on a Toronto street last month.

Toronto Police Service identified the victim as Ken Lee, 59, of Toronto. Lee, who reportedly was originally from Hong Kong and was looking for housing, was allegedly assaulted and stabbed by a group of three 13-year-old girls, three 14-year-old girls, and two 16-year-old girls shortly after midnight on Dec. 18.

The girls allegedly attacked the homeless man shortly at a plaza near the main rail station of Canada’s largest city. Witnesses told police the girls attempted to steal a liquor bottle from Lee’s female friend, and when Lee tried to intervene, the teens unleashed their deadly assault, Canadian Broadcast Corporation (CBC) reported.

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

Computer “Outage” Hits Canadian Flight System Hours After US System Went Down

Update (1426ET):

Nav Canada, the not-for-profit corporation that operates Canada’s civil air navigation system, reports the Candian real-time safety alerts system for pilots, otherwise known as NOTAM — short for Notice to Air Mission — has been hit with an outage.

So far, no delays have been attributed to the outage.

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

Extinction Rebellion Vancouver Island ‘Not Ramping Down’ As Disruptive UK Protests Called Off

A UK-based environmental activism organization known for its boisterous tactics announced recently that it would stop protest actions that disrupt the lives of ordinary citizens—at least for the next few months. Extinction Rebellion has relied on radical actions like road and bridge blockades to raise awareness of the climate crisis and its causes, but the group announced last month it has decided to prioritize “attendance over arrest and relationships over roadblocks.”

“We recognise and celebrate the power of disruption to raise the alarm and believe that constantly evolving tactics is a necessary approach,” the group said in a statement on Dec. 31. “What’s needed now most is to disrupt the abuse of power and imbalance, to bring about a transition to a fair society that works together to end the fossil fuel era.”

But Extinction Rebellion’s local chapter doesn’t have plans to back down.

“We’re not ramping down, we’re not getting any less disruptive. We’re just getting a little more sophisticated because we’re up against the richest corporations in the world that have politicians in their pockets,” said Howard Breen, with Extinction Rebellion Vancouver Island. Though he didn’t want to announce what exactly the group is planning, he said they’re working on far more creative actions.

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

Hundreds Rally in Support of Jordan Peterson Outside Ontario College of Psychologists After They Call for His Re-Education

Hundreds of people gathered outside the Ontario College of Psychologists in Toronto on Wednesday to protest the licensing body’s decision to force “mandatory social media retraining” on Canadian professor and psychologist Dr. Jordan B. Peterson.

Protesters gathered along both sides of Eglinton Avenue outside the Ontario College of Psychologists offices, holding up banners and signs of support and solidarity, as well as some anti-Trudeau slogans.

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

Parents ‘In Disbelief’ After ISIS Flag Sent Out by Toronto School Principal in Email

For Canadians, and millions the world over, the infamous black and white flag flown by ISIS is a symbol of terrorism, death and persecution.

When an image of that very flag was sent in an email to parents in October by the principal of a downtown Toronto elementary school, it left some like May Woo “shocked” and “in disbelief.”

In a message meant to celebrate the beginning of Somali Heritage Month and Islamic Heritage Month, principal Darlene Jones copied and pasted an image of the ISIS flag in an email to approximately 700 families whose children attend her school in Toronto’s Parkdale community.

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

Baroness Claire Fox Calls for UK Legal Protections Against PayPal’s Ideological Censorship

Baroness Claire Fox has called for the UK government to use the Financial Services & Markets Bill to protect civil society organizations’ ability to conduct basic commerce regardless of political views.

“I want to focus on one fairly narrow, but I think important, consequence of an increasingly cashless society, and that is that a handful of mainly US tech giants now have unprecedented power over the public,” Baroness Fox told the House of Lords.

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

British Public Broadcaster Gives Platform to Banished Jihadi Bride Shamima Begum With 10-Part Podcast

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has been accused of giving terrorists a platform following the release of a new 10-part podcast with former British national Shamima Begum.

Begum fled the U.K. in 2015 with two other schoolgirls to join the Islamic State death cult in Syria and, following its demise, sought to return to Britain to face terror charges. Her citizenship was revoked by then-Home Secretary Sajid Javid, a decision that was upheld on appeal to Britain’s top court in February 2021.

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

Climate Activists Hurl Molotov Cocktails at Riot Police as Authorities Seek to Reclaim German Village Occupied by Far-Left Squatters

German riot police moved in this week to clear the hundreds of climate activists currently occupying the western German village of Lützerath in protest against the decision to mine much-need coal there.

