Gates of Vienna News Feed 1/5/2023

The House of Representatives once again failed to obtain a majority vote for a new Speaker, and adjourned until tomorrow when a twelfth ballot will be held. Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz nominated Donald Trump for the office of Speaker.

In other news, the Russian government proposed a truce with Ukraine during the Orthodox Christmas holiday, but was rebuffed by Ukraine.

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

Thanks to Dean, DV, Reader from Chicago, Roger, SS, Upananda Brahmachari, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.

Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.

Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. I check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.

Financial Crisis
» Bed, Bath, & Beyond to File for Bankruptcy “Within Weeks”: Report
» Celsius Co-Founder Mashinsky Sued by NY Attorney General for “Defrauding Investors Out of Billions”
» Crypto Firm With Ties to Sam Bankman-Fried’s Failed Hedge Fund Weighing Bankruptcy: Report
» Food Inflation Hits Record 13.3 Per Cent in Britain Indicating ‘Another Difficult Year’ To Come
» Missouri Bill Would Take Steps Toward Treating Gold and Silver as Money
» Polish Central Bank Keeps Interest Rates Stable
» Private Payroll Growth Surged by 235,000 in December, Well Above Estimate, ADP Reports
 
USA
» 150,000 Votes in the 2020 Election Not Tied to a Valid Address in Wisconsin: Election Watchdog
» Biden: “The World is Not a Patch in Our Jeans”
» Bryan Kohberger’s Phone Pinged at Idaho Murder Scene Hours After Killings, 12 Times Prior: Investigators
» California Seeking to Pay Reparations to Nearly 600 Forced Sterilization Survivors
» Can’t Make This Up: 3 Mass. Police Officers ‘Pass Away Suddenly’ In Past 7 Days
» Columbia University Hires Hillary Clinton as Professor and ‘Presidential Fellow’
» Cop: Idaho Murders Suspect Made Crucial Mistake That Led Authorities to Arrest
» Dr. Alexander Breaks Down Cause of Cardiac Arrest of Damar Hamlin and Why NFL Must Address COVID-19 Vaccine Injuries
» Elon Musk Stirred the Twitter Beehive After Endorsing McCarthy for Speaker: ‘Who Asked You’
» FBI Agent Who Destroyed Evidence to Indict GOP Sen. May Get Wrist-Slap
» Georgia Man is Falsely Arrested After Facial Recognition Tech Gets it Wrong
» George Soros Doubles Funding for Efforts to Pack Supreme Court
» Hunter Biden’s Child Support Battle Could Expose Identities of His Anonymous ‘Artwork’ Buyers
» Jesse Watters Blows Lid Off Epstein Scandal, Finds New Video Evidence That Will Sink His ‘Powerful Friends’
» Loudoun County Man Arrested for Protesting School Board Meeting Found Not Guilty
» Louisiana’s New Law Requiring Age Verification on Adult Websites is Driving Uptake of Digital ID
» Melted Butter Spills Into Central Wisconsin Portage Canal During Dairy Plant Fire
» New York Gun Control Law Unconstitutional: NY Supreme Court
» No Charges Yet After FTX Exec Illegally Donated $500k to Oregon Democrats Using Fake Name
» No Deal: House Adjourns Without Electing Speaker
» Pennsylvania Man Holds Hostage Pizza Delivery Driver Who Forgot His Drink: Police
» Rep. Matt Gaetz Votes for Trump for House Speaker
» Report: NFL Officially Cancels Bills-Bengals Game
» Seattle Credit Union to Shut Down Locations Over Crime, Cratering Foot Traffic
» Special Ops Police Officer Dies Suddenly at 42
» The Twitter Purge Continues: Musk Lays Off About 40 Data Scientists and Engineers Working on Ad Team
» Tim Robbins Says COVID Has Become a “New Religion”
» Trump Announces ‘War’ on Drug Cartels if Elected President
» Utah Father Kills Wife, 5 Kids, Mother-in-Law, Police Say, Stunning ‘Very Close’ Community
» Victim Kills Chicago Carjacker by Driving Him Into L Track Support Beam
» Woman Who Stabbed Man With Pitchfork Sentenced to 3 1/2 Years
 
Canada
» Lilley: Jordan Peterson Launches Court Challenge as College of Psychologists Attempts to Pull Licence Over Social Media Posts
» National Defence Event Speaker Says Canada “Completely Infected” by White Supremacy
 
Europe and the EU
» Belarusian and Russian Nationals Charged With Espionage in Poland After Years of Reporting to Russian Intelligence
» EU Fines Meta $414m for Privacy Violations
» French ‘Anti-Hate’ Site Lists Mainstream Catholic Symbols Alongside Nazi Devices
» German Greens Want to Speed Up the Legalisation of Cannabis
» Germany’s Digital Minister Meets With Elon Musk, Says Musk “Agreed” to EU’s Censorship Laws
» Germans’ Trust in Politicians Hits New Low
» Pictures: Funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in Vatican City
» Poland, Notorious for Having Some of the Highest Traffic Fatalities in the EU, Sees Dramatic Improvement in 2022
» ‘Sweden is Lost, ‘ Claims Police Officer Who Laments New Generation Turning From Petty Shoplifting to Drug Dealing and Gun Violence
 
Balkans
» Croatians Shocked by Soaring Prices After Adopting Euro Currency
 
Middle East
» Iran Threatens Artists Who Drew Charlie Hebdo Cartoons of Supreme Leader
» The Way You Walk is Apparently as Unique as Your Fingerprint and the UAE Wants to Use it to Track Criminals
 
Russia
» British Tanks Could be Sent to Bolster Ukraine’s War Effort for the First Time, James Cleverly Announces, As US and Germany Declare More Aid for Kyiv Including Dozens of Armoured Vehicles
» ‘Don’t Rape Women, Drink Too Much or Get Up to No Good’: Wagner Mercenary Chief Gives Bizarre Advice to First Batch of Russian Prisoners to be Pardoned After Surviving Six Months in Ukraine
» ‘Everything Will be Fine, Brother. You Will Live’ — Video Shows Polish Medic Comforting Wounded Ukrainian Soldier While Evacuating Him Under Fire
» Kyiv Rebuffs Russia Church Head´s Call for Truce in Ukraine
» Putin’s ‘So-Called’ Ukraine Ceasefire Will Bring ‘Neither Freedom or Security’: World Leaders Condemn Russia’s ‘Hypocritical’ Call for Ceasefire as Biden Accuses Vladimir of ‘Seeking Oxygen’
» Putin Tells Ukraine He is Ready for Peace Talks — But Only if Kyiv Accepts ‘New Territorial Realities’
» Russia Arms First Ship With Hypersonic Missiles
» White House Rejects Putin’s Christmas Truce as But a “Cynical Ploy”
 
South Asia
» India: Fanatic Muslims Attacked Hindus in a Panshkura Village to Stop Renovation of a Hindu Temple in West Bengal
 
Far East
» China Experimenting With Mosquitoes That Spread Vaccines Without Consent
 
