Gates of Vienna News Feed 2/20/2023

A pair of explosions shook a metals foundry in Bedford, Ohio, collapsing walls, scattering debris and molten metal, and sending a large plume of black smoke into the sky. Thirteen people were hospitalized, and one was treated on-site. One of the severely injured patients later died.

In other news, President Biden paid a surprise visit to Kyiv today to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

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

Thanks to Caroline Glick, Dean, DV, Fjordman, JW, LP, McN, MM, Reader from Chicago, SS, Vlad Tepes, 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
» EU Reports Wave of Bankruptcies
» Household Debt Skyrockets to Highest Level Since 2008 Financial Crisis
» Oh Sh*t, They’re Actually Doing It
 
USA
» 14 People Injured Following Explosion at Metal Manufacturing Plant in Bedford, Ohio
» 18 Inch Pipe Bomb Discovered Near Conrail Tracks in Northeast Philadelphia
» 1-Year-Old Among 3 Dead in Chicago Highway Shooting That Injured 3 Others
» 20 States Join Bishops in Condemning FBI Memo Profiling ‘Latin Mass’ Catholics
» ADL Report Advocates for Deplatforming at Website Infrastructure Level
» Alec Baldwin Scores Win in ‘Rust’ Fatal Shooting Case as DA Drops Firearm Enhancement
» Anti-War Protesters Crash Biden’s Dinner Out in Washington DC: ‘I Hate to Bother You But People Are Dying’
» CBS: Soaring Heart Attacks Due to Lack of Masking
» ChatGPT’s Anti-Cheating Technology Could Still Let Many Students Fool Their Teachers
» Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot in Danger of Losing Re-Election With 9 Candidates on the Ballot
» DA Drops Firearms Charge Against Alec Baldwin, Actor No Longer Facing 5 Years in Prison
» DeSantis Warns NYC Police Officers Critical Race Theory ‘Teaching Kids to Demonize, ‘ ‘Hate’ Law Enforcement
» DeSantis Team Fires Back at Eric Adams After He Offers to Teach Florida Governor About NYC ‘Values’
» Exclusive Andy Ngo Reports: Leaked Letter Details James O’Keefe’s Response Following Indefinite No-Pay Suspension From Project Veritas
» Explosion Rocks Ohio Factory, Scattering Molten Metal
» Explosion Rocks Ohio Metal Plant, Sending Large Plume of Black Smoke Into Sky
» GOP Lawmakers Slam Biden for Ukraine Trip, Neglecting East Palestine, Southern Border: ‘They Can Keep Him!’
» ‘Healthy’ 12-Year-Old Boy Dies Suddenly Playing Football
» James O’Keefe Ousted From Project Veritas, Accuses Group of ‘Lying’ About His Removal
» Kavanaugh Accuser Admits to Lying, Faces Criminal Charges
» Kevin McCarthy Gives Tucker Carlson 41,000 Hours of Jan. 6 Footage
» ‘Large White Balloon’ Spotted Northeast of Hawaii, Air Traffic Control Confirms
» Media Covering for Democrats Sitting on ‘Stolen’ FTX Money Because They Are Also Recipients of it: Greenwald
» Ohio to Open a Clinic Amid Growing Health Concerns Over Train Derailment
» Ohio Senators Raise Alarm on Cancer-Causing Chemical Potentially Spreading in East Palestine
» Protesters Gather as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Speaks to Law Enforcement Officials in Elmhurst
» Reddit Defends Against Movie Producers Who Want to Unmask Its Users
» Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene Calls for ‘National Divorce’ Between Red and Blue States
» Residents Say They’ve Broken Out in Rashes After East Palestine Train Derailment
» Ron DeSantis Rips Biden’s ‘Blank-Check’ Ukraine Policy as US Announces Additional Aid: ‘Not Acceptable’
» Squatters Return to Washington Property Immediately After SWAT Raid
» Trump Blasts Biden for Choosing Ukraine on President’s Day Over Ohio: ‘They Were Abandoned’
» Undercover DC Police Officer Pushed Protesters Toward Capitol, Climbed Over Barricade: Court Filing
» Watch: 2023 Don Lemon Would Accuse 2013 Don Lemon of Being a White Supremacist
» Watch: Trump Announces ‘Plan to End Crime and Restore Law and Order’
» Wisconsin Judge Rules in GOP’s Favor Over April Ballot Measures
» Youngkin Orders VA’s Education Secretariat to Review the College Board’s ‘AP African American Studies’
» YouTube Stands by Decision to Slap Age Restrictions on Catholic League Video Slamming Disney
 
Canada
» Alberta Justice Minister Maintains Emergencies Act’s Invocation ‘Sets a Dangerous Precedent’
 