More than 700 activists are now situated in the abandoned village in North Rhine Westphalia, whose residents have been relocated to make way for energy company RWE to mine the site for lignite.

The anti-coal brigade began occupying the village more than two years ago, with the number of protesters growing steadily in recent weeks. Activists are squatting in the empty houses, preparing barricades, and forming human chains as they prepare for authorities to follow through on an eviction order issued by a local court, which came into force on Tuesday.

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

French Workers Vow “Mother of All Battles” As Macron Govt to Raise Retirement Age to 64

Get ready for the riots to break out… France’s government has just proposed raising the legal retirement age as it embarks on significant reforms to the pension system, and not for the first time.

The Macron government going years back was already met with fierce pushback and anger upon earlier similar proposals and major overhaul attempts. The plan was unveiled Tuesday by Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne, and proposes raising legal retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030.

The plan stopped short of Macron’s previously proposed 65, and an outline of the proposal seeks to require that workers pay into the system for two more years, raising this from the current 41 to 43 years paying in.

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

German Police Surround and Crack Down on Camp of Anti-Coal Protesters

German police continued a crackdown on anti-coal protesters who are camped out in an abandoned town slated to be demolished for the expansion of coal production.

A large force of German police surrounded the western German town of Luetzerath on Wednesday and continued blocking any new protesters from coming into the village. The police then moved in to continue forced evacuations of anti-coal protesters encamped there, according to a report from France 24.

“They took the first aid team out of the camp by force,” said Mara Sauer, a spokesperson for the activists, according to France 24. “Only some were able to stay in hiding.”

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

Guinness Hikes Beer Prices in Ireland, Risking “Financial Hardship for Many”

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar says a move by Guinness to raise prices of a pint in Ireland would cause “financial hardship for many,” after the company announced an increase of 12 euro-cents per pint.

The move has prompted calls for London-based parent company, Diageo Plc, to reverse the decision. According to Diageo, they can no longer afford to absorb rising costs — following fellow beverage company Heineken NV, which slapped a 17 euro-cent increase on its products in December.

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

Multiple Danish Banks Disrupted by DDoS Cyber-Attack

Denmark’s central bank and seven private banks, including Jyske Bank and Sydbank, have been hit by distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks that disrupted their operations this week.

According to Reuters, a spokesperson for the central bank said its website was working normally on Tuesday afternoon. The attack, which also affected IT financial industry solutions developer Bankdata, did not reportedly impact the bank’s other systems or day-to-day operations.

However, it impacted access to the websites of the aforementioned private banks, which was briefly restricted on Tuesday after the DDoS attack on Bankdata.

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

Orban is Europe’s ‘Last Mohican’

Hungarian PM Viktor Orban is the last European leader with the courage to tell the truth, writes Romanian publicist Adrian Onciu

It was a “mind-boggling,” “Putinist,” “pro-Russian” speech. At least that’s how the mainstream media characterized Viktor Orban’s latest message on the war in Ukraine.

For Orban to point out the naked truth and be accused of “hallucinating,” this is what it has come to after years of countless lies being thrown around.

Hungary’s prime minister has unfortunately remained Europe’s last Mohican — the last politician able to speak his mind openly without fear of being lynched by the mob of globalist left-wing admirers. He is also the last leader to whom “free” Europeans can still relate. He is, if you like, the political equivalent of Novak Djokovic.

Without more leaders like Orban, conservative Europe stands little chance. I say this in the strongest possible terms.

Here is a transcript of the Hungarian Prime Minister’s most recent public speech.

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

Poland Asks US Congress for Help With WWII Reparations Claim Against Germany

The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has requested assistance from the U.S. Congress regarding its reparations claim against Germany for damages sustained in the Second World War, according to Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Arkadiusz Mularczyk.

Mularczyk made the statement while speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, where he argued that Poland was appealing to the U.S. Congress because of the country’s special role in the world as a guardian of international order, human rights, rule of law, and international justice.

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

Swedish Right-Wing Govt to Develop National Strategy for Gang Crime After Record Year of Fatal Shootings

The Swedish centre-right coalition government that took power late last year announced it will be developing a national strategy to tackle surging levels of gang crime after the country saw a record number of fatal shootings last year.