Australia — Pacific
» Exclusive: Dr Kerryn Phelps’ Wife Opens Up About Her Devastating COVID Vaccine Injury for the First Time as She Reveals the Toughest Part — and it’s Not the Horrific Side-Effects
» Gallery Owner is Forced to Build a Panic Room Inside His Store as Aussie City is Gripped by Chaos and Cops Quit in Droves: ‘Getting Out of Control’
» Insane Scenes as a Woman in a White Dress Brawls With Police in Melbourne’s City Centre Before Cops Pull Her to the Ground by Her Ponytail While a Large Crowd Jeers
» Terrifying Moment an Australian Man Threatens to Kill Another Passenger on an Airasia Flight While He is Kicked Off With His Mate
» Volcanic Eruption in Tonga Will Contribute to Global Cooling
» Wind Turbine is Destroyed in a Spectacular Blaze Startling Drivers — as Height Stops Firefighters From Extinguishing the Flames
 
Sub-Saharan Africa
» Calls Mount for ‘Child Trafficking’ Investigation Into Madonna’s Malawi Orphanage
 
Latin America
» Watch: Violence Erupts in Culiacan After El Chapo’s Son Arrested
 
Immigration
» After Telling 31,000 Noncitizens How to Register to Vote, Colorado Kept Information From Local Election Officials
» Claim: Migrant Taxi NGO is Already Violating New Italian Govt’s Border Rules
» France: Illegal Migrant Tries to Strangle Own Baby During Dispute at Immigration Office
» Imagine This Happening to You
» Majority of Malmo Children Are Immigrants; Researcher Says Swedish is Now a ‘Minority Language’ And Calls for Arabic Schools
» New Year’s Mayhem in Germany, Including Harassment of Women, Sparks Debate on Mass Immigration
» Rape Suspect of Female Student on University Campus in Belgium is Ivorian Migrant Previously Convicted of Beating Homeless Man to Death
» Sweden: Syrian Migrant Who Tortured Pregnant Girlfriend Will Not be Deported After Court Reverses Ruling
» Texas AG Sues Biden Admin Over Illegal Immigration Rule ‘Increasing Burden’ On Taxpayers
» UK: Council Threatens Home Office With Legal Action for Putting Asylum Seekers in Five Hotels in ‘Prime Tourist Area’
 
Culture Wars
» And Now Joker is Pregnant
» First ‘Gender-Queer’ Church of England Priest Visits Schools to Normalize Being Trans for Children
» Former Patients of Miami Sex Change Surgeon Dr Sidhbh Gallagher Come Forward About Gruesome Post-Op Complications
» Kids Invited to Make Their Own ‘Drag Queen Doll’ At British Columbia Library Event
» WHO Shares Video Stating Online “Anti-Vaccine Activism” Is Deadlier Than “Global Terrorism”
 

Bed, Bath, & Beyond to File for Bankruptcy “Within Weeks”: Report

Bed Bath & Beyond shareholders’ day just went from worst to worsterer…

After the stock closed down 30% today (following the company saying it was running low on funds and considering several options), The Wall Street Journal is reporting that, according to people familiar with the matter, BBBY is preparing to file for bankruptcy within weeks after the home-goods retailer said that sales for its third quarter, which ended in November, are expected to fall by nearly a third and that losses are expected to widen nearly 40% to $385.8 million.

BBBY shares are trading at their lowest level in 30 years…

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

Celsius Co-Founder Mashinsky Sued by NY Attorney General for “Defrauding Investors Out of Billions”

The crackdowns against crypto luminaries are coming hot and heavy: on Thursday morning, New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a civil lawsuit Thursday against Alex Mashinsky, alleging the co-founder of bankrupt crypto lender Celsius Network LLC defrauded investors out of billions of dollars of digital currency.

As first reported by the WSJ, the lawsuit alleges that the former CEO made false statements to investors about the soundness of Celsius’s financial condition then concealed its dire situation when the lender lost hundreds of millions of dollars in risky investments. Mashinsky falsely claimed that Celsius was safer than a bank and only lent assets to credible entities, the lawsuit said.

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

Crypto Firm With Ties to Sam Bankman-Fried’s Failed Hedge Fund Weighing Bankruptcy: Report

Prominent crypto firm Genesis Global Trading — which had major ties to Sam Bankman-Fried’s now-defunct hedge fund Alameda Research — is now weighing the possibility of filing for bankruptcy after cutting 30% of its staff, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing anonymous sources familiar with the matter.

The sweeping layoffs hit departments across the company, and Genesis is in talks with investment bank Moelis & Company regarding its next moves, according to the WSJ. Genesis took heavy losses in the past year after both Alameda Research — which collapsed alongside crypto exchange FTX in November amid allegations that the two companies were involved in a scheme by founder Sam Bankman-Fried to siphon billions from customers — and hedge fund Three Arrows Capital filed for bankruptcy.

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

Food Inflation Hits Record 13.3 Per Cent in Britain Indicating ‘Another Difficult Year’ To Come

Food inflation in Britain hit its highest rate in history in December, as Christmas spending soared while consumers actually took home less.

According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the Nielsen data firm annual food prices rose by 13.3 per cent in December, compared to 12.4 per cent in the previous month. The BRC said that this was the largest inflation recorded since they began tracking food prices in 2005.

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

Missouri Bill Would Take Steps Toward Treating Gold and Silver as Money

Via SchiffGold.com

A bill introduced in the Missouri Senate for the 2023 legislative session would take important steps toward treating gold and silver as money instead of as commodities and would set the stage for currency competition in the Show-Me State.

Sen. William Eigel (R) filed SB100 last month. The legislation would take several steps to encourage the use of gold and silver as money in Missouri, including making it legal tender, eliminating the state capital gains tax on gold and silver, and establishing a state bullion depository.

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

Polish Central Bank Keeps Interest Rates Stable

The Polish central bank’s rate-setting Monetary Policy Council left interest rates unchanged, keeping the reference rate at 6.75 percent.

The decision was expected despite the fact that inflation remains at a persistently high level. Even though the November inflation figure saw the first slight decline in the rate of inflation since February, most commentators agree that it is too soon to talk of inflation being tamed.

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

Private Payroll Growth Surged by 235,000 in December, Well Above Estimate, ADP Reports

The jobs market closed out 2022 on a high note, with companies adding far more positions than expected in December, payroll processing firm ADP reported Thursday.

Private payrolls rose by 235,000 for the month, well ahead of the 153,000 Dow Jones estimate and the 127,000 initially reported for November.

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

150,000 Votes in the 2020 Election Not Tied to a Valid Address in Wisconsin: Election Watchdog

Authored by Steven Kovac via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours)

Election Watch (EW), a Wisconsin election integrity watchdog organization, has discovered that more than 150,000 votes cast in the 2020 presidential election cannot be connected with a valid address.

EW computer analyst Peter Bernegger said the group’s study of Wisconsin’s voter rolls found 45,000 such occurrences involving people who were living out of state in the Nov. 3 ballot, with another 107,000 documented instances on the part of voters who moved to another address within the state and cast a ballot in a different jurisdiction from the one in which they actually reside.

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

Biden: “The World is Not a Patch in Our Jeans”

Joe Biden was caught in yet another embarrassing gaffe after he butchered a quote, telling a crowd in Kentucky, “The world is not a patch in our jeans.”

Yes, really.

The 80-year-old president made the awkward remark while promoting the implementation of his $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill.

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

Bryan Kohberger’s Phone Pinged at Idaho Murder Scene Hours After Killings, 12 Times Prior: Investigators

MOSCOW, Idaho — Bryan Kohberger’s phone pinged at the scene of the Nov. 13, 2022, quadruple homicide in Moscow, Idaho, just hours after the murders of four college students took place and at least 12 times prior to the slayings, according to an affidavit released Thursday.

Investigators determined that the phone registered to Kohberger, who is charged with four counts of murder and burglary after he allegedly stabbed the University of Idaho students with a KA-BAR knife between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Nov. 13, pinged at the crime scene around 9 a.m. that same day.

The suspect — a 28-year-old criminology Ph.D. student at Washington State University in nearby Pullman, Washington — also apparently visited the King Road residence where the murders took place, right off the University of Idaho campus, at least a dozen times prior to the brutal murders, according to authorities.

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

California Seeking to Pay Reparations to Nearly 600 Forced Sterilization Survivors

California is searching for approximately 600 surviving people who the state sterilized without their permission in prison or during the eugenics movement, offering them reparations of at least $15,000 each by the end of the year, according to The Associated Press.

The $4.5 million state program’s application deadline is set for 2023’s end, with only 45 people approved for the reparations so far, the outlet reported. Three of the approved recipients were sterilized in the eugenics era, while the rest were sterilized in California prisons, and a state audit found 144 female inmates underwent sterilization between 2005 and 2013 with little or no evidence of counseling or alternative treatment offerings before the state prison sterilization for birth control the next year.

The eugenics movement reached its height in the 1930s, and survivors of that period are in their eighties or older, according to the AP. Sterilizing prisoners with federal funding has been prohibited under federal and California state law, Reveal reported.

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

Can’t Make This Up: 3 Mass. Police Officers ‘Pass Away Suddenly’ In Past 7 Days

The law enforcement community in Massachusetts is in mourning after several local officers died suddenly this past week.

The Mass. State Police dedicated a Facebook post Wednesday to the three fallen officers “all from the South Shore communities” who “passed away suddenly within the last seven days.”

The post particularly highlighted the death of 25-year-old Officer John F. Santos of the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department who died “after succumbing to a brain aneurysm.”

Another officer, Sean Patrick Besarick, 48, “passed away unexpectedly” on Dec. 29 according to an obituary.

The obituary of Stoughton police officer Christopher Allan Davis, 42, also states he “passed away suddenly.”

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

Columbia University Hires Hillary Clinton as Professor and ‘Presidential Fellow’

Twice-failed Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has just landed an ironic new position at New York’s Columbia University.

The former secretary of state is being touted as Columbia’s new professor and “presidential fellow.”

Clinton accepted a professorship at Columbia’s School of International and Public Affairs and joined the Columbia World Projects program as a presidential fellow, apparently with a straight face.

“I am honored to join Columbia University, and the School of International and Public Affairs and Columbia World Projects,” Hillary said in a statement.

“Columbia’s commitment to educating the next generation of U.S. and global policy leaders, translating insights into impact, and helping to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges resonates personally with me.

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

Cop: Idaho Murders Suspect Made Crucial Mistake That Led Authorities to Arrest

The suspect who allegedly murdered the four Idaho University students left DNA at the scene of the crime that helped authorities hone in on him, police say.

Bryan Christopher Kohberger is accused of murdering Kaylee Goncalves (21), Madison Mogen (21), Ethan Chapin (20) and Xana Kernodle (20) in a case that has received global media attention.

Officer Brett Payne wrote in his affidavit that a tan leather knife sheath was found at the scene of the crime and contained a single source of DNA from a male. Authorities also found a shoe print. On Dec. 27, three days before police arrested Kohberger in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, authorities took a DNA sample from the trash at his parents’ home that matched the DNA left on the knife sheath, the document reads.

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

Dr. Alexander Breaks Down Cause of Cardiac Arrest of Damar Hamlin and Why NFL Must Address COVID-19 Vaccine Injuries

Dr. Paul Elias Alexander joins guest host Owen Shroyer on The Alex Jones Show to break down the ties between heart failure, myocarditis, and the COVID jab after NFL Player Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field.

The establishment media will not allow experts like Dr. Alexander to speak out about the potential of the Covid shot playing a role in the tragedy.

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

Elon Musk Stirred the Twitter Beehive After Endorsing McCarthy for Speaker: ‘Who Asked You’

Twitter CEO Elon Musk caused a social media firestorm when he endorsed Rep-elect Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., to be Speaker of the House.

“Kevin McCarthy should be Speaker,” Musk tweeted Thursday which ignited a flurry of responses ranging from respectful disagreement to outright mockery of the billionaire’s endorsement.

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

FBI Agent Who Destroyed Evidence to Indict GOP Sen. May Get Wrist-Slap

Authored by Ken Silva via Headline USA (emphasis ours)

With his sentencing scheduled for Thursday, disgraced FBI agent Robert Cessario seeks probation for illegally destroying evidence related to the prosecution of a former Republican Arkansas state senator—but critics say prison time is necessary to fight corruption in the federal justice system.

Cessario’s crime stems from the 2018 trial of former Arkansas state senator Jon Woods, a Republican, who was convicted of mail fraud and wire fraud charges and sentenced to roughly 18 years imprisonment. Woods was accused of participating in a scheme in which he accepted kickbacks in exchange for steering state grants to a small college in the state.

During discovering proceedings in the Woods trial, prosecutors ordered Cessario to turn over his laptop for a forensic examination. However, the former FBI agent lied to prosecutors, telling them he previously erased the laptop’s hard drive. Then, prior to delivering the laptop for examination, he paid professionals to erase the laptop’s hard drive.

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

Georgia Man is Falsely Arrested After Facial Recognition Tech Gets it Wrong

Facial recognition technology is under scrutiny again after the technology led to the mistaken arrest of a man in Georgia on a fugitive warrant out of a state he has never been to.

In late November 2022, Randall Reid, 28, was arrested in DeKalb County, Georgia, after law enforcement officials in Louisiana used facial recognition to mistakenly link him to the theft of luxurious purses in Baton Rouge.

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

George Soros Doubles Funding for Efforts to Pack Supreme Court

Radical billionaire George Soros has doubled the amount of cash he is pumping into efforts to pack the United States Supreme Court, financial records show.

Soros has massively increased his donations to a leftist group that’s dedicated to packing the SCOTUS.

As the Washington Free Beacon reports, Soros’ funding indicates that progressives remain determined to reshape the high court.

Soros’ extra spending was revealed in new tax filings.

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

Hunter Biden’s Child Support Battle Could Expose Identities of His Anonymous ‘Artwork’ Buyers

A new development in the child support battle for Hunter Biden’s four-year-old daughter could force Democrat President Joe Biden’s son to expose the identities of the anonymous buyers who bought his “artwork.”

Since his father was sworn into office, Hunter declared himself to be an “artist” and started selling his “art” for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The White House took the unusual step of brokering the deals on behalf of the younger Biden for “security.”

As a result of the taxpayer-funded effort by the White House to handle Hunter’s art deals, the buyers of the artworks were kept anonymous.

The move led to allegations of influence peddling, for obvious reasons.

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

Jesse Watters Blows Lid Off Epstein Scandal, Finds New Video Evidence That Will Sink His ‘Powerful Friends’

Fox News star Jesse Watters has blown the lid off the Jeffrey Epstein scandal by telling his millions of prime-time viewers that his team has found new evidence that may break the case wide open.