Swedish Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer, a member of the centre-right Moderates, announced Tuesday at the People and Defense National Conference, that the government was developing a national plan to deal with criminal gangs along the lines of previous strategies to combat terrorism and domestic extremism.

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

UK: Just Stop Oil ‘Can’t Rule Out’ Disrupting King Charles’ Coronation or Local Elections and Could Also Target Strike Days Amid Plans to Ramp Up Protests This Year

Just Stop Oil has refused to rule out disrupting King Charles’ coronation and the UK’s local elections later this year — and may target strike days amid plans to ramp up its protests.

The eco-group hailed last year a ‘success’ that has led to a ‘significantly increased’ membership and ‘more active members’ after a series of stunts that caused widescale disruption across 2022.

Eco-zealots brought large parts of London and the south east to a standstill after embarking on more than 30 days of continuous protests that included blocking roads in the capital and scaling gantries over the M25 on multiple occasions.

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

Israeli Man Stabbed and Wounded at West Bank Outpost; Attacker Shot Dead

Victim in his 30s being treated at nearby hospital for moderate wounds sustained after being stabbed by Palestinian at wildcat Havat Yehuda

An Israeli man was stabbed and moderately wounded in a suspected terror attack in the South Hebron Hills area of the West Bank on Wednesday, the military and medics said.

According to the Israel Defense Forces, the victim was stabbed in the head at the Havat Yehuda (Yehuda Farm) illegal outpost, and the alleged attacker was “neutralized.” The Rescuers Without Borders emergency service later said that the suspect succumbed to his wounds.

The Magen David Adom ambulance service said its medics took the victim, in his 30s, to the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba where he was being treated in the trauma ward. He was identified as Elyashiv Nahum, the owner of the wildcat farm adjacent to the Eshtamoa outpost.

The stabber was named by the Palestinian Authority health ministry as Sanad Muhammad Othman Samamreh, from the nearby city of ad-Dhahiriya.

           — Hat tip: JW [Return to headlines]
 

Bunkers for Sale in Ukraine

In the face of the constant barrage of Russian missiles, the demand for bombproof accommodation in Ukraine has increased enormously. A Ukrainian company is offering an expensive solution. Only a few Ukrainians can afford the “cosy”, modern bunkers, starting at 66 000 euros however.

On the website of the Ukrainian company Cache, the bunkers are advertised as follows: “Combine quality of life and reliable protection for your family in a self-contained underground air raid shelter.”

Cache’s shelters are nothing like the hulking concrete bunkers we’re used to. Rather, they come as underground mini houses, where design and aesthetics are not neglected. These can be installed underground in your own garden.

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

Putin Sacks Top Commander in Ukraine After Three Months

Russian President Vladimir Putin has demoted his senior commander in Ukraine, amid a bloody struggle for the eastern city of Bakhmut in Donbas.

Gen. Sergey Surovikin became the overall head of Russian forces in Ukraine in October. He replaced the prior commander, Gennady Zhidko, who himself had replaced Alexander Dvornikov. Valery Gerasimov will assume command of the invasion force and Surovikin will still serve as his deputy, the Kremlin confirmed. Gerasimov has served as Chief of the Russian General Staff since 2012.

Surovikin had built a strong military record in Syria and was widely credited with turning the war in favor of President Bashar al-Assad. His appointment was expected to dramatically improve Russian fortunes.

While he spearheaded a campaign to target critical civilian infrastructure ahead of the winter months, Surovikin was unable to solidify Russian positions west of the Dnieper River and was forced to order the retreat from Kherson, the only provincial capital in Muscovite control. He did, however, successfully withdraw many Russian forces to the eastern shore and solidify the Russian position there.

Valery Gerasimov will assume command of the invasion force.

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

Russian Reshuffle Puts Top General in Charge of Faltering Ukraine Invasion

KYIV/NEAR BAKHMUT, Ukraine, Jan 11 (Reuters) — Russia ordered its top general on Wednesday to take charge of its faltering invasion of Ukraine in the biggest shake-up yet of its malfunctioning military command structure.

It did so as Russian forces struggled to cement their control of the small east Ukrainian salt-mining town of Soledar after taking heavy casualties, a day after the leader of the Wagner contract militia said the town was under Russian control.

Wagner is one of a number of semi-autonomous Russian forces whose high profile on the battlefield after more than 10 months of war has underlined the ineffectiveness of Russia’s core military in a campaign the Kremlin had expected to finish in days.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu had appointed Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov as overall commander of forces for what Moscow calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine.