During a segment on his show, “Jesse Watters Prime Time,” the host said that his team has been analyzing recently unsealed documents in a court case against Epstein’s convicted sex-trafficking accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.

As Slay News has previously reported, those documents reveal that one of Epstein’s victims claims to have copies of the deceased sex pedophile’s “blackmail tapes.”

The victim, Sarah Ransome, says Epstein forced her to watch the videos that feature the late sex trafficker’s wealthy associates raping underage girls.

However, Ransome alleges in a newly released deposition that she made copies of the videos and kept them.

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

Loudoun County Man Arrested for Protesting School Board Meeting Found Not Guilty

A Virginia resident who was arrested for “trespassing” after protesting at a 2021 school board meeting was found not guilty on Wednesday, he told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Jon Tigges was arrested on June 22, 2021 at a Loudoun County School Board meeting because he refused to leave after the meeting had been declared an “unlawful assembly” by former Superintendent Scott Ziegler while parents were protesting Critical Race Theory (CRT) and the district’s transgender policy. Approximately 18 months later, Tigges was deemed not guilty by Judge Charles Fleming, who ruled that Ziegler did not have the authority to demand the residents leave the meeting room and that Tigges acted in “good faith” in his belief that he had the First Amendment right to be at the meeting, Tigges told the DCNF.

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

Louisiana’s New Law Requiring Age Verification on Adult Websites is Driving Uptake of Digital ID

Downloads of Louisiana’s state digital ID app have substantially increased because of a new Republican law requiring adult websites to verify the age of visitors with ID.

Since Dec. 31, the day before the law took effect, downloads of LA Wallet increased from a daily average of between 1,200 and 1,500 to over 5,000.

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

Melted Butter Spills Into Central Wisconsin Portage Canal During Dairy Plant Fire

In a very Wisconsin environmental predicament, a dairy plant in Portage went into a meltdown during a Monday night fire that spilled warmed butter into the historic Portage Canal.

Fire crews were dispatched at 9:15 p.m. Monday to Associated Milk Producers, Inc., at 301 Brooks St. in Portage, according to the Portage County Fire Department.

While first responders found heavy smoke and fire coming from the plant when they arrived, the primary obstacles to fighting the fire were heavy smoke and melted butter.

The fire started in a butter storage room at the plant, the fire department said. The melted sweet cream was beginning to flow through the building as it heated up, slowing down fire crews as they tried to get inside the plant.

After several hours, the fire was extinguished. No injuries were reported, and local agencies are still determining the cause of the fire.

           — Hat tip: Roger [Return to headlines]
 

New York Gun Control Law Unconstitutional: NY Supreme Court

Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times

The New York law that enables the seizure of guns from people who haven’t committed a crime is unconstitutional, a state Supreme Court judge has ruled.

This red flag law, or the Extreme Risk Protection Order law, lets individuals — including police officers — petition a court to allow the seizure of firearms from a person they believe poses a threat to themselves or others.

If a judge agrees, the judge can direct law enforcement to take guns from the person in question.

The law took effect in 2019 and has led to the issuance of more than 1,900 removal orders.

But the law is in violation of the U.S. Constitution’s Second and Fourteenth Amendments because it doesn’t “sufficiently protect a citizen’s rights,” New York State Supreme Court Judge Thomas Moran said in a ruling in late December 2022.

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

No Charges Yet After FTX Exec Illegally Donated $500k to Oregon Democrats Using Fake Name

Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan’s Elections Division has been tasked with investigating whether political donations of $500,000 by Nishad Singh, former engineering director at collapsing cryptocurrency company FTX, broke Oregon law by donating to the Democratic Party of Oregon under a fake name.

According to the Oregonian, a spokesperson for Fagan, Ben Morris, said, “If there is sufficient evidence, the case will be referred to the Oregon (Department of Justice). This is a criminal matter, so it is outside our authority.” If enough evidence is discovered by the Elections Division, Fagan’s office will recommend Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum pursue charges against Singh.

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

No Deal: House Adjourns Without Electing Speaker

Update (2010ET): Hopes of a Thursday night deal were dashed, as the Washington Examiner‘s Juliegrace Brufke reports “No GOP conference meeting tonight, but will hold a phone call to discuss the path forward tomorrow morning, I’m told.”

And as the Wall Street Journal notes, while some of the GOP holdouts have ‘stepped up the pace of discussion’ during the third day of voting — it’s unknown whether enough anti-McCarthy members could potentially change their votes to give McCarthy the job. Thus far, he has lost 11 votes.

“We’re still working — that’s a good sign,” said Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX).

The House will reconvene at noon on Friday.

* * *

Update (1955ET): While Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) just lost his 11th round of voting for House Speaker, according to the well-connected Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News, a deal may be imminent, as House Republicans want to elect a speaker tonight.

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

Pennsylvania Man Holds Hostage Pizza Delivery Driver Who Forgot His Drink: Police

A Pennsylvania pizza delivery driver lived to tell the tale after he was held hostage for mistakenly not delivering a man his drink order.

According to the complaint affidavit, Leo Lamont Toney, 42, ordered a pizza from a local pizza restaurant, Primo’s Pizza, on Dec. 15. After the delivery man dropped off the pizza, Toney allegedly exited his apartment and asked, “Where his soda was?”

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

Rep. Matt Gaetz Votes for Trump for House Speaker

Republican Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz cast a vote on Thursday for former President Donald Trump to be speaker of the House.

House Republicans failed to elect a speaker on the seventh ballot, with opponents to Republican California Rep. Kevin McCarthy refusing to increase his vote tally. McCarthy received 201 votes, Republican Florida Rep. Byron Donalds garnered 20 votes, and Gaetz was the sole representative to vote for Trump.

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

Report: NFL Officially Cancels Bills-Bengals Game

The league has reportedly made an official decision.

The NFL has reportedly decided that the Jan. 2 Buffalo Bills-Cincinnati Bengals game that was suspended following Bills safety Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest will be cancelled, according to the Associated Press.

The sources who spoke with the AP did so on the condition of anonymity because the NFL is still trying to figure out what they’re going to do with playoff seedings, as well as scheduling. The NFL Players Association also has to approve the changes.

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

Seattle Credit Union to Shut Down Locations Over Crime, Cratering Foot Traffic

The Seattle Credit Union is shutting down branches in the city due to crime and cratering foot traffic, the latest in a growing list of businesses that have closed locations amid safety concerns.

“Over the past few years, branch foot traffic has declined 55% and 49% of transactions have moved to digital channels. The pandemic has had a major impact on transaction behavior and the adoption of electronic transactions,” Seattle Credit Union president and CEO Richard Romero told Fox News Digital this week.

“In addition to these statistics, we also weighed branch safety issues and the cost of providing a safe and secure environment for both our members and our staff, but this is not the sole or main reason for the decision to close these two branches.”

The Seattle Credit Union announced to customers that it will close its Georgetown and Rainier branches next month. Romero told Fox that the closures come after “several years” of weighing the decision.

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

Special Ops Police Officer Dies Suddenly at 42

A special operations police officer in Wisconsin has tragically died suddenly at just 42 years old, according to reports.

Stoughton Police Chief (SPD) Donna McNamara announced the sudden death of Officer Christopher A. Davis.