The move not only made Gerasimov directly accountable for the fate of the campaign but also in effect demoted General Sergei Surovikin, nicknamed “General Armageddon” by the Russian media for his reputed ruthlessness.

Surovikin had been named Russia’s top battlefield commander in Ukraine only last October following a series of Ukrainian counter-offensives that began to turn the tide of the conflict.

           — Hat tip: Dean [Return to headlines]
 

5 People Were Killed in an Explosion Near the Foreign Ministry in Kabul

KABUL, Afghanistan — An explosion near the Foreign Ministry in the Afghan capital on Wednesday killed five people and wounded several others, a Taliban police spokesman said, the second prominent attack in Kabul so far in 2023.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but the regional affiliate of the Islamic State group — known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province — has increased its assaults since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021. Targets have included Taliban patrols and members of the country’s Shiite minority.

The mid-afternoon explosion was followed by peals of sirens. Taliban security forces prevented journalists from getting close to the site, threatening them with guns and telling them to leave.

Kabul police chief spokesman Khalid Zadran said security teams have been deployed to the site. Later he said that as the result of the explosion, “five of our civilians were killed and a number of others were wounded.”

Zadran offered no other details on the source of the blast or say how many people were wounded. Taliban government officials did not respond to requests seeking additional comment.

           — Hat tip: MM [Return to headlines]
 

India Set to Overtake China as World’s Most Populous Country in Next 3 Months: UN Report

A report from the United Nations suggests that India will become the most populous nation in the world, surpassing China, in the next three months.

The United Nations report shows that India is expected to overtake China in terms of overall population by April and will have almost 1.7 billion people by 2050 compared to China’s expected 1.31 billion, Yahoo News reported.

If the report’s predictions hold true, China’s population in 2050 will be 8% smaller than it is today, which The Economist reports is due to China’s strict family planning rules that have contributed to a birth rate decline.

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

5 Dead, 13 Injured After Car Ploughs Into Pedestrians in China’s Guangzhou City

A car ploughed into a group of pedestrians in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou on Wednesday, killing at least five people and injuring 13, according to local police.

The incident, the cause of which was not yet known, took place at 5:25 pm (0925 GMT) near an intersection in the manufacturing hub of 19 million.

“The driver… was taken in for questioning by police and the accident is currently the subject of a thorough investigation,” the head of Guangzhou police said on the Chinese social network Weibo.

The suspect is a 22-year-old man from another city in the same province of Guangdong.

Chinese media published images showing victims lying on the ground, as well as the suspect appearing to throw handfuls of banknotes in the air before being arrested.

           — Hat tip: Roger [Return to headlines]
 

Extinction Rebellion Protesters to Disrupt Major Cycling Race

Protesters from the controversial climate action group Extinction Rebellion have planned a series of disruptions at next week’s Tour Down Under, a move that could frustrate professional cyclists and fans of the sport.

The group is targeting the event due to its naming rights sponsor, Australian gas giant Santos. It previously protested against Santos as a sponsor of the Australian Open tennis tournament in 2021.

Extinction Rebellion viewed its earlier campaign against Santos as a success after Tennis Australia abruptly ended its “multiyear” agreement with the fossil fuels company after less than a year.

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

ISIS Terrorist to Return to NSW Town

An Islamic State terrorist is set to return to his home in rural New South Wales after his release from prison later this year.

Convicted terrorist Haisem Zahab was arrested in 2017 in the town of Young for designing missiles for Islamic State.

He was jailed for nine years with a non-parole period of six years and nine months and is expected to return the town upon his release.

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

Fresh Protests: Brasilia UPS Security Days After Riots

Brasilia (AFP) — Security was boosted in Brasilia Wednesday amid simmering tensions ahead of fresh protests by backers of ex-president Jair Bolsonaro and the pending arrest one of his allies just days after riots shocked the Brazilian capital.

Roads leading to the Esplanade of Ministries were blocked to traffic and pedestrians, deputy justice minister Ricardo Cappelli told reporters, as Bolsonaro fans vowed fresh “mega” protests to “take power back” from his successor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

The esplanade houses all government ministries as well as the Square of Three Powers — the presidency, Congress and Supreme Court all targeted in Sunday’s violent uprising.

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

Afghan Illegal Arrested for Raping Teen Boy in Public in French Village

A 25-year-old illegal migrant from Afghanistan has been arrested after being accused of raping a 14-year-old boy in a stadium in a village in northern France on Christmas Eve.

The alleged rape attack took place at around 3:30 pm in the afternoon at a local stadium in the village of Croisilles, according to French journalist Amaury Bucco of broadcaster CNews, who reported the facts of the case on his Twitter account on Monday.

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

France: 6 Injured in Stabbing Spree at Paris Train Station, Algerian Suspect Neutralized by Police

Six people have been injured in a knife attack at the Gare du Nord railway station in Paris during rush hour on Wednesday.

The incident occurred shortly before 6:45 a.m., with CCTV footage capturing the moment a man stabbed a passer-by at the entrance of the train station before chasing his victim into the terminal and attacking five others.

According to French media, the assailant stabbed his first victim 15 times before entering the station and indiscriminately targeting four civilians and a police officer.

It is understood the officer who was attacked was stabbed in the back but was not seriously wounded because he was wearing a bulletproof vest.

One victim suffered life-threatening injuries and has been hospitalized, while others are understood to have been treated at the scene.

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

Germany: Student With ‘Migration Background’ Arrested for Stabbing Teacher to Death

A teenager with a ‘migration background’ was arrested for fatally stabbing his teacher at a school in Germany this week, according to reports.

The horrifying incident unfolded on Tuesday in Ibbenbüren, a town in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

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

Germany’s Left Demands Countrywide Migrant Quotas as Country Buckles Under Strain of Mass Immigration

The German left is seeking to reform the quota system for distributing refugees within Germany, as Berlin is running out of space for asylum seekers. However, the less overburdened federal states want no part of such a scheme.

In an effort to promote “welcome culture” to immigrants, hundreds of German cities and towns have signed a pledge over the years to take in refugees under the motto, “We have space.” However, cities like Berlin, which was one of the main drivers of such efforts, are now claiming they are running out of space.

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

Hungarian Border Guards Stopped Average of 738 Illegals a Day in 2022, Double 2021 Numbers

The Hungarian government says it apprehended some 269,254 “illegal entrants” at its southern border in 2022; a huge jump from the already high figure of 122,239 in 2021.

György Bakondi, chief security advisor to Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s pro-borders government, warned “the number of illegal entrants is rising” and that “Hungary is still the main route for undocumented migrants coming from the Balkans with the aid of people smugglers” in an official news bulletin, with the border seeing an average of 738 migrants stopped per day.

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

Manhunt Ends as Algerian Convicted Killer Who Escaped German Cuorthouse is Arrested in France

An Algerian convicted murderer who escaped through the window of a German courthouse and went on the run has been apprehended in France, ending a five-day manhunt for the fugitive.

An international arrest warrant was issued on Friday for 40-year-old Rachid Chouakri, who had fled through a ground-floor window of the Regensburg district court on Thursday.

Police had advised the public to stay away from the Algerian criminal, who was considered violent.

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

Migrants Who Arrive on Cross-Channel Dinghies Will Face ‘Rapid Removal’ From UK Under New Rules Being Eyed by Suella Braverman

Channel migrants will face an automatic ban on making asylum claims under tough new immigration measures being drawn up by Suella Braverman, the Daily Mail can reveal.

The Home Secretary will change the law so every migrant who has passed through a safe country — such as France — will instantly see applications for refugee status declared void. They will then face ‘rapid removal’ from Britain.

It will tighten rules introduced last year which granted new arrivals a grace period of up to six months.

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

Parents of French Woman Axelle Dorier, Who Was Dragged 800 Meters to Her Death, Say ‘A Minority of the Population is Destroying Our Nation and Behaving Like Savages’

As the trial begins over the hit-and-run killing of 23-year-old French woman Axelle Dorier, the parents of the young woman are speaking out against the two men on trial, saying they represent “a minority of the population” destroying the French nation.

The killing of Axelle occurred in July 2020, and although arrested shortly after the incident, Youcef Tebal and Mohamed Yelloule are only now going to trial two years later. As Remix News reported at the time, the gruesome nature of Axelle’s last moments, who was training to become a nurse, not only sparked national headlines, but also led to widespread protests and social media campaigns.

The parents of Axelle, Pierre and Sophie, are now speaking to the press about what they say is the injustice their family has experienced.

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

Supreme Court to Look at Whether Encouraging Illegal Immigration is Protected Speech

This spring, the Supreme Court will decide on the constitutionality of a law that criminalizes encouraging illegal immigrants to stay in or come to the US.