Davis, of Brockton, died suddenly in his home on December 31, 2022.

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

The Twitter Purge Continues: Musk Lays Off About 40 Data Scientists and Engineers Working on Ad Team

The massive cost (and fat) cutting at Twitter under micromanaging new CEO Elon Musk continues.

For years Twitter had operated less like a company and more like a cult compound for leftist ideologues, with free lunches, yoga rooms, smoothie, wine and espresso bars, and minimal work buffered by pointless meetings and near zero productivity.

Those days appear to be over. The latest proof? Twitter laid off “about 40 data scientists and engineers working on the advertising team” late on Wednesday night of this week, according to The Information.

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

Tim Robbins Says COVID Has Become a “New Religion”

According to actor Tim Robbins, people who refuse to let go of pandemic restrictions have formed a belief system that has all the indications of a “new religion”.

The comments were made by Robbins in the second part of his interview with comedian and social commentator Russell Brand.

Brand asked Robbins about the rise of censorship in response to the pandemic, measures which saw the “granting of paternal authority to a state that always offers us safety, to a corporate sector that always offers us convenience, all the while banalizing the human experience, turning us into data.”

“This is a new religion,” responded the Shawshank Redemption star.

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

Trump Announces ‘War’ on Drug Cartels if Elected President

Donald Trump issued a video message on Thursday, calling drug cartels terrorist groups “waging war on America” and promising to take them down.

The 45th President opened his speech by acknowledging the deadly drug crisis in the U.S. as heroin, fentanyl and meth are ripping apart families and communities.

“Our country is being poisoned from within by the drugs and by all the other crime that’s taking place. The drug cartels are waging war on America and it is now time for America to wage war on cartels,” he boldly stated.

He then accused Joe Biden of siding with the cartels and called Democrat open border policies “a deadly betrayal of our nation.”

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

Utah Father Kills Wife, 5 Kids, Mother-in-Law, Police Say, Stunning ‘Very Close’ Community

Police suspect the father killed his family before killing himself.

Enoch • Eight people from one family, including five children, were found shot to death inside a southern Utah home Wednesday afternoon in an apparent murder-suicide, officials announced Thursday.

The children’s father, 42-year-old Michael Haight, is suspected of killing the children; his wife, 40-year-old Tausha Haight; and Tausha’s mother, 78-year-old Gail Earl, before killing himself, officials said.

The children were identified by age Thursday as a 17-year-old girl, a 12-year-old girl, a 7-year-old girl, a 7-year-old boy and a 4-year-old boy, according to a news release from Enoch City.

           — Hat tip: Dean [Return to headlines]
 

Victim Kills Chicago Carjacker by Driving Him Into L Track Support Beam

A Chicago carjacker has been killed after his intended victim slammed the car into an L-track support beam, sending him flying through the windshield.

The carjacker’s accomplice, a woman, was also injured in the carjacking attempt.

The victim was injured in the crash as well but managed to survive.

The Cook County medical examiner’s office identified the deceased man as 18-year-old Elijah Treadwell.

Treadwell and his 16-year-old female accomplice entered an Infiniti FX35 in the 100 block of East Lake.

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

Woman Who Stabbed Man With Pitchfork Sentenced to 3 1/2 Years

A woman who stabbed a man with a pitchfork after breaking into his Stafford County home nearly two years ago was ordered Thursday to serve three and a half years in prison.

Madison B. Snyder, 33, of Southampton County was sentenced in Stafford Circuit Court to a total of 18 years with most of it suspended. She had previously pleaded guilty to burglary, unlawful wounding and assault on a law enforcement officer.

The charges stemmed from a Feb. 7, 2021, incident in which a sleeping family was awakened by the sound of shattering glass at their home in the Millbrook subdivision. Snyder was naked from the waist down and covered in blood and mud when she stabbed the homeowner in the arm, causing him to fall and break his wrist, court records state.

The man’s wife was able to get Snyder out of the house while her son called 911. Snyder went to a neighbor’s house carrying a shovel and claiming she was in trouble. Witnesses said it was apparent that Snyder was under the influence of narcotics.

[…]

Snyder said she is sorry for her actions but claimed things were blown out of proportion.

           — Hat tip: DV [Return to headlines]
 

Lilley: Jordan Peterson Launches Court Challenge as College of Psychologists Attempts to Pull Licence Over Social Media Posts

The complaints against him and the attempt to pull his licence are all political, Jordan Peterson tells me over the phone.

He’s decided to finally push back against the College of Psychologists of Ontario after a demand that he submit to social media re-education or lose his licence.

Peterson has filed an application for judicial review with the Ontario Divisional Court and he’s now speaking openly about the barrage of politically motivated complaints. On Tuesday, Peterson took to Twitter, the social media platform that could be called the scene of his many “crimes,” to say enough is enough.

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

National Defence Event Speaker Says Canada “Completely Infected” by White Supremacy

The Department of National Defence recently held an event where public sector executives were lectured about their implicit racial biases and told how Canada was “completely infected” by the spectre of white supremacy.

A recap of the Dec. 13 EX Town Hall event quotes keynote speaker Rachel Zellars, Saint Mary’s University Social Justice professor, saying white supremacy comes “in all shapes and sizes.” She was specifically referring to the Freedom Convoy protests, according to the recap provided by National Defence.

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

Belarusian and Russian Nationals Charged With Espionage in Poland After Years of Reporting to Russian Intelligence

Poland’s Military Prosecutor’s Office filed an indictment on Friday against a Russian and a Belarusian who it claims had been spying in Poland for Russian intelligence for several years.

Disclosing the details of the suspects’ activities, investigators allege the two carried out reconnaissance of Polish military units in the northeastern part of the country as well as of operations conducted by Polish services in response to migration pressure from Belarus.

The men, whose identities were not disclosed, were apprehended in April 2022 and were accused of espionage on behalf of Russian military intelligence from 2017 until the time they were exposed.

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

EU Fines Meta $414m for Privacy Violations

Meta has been fined €390m ($414m) for violating EU data rules. The fine was handed down by the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) following complaints made by privacy campaigner Max Schrems in 2018.

Following the passing of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), both Facebook and Instagram asked users to accept updated terms of service about how their data is used for ads. The platforms did not give users a choice; either they accepted or they could no longer use the platforms.

Schrems filed a complaint on behalf of two users in Austria and Belgium who argued that Meta (then Facebook) was forcing them to allow their data to be used for targeted ads.

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

French ‘Anti-Hate’ Site Lists Mainstream Catholic Symbols Alongside Nazi Devices

A French “anti-hate” website claiming to catalogue far-right symbols has listed several mainstream Roman Catholic symbols, including crosses and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, alongside well-known Nazi devices.

The French “anti-hate” website Indextreme claims that it is looking to “observe, catalogue and publicize the graphic symbols used by the far right in France,” and places various mainstream Roman Catholic symbols alongside those of Nazism and other far-right ideologies.

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

German Greens Want to Speed Up the Legalisation of Cannabis

“The controlled release of cannabis is agreed in the coalition agreement. The Minister of Health must now present a draft law in a timely manner,” said Green health expert Kirsten Kappert-Gonther, who is responsible for the topic of cannabis in her parliamentary group, to the dpa in Berlin.

She did not want to make a prediction as to when it will be possible to legally buy cannabis in Germany. Until the Minister of Health presents a draft law, any statement would be pure speculation, she said. “I am committed to making it happen as soon as possible.”

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

Germany’s Digital Minister Meets With Elon Musk, Says Musk “Agreed” to EU’s Censorship Laws

Germany’s Minister for Digital and Transport Volker Wissing said that he is less worried about Twitter under Elon Musk’s leadership after meeting with the CEO in San Francisco.

“Thanks @elonmusk for a constructive conversation in San Francisco. My stance is clear: the platforms’ self-commitment against #disinformation must be strictly adhered to until the #DSA comes into force. Elon Musk agreed with me,” Wissing tweeted.

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

Germans’ Trust in Politicians Hits New Low

Two-thirds of Germans no longer retain any trust in their political representatives, as the disconnect between the public and elected officials has become even greater, the latest polling reported by German news outlet Junge Freiheit revealed.

According to a Forsa survey, “Institutions Trust Ranking,” trust in all political institutions at the European, federal, and local levels has fallen to a new low.

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

Pictures: Funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in Vatican City

Tens of thousands of mourners, including world leaders and top church figures, gathered in St Peter’s Square, Vatican City, on Thursday morning to mourn the passing of Pope Benedict XVI.

The funeral follows a three-day lying in state for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI who died on December 31st. The former Pope had stood down from the top of the Catholic Church in 2013, the first in 600 years to do so, retiring to a monastery inside the Vatican.

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

Poland, Notorious for Having Some of the Highest Traffic Fatalities in the EU, Sees Dramatic Improvement in 2022

In 2022, Poland recorded fewer road accidents and resulting deaths compared to previous years. It is possible that increased fines for road traffic offenses, including speeding, led people to drive more safely on Polish roads, suggests Polish news outlet Rzeczpospolita.

According to police data, Polish roads in 2022 were “extremely safe, practically in every dimension.” Authorities noted that there was a decrease in the number of accidents, fatalities, and injuries, as well as intoxicated drivers.

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

‘Sweden is Lost, ‘ Claims Police Officer Who Laments New Generation Turning From Petty Shoplifting to Drug Dealing and Gun Violence

Sweden’s gang culture will only become “worse and worse” as a new generation grows up in a world where involvement in drug dealing and gun violence is commonplace, a Swedish police officer told Norwegian news outlet Document.

The officer, who is only referred to as Niklas, revealed the extent of violence occurring on Swedish streets, particularly in the capital of Stockholm. He said the country had “lost its grip” on law and order, with gangs now effectively having a license to operate free from reproach.

Vulnerable children are often recruited at an early age to conduct the business of criminal gangs and see their involvement as a status symbol; parents, meanwhile, remain reluctant to intervene or seek support when such action occurs.

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

Croatians Shocked by Soaring Prices After Adopting Euro Currency

Croatia’s entry into the eurozone has caused a wave of price increases in stores, prompting Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic to hold a meeting with representatives of the National Inspectorate and the Revenue Agency.

Moving from the national kuna currency to the euro has led retailers to significantly increase the prices of goods and services. Key groceries, such as bread, coffee, and cigarettes, along with other necessities, are now more expensive.

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

Iran Threatens Artists Who Drew Charlie Hebdo Cartoons of Supreme Leader

Iran has publicly threatened artists who drew cartoons mocking the country’s supreme leader after they were published in French satire magazine Charlie Hebdo.

Iran’s Foreign Minister took to social media on Wednesday to threaten those who drew cartoons mocking the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, promising that a “firm response” from Tehran was forthcoming. Some solid action followed as the Iranian government shut down a French institute in Tehran as a punishment, Politico reports

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

The Way You Walk is Apparently as Unique as Your Fingerprint and the UAE Wants to Use it to Track Criminals

According to reports out of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), biometrics are gaining an ever more prominent place in local law enforcement’s activities, and the type of technology involved is also getting ever more fine-grained.

Accuracy aside — but apparently, the way you walk — as interpreted by mass surveillance technology — can now be used as an incriminating piece of evidence against you in this country.

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

British Tanks Could be Sent to Bolster Ukraine’s War Effort for the First Time, James Cleverly Announces, As US and Germany Declare More Aid for Kyiv Including Dozens of Armoured Vehicles

It comes as the United States today announced yet another multi-billion dollar military aid package to support Kyiv in the face of Russian aggression would be unveiled on Friday

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

‘Don’t Rape Women, Drink Too Much or Get Up to No Good’: Wagner Mercenary Chief Gives Bizarre Advice to First Batch of Russian Prisoners to be Pardoned After Surviving Six Months in Ukraine

The prisoners were recruited by Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin who offered them an amnesty in return for joining Russia’s failing invasion of Ukraine.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

‘Everything Will be Fine, Brother. You Will Live’ — Video Shows Polish Medic Comforting Wounded Ukrainian Soldier While Evacuating Him Under Fire

Damian Duda leads a team of volunteer Polish medics on the Ukrainian frontline who are risking their lives every day to save Ukrainian lives. Working as a medic often involves being under direct fire; Polish medics often end up being less than a hundred feet from Russian positions.

These Polish volunteer medics had originally served near Kherson in the south of Ukraine, but they have now moved to the front in Donbas in the vicinity of Bakhmut and Soledar, where the bloodiest battles are raging.

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

Kyiv Rebuffs Russia Church Head´s Call for Truce in Ukraine

Patriarch Kirill has suggested a truce from 12pm on Friday until 12am on Sunday.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Putin’s ‘So-Called’ Ukraine Ceasefire Will Bring ‘Neither Freedom or Security’: World Leaders Condemn Russia’s ‘Hypocritical’ Call for Ceasefire as Biden Accuses Vladimir of ‘Seeking Oxygen’

The Kremlin has called on Kyiv to declare a temporary ceasefire to allow people to attend services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, Russian media has reported.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Putin Tells Ukraine He is Ready for Peace Talks — But Only if Kyiv Accepts ‘New Territorial Realities’

Russian troops occupy large swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine. The Kremlin claims it has annexed the Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions despite not controlling them fully.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Russia Arms First Ship With Hypersonic Missiles

The lead Russian frigate, Admiral Gorshkov, has been equipped with Zircon hypersonic missiles and is now on a long-distance voyage in the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, and Mediterranean, Russian news agencies reported on Wednesday.

The ceremony was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin via video conference, in which he thanked the specialists from Russia’s military-industrial complex for starting the serial production of the Zircon missiles. The president said the weapon is globally unique.

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

White House Rejects Putin’s Christmas Truce as But a “Cynical Ploy”

Update(1553ET): The White House has rejected Putin’s call for a Christmas truce in Ukraine. The Russian leader earlier in the day ordered a unilateral 36-hour ceasefire for his forces starting Friday, which will still apparently be in effect despite Ukraine rejecting it. Presumably Russian forces have been told to cease firing along the line of contact starting on Orthodox Christmas Eve day (Friday), unless they are fired upon from the Ukrainian side.

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

India: Fanatic Muslims Attacked Hindus in a Panshkura Village to Stop Renovation of a Hindu Temple in West Bengal

Muslims objected to renovation of a Shiv Temple, attacked the Hindus of the area with bricks and iron rods in Panshkura of East Medinipur, many injured.