Three years ago, the court heard arguments on the same issue, and several of them suggested that the law was a violation of the First Amendment as it could turn commonplace statements into crimes.

At the time, Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked if a charity that provided food to “people who can’t get it elsewhere and they know that the people taking advantage of that are here unlawfully” was committing a felony.

Chief Justice John Roberts imagined “a grandmother whose granddaughter is in the United States illegally.” He asked if the grandmother would be committing a crime if she asked her granddaughter to stay.

According to Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the law would even cover legal advice.

However, the court unanimously decided not to make a ruling in the case because the First Amendment question had not been raised by the parties involved, including by those who filed amicus briefs.

But last month, the Supreme Court agreed to decide a case involving prosecution under the 1986 law after the defendant challenged it on First Amendment grounds.

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

Teen Arrested in Germany for Stabbing Teacher to Death After Receiving One-Day Expulsion for Misbehavior

A 17-year-old boy with a migration background was arrested in Germany on Tuesday on suspicion of murdering his 55-year-old school teacher with a knife just hours after he had been expelled from school for one day for misbehaving.

The attack occurred shortly before 3 p.m. at the Ibbenbüren vocational college in North Rhine-Westphalia.

According to German media, the attacker, Sinan B., had been suspended from school earlier that day, but returned to the college equipped with a knife before searching for his victim.

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

UK: Aspiring Royal Marine Stabbed to Death by Afghan Asylum Seeker While Acting as Peacemaker in Row Over E-Scooter, Court Told

An aspiring marine was stabbed to death by an Afghan asylum seeker after he attempted to break up an altercation between the accused and the victim’s friend over an e-scooter, jurors in the U.K. were told on Tuesday.

On the first day of the murder trial at Salisbury Crown Court, the prosecution told the court how 21-year-old Thomas Roberts had been enjoying a night out with his friend, James Medway, on March 12 last year, when a row broke out between Mr. Medway and the accused, Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai, now 21 years of age.

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

UK: University U-Turns on Plans to Sell Student Accommodation to be Used by Asylum Seekers After Protests From Local Residents

An English university has ruled out selling former student dormitories located in a nearby village to the U.K. Home Office to house asylum seekers after mass demonstrations by local residents.

The University of Hull had been considering selling its Lawns and Ferens Hall property situated in the large village of Cottingham, just 5 kilometers from the city of Hull.

However, when local residents realized the main party acquiring the property was the Home Office — which has sought to transition from block-booking hotels to house migrants and find more long-term solutions to Britain’s asylum crisis — they reacted angrily and took action to publicly oppose the plan.

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

Ukrainians Most Common Traffickers of Illegal Migrants Into Czechia Last Year

Among the people smugglers detained by authorities for trafficking illegal immigrants into Czechia last year, the highest number originated from Ukraine.

Figures published by Czechia’s Foreign Police and reported by the Echo24 newspaper showed Ukrainians topped the list of those caught transporting illegal immigrants into the country, followed by individuals from Syria and Georgia.

“In the period from Jan. 1 to Dec. 13, 2022, the Police of the Czech Republic detained 250 people on suspicion of committing the crime of organizing and facilitating the illegal crossing of the state border in accordance with Section 340 of the criminal code, most of them in Jihomoravské (144) and Zlinské regions (46).

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

Breaking: Dress Code Ordered by Oakville School Board in Response to Biological Male Teacher Wearing Prosthetic Breasts

The director of education of the Halton District School Board has been tasked with developing a “professionalism policy,” which reportedly includes a dress code after images went viral in September of a biologically male teacher who identifies as transgender and teaches class while wearing obscenely large prosthetic breasts.

According to CP24, the unanimous decision was made at a Jan. 3 special board meeting, four months after the pictures of Oakville Trafalgar High School teacher Kayla Lemieux circulated widely on social media.

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

California Public Schools ‘Saturated’ With Teachers Who Learned Critical Race Theory When Training: Report

California public schools are “saturated” with teachers who were taught critical race theory at University of California Schools of Education and teacher preparation programs, according to a new study released Monday.

CriticalRace.org, which monitors critical race theory (CRT) curricula and training in higher education, unveiled its latest report, “Who Teaches The Teachers?”, which focuses on teachers’ training programs in the University of California Schools of Education system. Often likened by critics to actual racism, CRT is a school of thought that focuses on how power structures and institutions impact racial minorities.

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

Church of England Establishes £100M Woke Fund to “Address Past Wrongs of Slavery” as Parishes Struggle

The Archbishop of Canterbury has defended the establishment of a £100 million fund to “address past wrongs of slavery” during a time of financial crisis among parishes. The Telegraph has the story.

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

Exclusive: Expert Witness in Trial of BC Nurse Claims Questioning Child Sex Changes is ‘Transphobic’

The disciplinary hearing of British Columbia nurse Amy Hamm, who is being investigated for allegedly transphobic off-duty activity such as putting up a billboard saying “I love JK Rowling”, reconvened Tuesday with the continued cross-examination of Dr. Greta Bauer, an expert witness for the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives (BCCNM).

During the second day of her cross-examination, Bauer, a Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, stated that she believes it is transphobic to question the practice of doctors performing experimental sex changes on minors, arguing that interventions such as puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones are necessary medical care recommended by a range of medical groups.

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

Harvard Medical Offering Course on Sex-Change Treatments for ‘Infants’

Harvard Medical School is now offering new a course about providing sex-change treatments for “infants.”

The course is titled “Caring for Patients with Diverse Sexual Orientations, Gender Identities, and Sex Development.”

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

Maine Transgender Inmate Convicted of Murdering Parents Moved to Women’s Prison

A transgender woman who was convicted of killing her parents and family dog when she was a teenager has been transferred from a men’s prison to a female correctional institution.

Andrea Balcer, a 24-year-old born “Andrew” who now identifies as a woman, has been moved from the Maine State Prison to the women’s section of the Maine Correctional Institute, Bangor Daily News reported this week.

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

Minnesota Teachers to be Required to Push CRT, Support Trans Identity to Obtain Teacher’s Licenses

The state of Minnesota’s teacher licensing board is soon set to require all aspiring teachers to teach and promote the core tenets of LGBTQ ideology and critical race theory.

According to updated “Standards of Effective Practice,” promulgated by Minnesota’s Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB), educators are required to commit to affirming various and “diverse perspectives on race, culture, language, sexual identity, ability,” etc. in the classroom in order to be licensed educators.

The revised standards, hammered out in a hearing last August and affirmed by an administrative judge in December, will go into effect in 2025.

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

Oregon Allows Public Schools to Hide Official Use of Neo-Pronouns ‘Fae/Faer/Faers’ From Parents

The Oregon Department of Education released guidance this month that included starting a process to potentially implement a “gender support plan” immediately after a student shares he or she is gender diverse.

“Schools should engage in student-led support planning for name and pronoun changes. Once the school and student have decided on a supportive action plan, the school should immediately take action to implement the plan,” the Oregon transgender policy handbook said.

If a student discloses they are trans, the school may or may not include the child’s parents in the implementation of a “gender support plan” for the students, which includes aspects of a social gender transition.

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

Toronto Catholic School Teacher Brags of ‘Trans Jesus’ Icon in Class Prayer Space

A teacher in the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) has bragged on social media about having a Pride flag and depictions of Jesus Christ as transgender in a prayer space in his class.

Toronto, Ontario Catholic school board teacher Paolo De Buono made a post on Twitter on Monday showing off a “prayer table” in the Catholic school in which he teaches displaying a rainbow LGBT Pride flag and depictions of Christ as half man and half woman.

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

‘Woke’ Golden Globes Tanked: Ratings Hit Historic Low in 2023

The numbers are in, and the ceremony was not watched across the globe.

The 2023 Golden Globes on Tuesday night hit a historic low in viewership numbers, bringing in just 6.3 million people, according to data from Nielsen. For comparison, at the height of the pandemic, in 2021, the broadcast drew 6.9 million, while 2020 boasted 18.3 million viewers.

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

3 thoughts on “Gates of Vienna News Feed 1/11/2023

  1. .

    NEJ, UT – ÅK HEM MED DIG!

    picture

    https://www.friatider.se/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/vita-man_0_0.jpg

    The Centre Party’s election committee proposes Muslim Muhammer Demirok as the new party leader.

    The Turkish social liberal fits perfectly into the party’s anti-Swedish flavour, and perhaps the last rural voters will understand leaving the party now?

    So, the Center Party’s election committee has proposed a new party leader and the one they hope will lead the party is Muslim Muhammer Demirok, a former municipal councillor in Linköping, elected to the Riksdag in 2022 and a member of the Center Party’s board and spokesperson on education policy for the party. According to political commentators, he is an outspoken social liberal who will hold the line against the Sweden Democrats and continue in Annie Lööf’s footsteps.