Subham Das | HENB | Kolkata | Jan 5, 2023:: Centered on a renovation of the century-old small Shiva temple of Hindus in Radhaballabchak village of Panshkura Police station area of East Medinipur and the work of a toilet adjacent to the temple, the people of Muslim community in the neighboring areas severely beat up the Hindu residents of the temple area with bricks and iron rods. Temples and newly built columns of the structures were broken down by the rowdy Muslim people.

It has been reported that even the family members of the affected local Hindu Trinamul Panchayat head were not spared by the Muslim goons and could not be saved in time by the police reaching the spot later.

The local leadership of “Bangiya Hindu Sena” has given a call to fight back to restore the religious rights of Hindus by forming a unity of Hindus cutting the edges of all political differences.

Panshkura Attack2

“We want a quick non-partisan solution to the problem. We believe in the path of peace, but we are not in favor of keeping silent when we see the blood of Hindus,” said Swami Ambikananda, the President of newly formed President of Bangiya Hindu Sena. in a facebook posting.

“All the Hindus in the area are ours. We are on the side of the Hindus of that area by keeping politics away,” Swamiji added.

The Hindutva outfit put an appeal to the police and administration, “We will see the action of the local administration for 48 hours, otherwise we will take our rights with the Hindu might of the area”.

It’s an irony that the ruling TMC supporters of Hindu faith are being attacked by the TMC supporters of Muslim community in many places on several occasions as the West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee declared her Muslim supporters in TMC as “Dudhel Gai (milching cows)”.

           — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari [Return to headlines]
 

China Experimenting With Mosquitoes That Spread Vaccines Without Consent

Scientists in China are reportedly experimenting with the use of mosquitoes that could spread vaccines like a virus, without the use of shots, or consent.

Researchers have already been running trials of the technique on animals and plan to soon release the genetically-modified mosquitoes into the wild.

However, the possibilities for human exposure are obvious and ominous.

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

Exclusive: Dr Kerryn Phelps’ Wife Opens Up About Her Devastating COVID Vaccine Injury for the First Time as She Reveals the Toughest Part — and it’s Not the Horrific Side-Effects

Jackie Stricker-Phelps began her ‘19 months of hell’ just minutes after her first Pfizer jab in May 2021 and still suffers horrifying symptoms like burning gums, nerve pain, and inflammation.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Gallery Owner is Forced to Build a Panic Room Inside His Store as Aussie City is Gripped by Chaos and Cops Quit in Droves: ‘Getting Out of Control’

Retailers in Darwin have warned increasing violent behaviour from locals is destroying businesses and driving customers away in droves, with one owner being forced to build a ‘panic room’ in his store.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Insane Scenes as a Woman in a White Dress Brawls With Police in Melbourne’s City Centre Before Cops Pull Her to the Ground by Her Ponytail While a Large Crowd Jeers

There were scenes of chaos in the centre of Melbourne in the early hours of New Year’s Day with a wild brawl breaking out between two women and police.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Terrifying Moment an Australian Man Threatens to Kill Another Passenger on an Airasia Flight While He is Kicked Off With His Mate

Two men have engaged in a heated exchange on a flight, threatening to kill travellers before being escorted off the plane as passengers clap and cheer.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Volcanic Eruption in Tonga Will Contribute to Global Cooling

When the underwater volcano in the island nation of Tonga in the South Sea had its explosion-like eruption on January 15, 2022, a massive pressure wave, more powerful than the largest atomic bomb, spread through both the Earth’s oceans and atmosphere. The catastrophic event created a record-high ash and gas cloud that continues to spread over the earth.

Much worse is that it has dramatically reduced solar radiation over large parts of the earth and caused the temperature in the atmosphere to drop drastically, which affects agriculture in the southern hemisphere. A selection of available new data reveal that the authorities tried to hide the extent of the disaster. There is a historical connection that is relevant too.

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

Wind Turbine is Destroyed in a Spectacular Blaze Startling Drivers — as Height Stops Firefighters From Extinguishing the Flames

A wind turbine has been destroyed in a spectacular blaze startling motorists on the nearby Hume Highway and leaving fire crews as spectators unable to safely reach the inferno 90 metres in the air.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Calls Mount for ‘Child Trafficking’ Investigation Into Madonna’s Malawi Orphanage

Calls are mounting on the government of Malawi to launch a “child trafficking” investigation into the orphanage run by pop star Madonna that is based in the southeastern African country.

A charitable organization called the Ethiopian World Federation (EWF) is demanding the government investigates Madonna’s Raising Malawi charity.

EWF accuses Madonna’s organization of being involved in human trafficking, sexual exploitation, fraud, and exposing children to “homosexual and transgender” propaganda.

Raising Malawi, a charity for orphans, was founded by Madonna and “spiritual leader” Michael Berg in 2006.

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

Watch: Violence Erupts in Culiacan After El Chapo’s Son Arrested

Mexican authorities in the northwestern city of Culiacan arrested the son of the notorious drug lord El Chapo in a Thursday morning operation, according to the NY Times, citing three Mexican government officials.

Ovidio Guzman López, son of Joaquin Guzman Loera (El Chapo), was taken into custody and transferred to a military base in Mexico City according to the report.

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

After Telling 31,000 Noncitizens How to Register to Vote, Colorado Kept Information From Local Election Officials

Less than a month before the November election, the office of Colorado’s secretary of state declined to provide the names of noncitizens who received voter registration notifications by mail, according to records obtained by a watchdog group.

The Public Interest Legal Foundation released a report Thursday about how Colorado handled sending out 31,093 notifications on how to register to vote to foreign nationals living in the state.

The notices were supposed to go only to Colorado residents who were eligible to vote but not registered, telling them how to register.

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

Claim: Migrant Taxi NGO is Already Violating New Italian Govt’s Border Rules

A migrant taxi NGO has already likely violated a decree from the Italian government regulating NGO ship actions, while another has stated it will ignore any rules it deems to be illegal.

The NGO Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has been accused of violating the new regulations on migrant taxi NGO activity as part of a new security decree implemented by the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni that came into effect on Wednesday.

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

France: Illegal Migrant Tries to Strangle Own Baby During Dispute at Immigration Office

An illegal alien from Africa is suspected of trying to strangle his own infant child during a fit of rage at an immigration office in France this week, according to reports.

The disturbing incident unfolded on Tuesday in Cenon, a commune in the suburbs of Bordeaux.

A 40-year-old woman and her baby were at a town hall in the La Morlette district to file identity paperwork.

The child’s father, a 34-year-old from Algeria named Mohammed who was no longer in a relationship with the mother, was also present at the office, Le Figaro reports.

The man, who is illegally present in France, reportedly became enraged when he learned he would not receive legalizing documents in connection with the child’s birth.

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

Imagine This Happening to You

A village with a population of just 500 people has learned that 400 migrants are about to be moved into a nearby hotel.

And they weren’t even consulted about it.

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

Majority of Malmo Children Are Immigrants; Researcher Says Swedish is Now a ‘Minority Language’ And Calls for Arabic Schools

In the latest sign of the tremendous demographic changes facing Sweden, data shows that a majority of students in the Swedish city of Malmö now have a migration background. The news has prompted a prominent associate professor to call for new educational facilities where migrants can study in their native language, particularly Arabic, arguing that Swedish is now a “minority language.”