    In the 1990s, he was twice sentenced to probation and community service for assault. He says that the events have affected him, that he is ashamed of them and that he has changed since then. The fact that a person made a mess of things in his younger days is not really much to talk about. There are more topical things that should worry Swedes who are thinking of voting for the Center Party.

    Tired of “white men”
    In 2021, when Demirok was a group leader and municipal councillor in Linköping municipality, as well as sitting on the party board for the Center Party, he made a statement on social media about “older, privileged white men”. Some that the Center politician said he was “really [vulgar intensifier] sick of”.

    So the problem for the future Center leader is “white” older men and not older men in general. A hatred and contempt for the Swedish people whose country he now lives in.
    A racist statement like this is of course unproblematic for the Center Party, which has also been exposed for turning a blind eye to paedophilia, and which in recent decades has stood for a pronounced anti-Swedish attitude in both word and deed.

    The question is whether the white Swedish voter base that used to form the backbone of the party will now finally throw in the towel and look elsewhere?
    The countryside must put its foot down
    Despite having long since become the party of inner-city liberals, the C has nevertheless been able to maintain its grip on rural and sparsely populated areas, with the support of small businesses and farmers. This support has been waning but the party has not been abandoned. Is it happening now?

    How will Muhammer Demirok be able to enthuse the old constituencies? Probably not, which should be obvious to the election committee. Probably, however, they are so full of themselves that they do not understand that the election of Demirok may well be the nail in the coffin for the party outside the metropolitan regions.

    Though maybe the Center Party doesn’t care? Sweden’s rural and sparsely populated areas have few friends in the Riksdag and the government; it is the big cities with a progressive and modern population that are interesting. It is possibly with these that Demirok will seek his support.

    Swedes’ hostility is cemented
    If Muhammer Demirok is elected as the new leader of the Centre Party, it will confirm what more and more Swedes have become aware of in recent decades: politicians are not on the side of the people – the Swedish people, that is. Muhammer Demirok will not represent the interests of Swedes, on the contrary, he is tired of white Swedish men, and an active part of the people’s exchange.

    In practice, the change of party leader will not make much difference. Lööf knows to hand over the party to someone who is on the same internationalist agenda as she is. But perhaps more Swedes will wake up and understand that the Center Party has long since abandoned them?
    One thing is for sure, it is not a “grassroots” policy being pursued by the C. Nor is it a policy for the Swedes.

    We members of Free Sweden, the Swedish people’s interest group, think it would be better for Demirok if he moved back home to his family farm in Turkey instead of being in our country and despising our people.

    • Quite right. Go home, Turk!

      FUTURE CENTRE LEADER’S HATRED OF SWEDEN AND ETHNIC SWEDES

      Published 11 January 2023

      In connection with the Center Party’s election committee’s proposal of Muharrem Demirok as the new party leader, the 46-year-old Turk’s hateful posts on social media are now attracting attention.

      Annie Lööf’s worthy successor is proposed to become C-leader – despite violent convictions:

      “I will not negotiate with SD!”

      Muharrem Demirok is not only controversial because he has been convicted of assault on two separate occasions.

      The politician, who is pro-SD and promises never to negotiate with the SD, has also been criticised for his writings on Twitter.

      “You know what I’m really [vulgar intensifier] tired of? Older, privileged and, dare I say it, white men,” he wrote in July last year in a post that he has since deleted.

      He accused white men of throwing out “claims, conjecture and outright falsehoods that they claim are fact”.

      “I can’t bear to be humble to them anymore,” Muharrem Demirok continued.

      “Another thing I noticed about these men is that they are the worst kind of golers. As soon as they are contradicted, they run away and scream
      to others. But remember, barkers have no mates,” the C-top wrote further.

      On Twitter, many people reacted to Demirok, who has a Turkish immigrant background, expressing himself that way – about white men. Some advised him to simply go home.

      Afterwards, Muharrem Demirok complained that he had endured “hatred and threats”
      after publishing the posts.

      “I have hardly experienced hate or threats as a politician, but lately it has exploded in my email inbox, comment section and messenger”.

      “A hatred the likes of which I have never experienced. My post was a reaction, an unnecessary one, to this,” he wrote.

      https://gatesofvienna.net/2023/01/gates-of-vienna-news-feed-1-11-2023/#comment-586423

  2. School personnel who are missionaries of transsexualism should be fired and banned from resuming their positions.

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