According to the city’s local government website, one-third of Malmö’s residents were born abroad; Iraq is the most common country of birth, while Syria and other Middle Eastern countries are also high on the list.

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

New Year’s Mayhem in Germany, Including Harassment of Women, Sparks Debate on Mass Immigration

A debate has erupted among Germany’s political parties over the connection between the country’s growing migrant population and the violent attacks on New Year’s Eve. Although police data now shows the overwhelming majority of those arrested were migrants, the governing Social Democrats (SPD) say that integration policies should not be blamed for the events.

However, the shocking events, which saw Berlin and other cities turned into a war zone, are not being pushed aside this time by claims of racism, With the German public already souring on immigration even before the events of New Year’s Eve, the anti-immigration, opposition party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), and the left-center CDU are pointing to a failed immigration policy, a position that could find fresh support from a weary German public. These parties, along with police unions, are urging Germany to have an open debate about who was behind the violence and why.

“It’s all about illegal migration, failed integration, and lack of respect for the state, not fireworks,” Jens Spahn, a CDU politician and the country’s former health minister, told German news portal t-online.

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

Rape Suspect of Female Student on University Campus in Belgium is Ivorian Migrant Previously Convicted of Beating Homeless Man to Death

The primary suspect in the rape of a 21-year-old bio-engineering student on the campus of a Belgian university on Dec. 28 has been confirmed as Yannick FD, a homeless man of Ivorian origin who was only released from prison in August after beating a fellow homeless man to death.

The rape in question occurred shortly after 8:45 p.m. on the Solbosch campus of the Free University of Brussels (ULB). According to an account from one of the victim’s relatives, as reported by the SudInfo news site, the young student was beaten and raped a few meters from the university laboratory buildings where she usually partakes in her studies.

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

Sweden: Syrian Migrant Who Tortured Pregnant Girlfriend Will Not be Deported After Court Reverses Ruling

After a 22-year-old Syrian migrant was convicted for beating his pregnant girlfriend and rubbing strong spices in her eyes, a Swedish court ordered his deportation from the country. However, now the Swedish Court of Appeal has reversed his deportation order and will allow him to stay in Sweden despite the vicious assault.

The man was initially convicted in the Ångermanland district court to nine months in prison and deportation, including for gross breach of the peace and subjecting his girlfriend to torture and abuse, among other charges.

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

Texas AG Sues Biden Admin Over Illegal Immigration Rule ‘Increasing Burden’ On Taxpayers

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the Biden administration over a newly implemented rule that he says places a burden on American taxpayers as a result of illegal immigration.

Paxton filed the lawsuit on Wednesday, alleging that the Biden administration is ignoring a federal law that bars the admission of “illegal aliens from residing in the country if they are likely to rely on taxpayer-funded programs”

The new rule, adopted in December 2022, “prevents consideration of statutorily required factors when determining whether an alien is likely to become a ‘public charge,’“ according to Paxton’s office.

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

UK: Council Threatens Home Office With Legal Action for Putting Asylum Seekers in Five Hotels in ‘Prime Tourist Area’

Another local authority has threatened legal action over the housing of asylum seekers in hotels and accused the Home Office of persistently breaking planning rules.

East Lindsey District Council has submitted a pre-action letter to the Home Office, in which it labelled the use of five hotels in Skegness to house migrants as having ‘caused substantial harm’ and said it was done without consent.

The council said that it is considering pursuing a legal review to halt what it believes is an unlawful use of hotels in ‘the prime tourist area’ of the town to house asylum seekers, which it claimed is hampering the area’s economy.

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

And Now Joker is Pregnant

Well that happened.

What do I even say to this?

Yes, the Joker is pregnant. He gives birth to a mud monster.

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

First ‘Gender-Queer’ Church of England Priest Visits Schools to Normalize Being Trans for Children

The first openly non-binary transgender priest ordained into the Church of England has been involved in LGBT youth groups and visits schools as a way to normalize being transgender for children.

Bingo Allison, a 36-year-old father-of-three and self-described “non-binary transgender” priest in the Diocese of Liverpool, attends schools and assemblies across the region in an attempt to be a visual representation in the community with the hope of inspiring people, according to the Liverpool Echo.

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

Former Patients of Miami Sex Change Surgeon Dr Sidhbh Gallagher Come Forward About Gruesome Post-Op Complications

The Miami gender surgeon who specializes in amputating the healthy breasts of teenage girls and young women and advertises her services directly to vulnerable young people via social media is facing backlash from several former patients who say they experienced severe post-op complications.

Dr. Sidhbh Gallagher, the celebrity surgeon who jokingly refers to herself as Dr. Teetus Deletus, has been under increased scrutiny since one of her obese trans-identified biological female patients told the harrowing tale of experiencing life-threatening complications after going under Gallagher’s knife.

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

Kids Invited to Make Their Own ‘Drag Queen Doll’ At British Columbia Library Event

A library in British Columbia is hosting a drag queen story time event for young children and along with the usual songs and stories, the children will be able to make their own drag queen doll.

Children are invited by the Coquitlam Public Library to meet “The Unstoppable Conni Smudge,” a local drag queen who is apparently an icon in the region. Smudge will lead the assembled children in stories, songs and crafts at the event to be held on January 14.

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

WHO Shares Video Stating Online “Anti-Vaccine Activism” Is Deadlier Than “Global Terrorism”

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), online “anti-vaccine activism” is more dangerous than terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and gun violence.

“We have to recognize that anti-vaccine activism, which I actually call anti-science aggression, has now become a major killing force globally,” said Baylor College of Medicine’s Dr. Peter Hotez, in a video shared by the WHO on Twitter.

Dr. Hotez continued to warn that anti-vaccine activism is “a killing force” that is more dangerous than “gun violence, global terrorism, nuclear proliferation, or cyberattacks.”

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

4 thoughts on “Gates of Vienna News Feed 1/5/2023

  1. In Ukraine, not only monuments to Lenin are being demolished. In Odessa, they demolished a monument to Empress Catherine 2, who founded this city, recapturing this territory from the Turks and putting an end to the raids of the Crimean Tatars and the abduction of Ukrainians and Ukrainian women into slavery.
    In Dnepropetrovsk, a monument to Mikhail Lomonosov, an educator and scientist of the 18th century, was removed.

  2. VA residents denied 2nd amendment rights, commerce

    It has not been reported anywhere online that I can see or talked of in the news, but as of Jan. 6th, 2023, Virginia’s state police program used in the background check system for firearm purchases is shut down for at least the second day, effectively delaying/prohibiting ALL firearms sales and causing store to lose revenue.

    Someone should be talking about this!

  3. .
    .

    FIRST VIDEO – to start with

    New Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 confirmed in Canada

    https://www.msn.com/en-ca/video/973de99c-ff17-49b2-8a83-4ad0031e0ae9/new-omicron-subvariant-xbb15-confirmed-in-canada/vi-AA15ZlQ2

    Global Newsyesterday at 3:14 a.m.
    There is growing concern over the spread of XBB.1.5
    Omicron subvariant, nicknamed Kraken, which the
    World Health Organization calls the most transmissible
    COVID-19 strain so far. Mackenzie Gray looks at what
    doctors know about it so far, and the rest

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