Europe and the EU
» EPP Berates Berlusconi: ‘Support for Ukraine is Not Optional’
» German FM Doubles Down on 360 Degree Stupidity
» Irish Rooster With a Violent Past Kills Man With Attack to the Back of His Leg, Court Says
» ‘It’s a Joke’ — UK Parole Board May Send Triple Murderer to ‘Open Prison’
» PM Orbán: ‘When Russia Launched Its Attack, The West Didn’t Isolate the Conflict But Elevated it to a Pan-European Level’
» Poland’s President Goes on a Diplomatic Offensive
» Polish President Duda and British PM Sunak Talked About War in Ukraine in London
» Polish PM: ‘We Want Permanent US Military Bases’
» Romania Becomes Ukraine’s Largest Fuel Supplier
» ‘There is No Price for Independence’ — Poland’s Kaczynski Calls for Coalition to Stop EU Superstate From Erasing National Sovereignty
» UK: Extinction Rebellion Activists Surround Bristol Airport Bus in Transport Protest
» UK: Extinction Rebellion Target London Fashion Week: Protesters Pour Fake Oil Over Red Carpet Demanding an End to Sponsorship Deal With ‘World’s Biggest Plastic Polluter’ Coca Cola
» UK: Study Finds People With Higher Cognitive Ability Care More About Free Speech Than Political Correctness
» Ukraine War Chaos Saw Germany Lose Over $100 Billion in 2022
» Viktor Orban Continues to Comfortably Top Hungarian Polls
 
Israel and the Palestinians
» Caroline Glick: How Biden Subverts Israeli Democracy
 
Russia
» Biden Administration Announces $10M for Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure
» Biden Visits Ukraine in Show of Support a Year Into Russia’s Invasion, Amid Concern China Could Give Putin Lethal Aid
» Chechen Warlord Ramzan Kadyrov Vows to Set Up His Own Private Army to Challenge Wagner — Sparking Fears He is Preparing for Russian Civil War When Putin is Gone
» Czech President-Elect Warns Against Ukrainian Victory That Would Result in Collapse of Russia
» Dominic Lawson: I’d Love to Believe That Ukraine Was Simply Putin’s War, But the Cold Reality is it’s the Russian People’s Too
» NATO Chief Rejects Ukrainian Request for Outlawed Cluster Bombs, Phosphorus Munitions
» President Biden Makes Surprise Visit to Kyiv, Pledges New Military Aid
» Ukraine War Costs Germany’s Economy €100 Billion
 
South Asia
» India Hits Back After George Soros Says Adani Troubles Will Greatly Weaken Modi’s Grip on Power
 
Far East
» CCP Successfully Tests ‘Phantom Space Strike’ Device That Can Disrupt US Missile Defense Systems
 
Australia — Pacific
» Killer Crime Wave Forces Aussie State Into Major Backflip as it Reintroduces Crime it Dumped Eight Years Ago — After Leaders Denied Change Would Stop Young Crims Terrorising the Streets
 
Sub-Saharan Africa
» ‘Innocent People… Indicted and Sentenced to Death’: The Persecution of Christians, January 2023
 
Latin America
» Brazil: Proposed Laws Aim to Criminalize Vaccine Criticism
 
Immigration
» 18 Dead After Truck Packed With Afghan Migrants Abandoned in Bulgaria
» Border Crisis Spreads to Canada as Vermont Sector Asks for Help With Migrant Surge in Frigid Weather
» Business Hit Hard as NYC Hotel Houses More Migrants, Less Tourists: ‘Ghost Town’
» Concern Over Rising Number of Ukrainian Refugees in UK Facing Homelessness
» Ireland: Man Blames ‘Racist Mob’, Denies Dangerous Driving After Driving Car Into Anti-Mass Migration Protest
» Quebec: Legault Goes Direct to the U.S. To Get Action on Roxham Road
» State Trooper ‘Base Camp’ Erected in Florida Keys as Boatloads of Migrants Invade
» UK: Exclusive: Health Chiefs Advertise £12MILLION Contract to Give Detained Immigrants Access to GP and Dental Treatment — as Crisis-Hit NHS Creaks Under Pressure
 
Culture Wars
» After Spain Pushes to Legalize Bestiality, Polish Justice Minister Says ‘Leftism is a Plague of the 21st Century’
» Attorney for Teen Suspended After Opposing Trans Ideology Says Religious Freedom ‘Essentially Dead’ In Canada
» Disney’s ‘Woke’ Employees Melt Down, Claim Mandate Ending Remote Work Will ‘Cause Long-Term Harm’
» Irish Government is ‘Ignoring’ Risks of Child Transgenderism to Please Activists, Expert Says
» Nolte: Uncensored Roald Dahl Collection Zooms Up Sales Chart
» ‘Respect Pronouns’ Bill at University of Houston Challenged on First Amendment Grounds
» Scotland: Trans Butcher Charged With Abduction, String of Child Sex Offences
» Targeted Author Salman Rushdie Outraged Over Changes to Roald Dahl Books: ‘Absurd Censorship’
» Transgender Teacher Claims Giant Prosthetic Breasts ‘Are Real, ‘ Growing Due to ‘Rare’ Condition
 

EU Reports Wave of Bankruptcies

The number of insolvencies among EU businesses surged to the highest level during the final three months of 2022 since records began in 2015, as the bloc teeters on the edge of a recession, statistics agency Eurostat reported on Friday.

Defaults jumped by 26.8% compared to the previous quarter, while levels of business registration decreased by 0.2% in the same period last year.

Eurostat said the trend persisted throughout the year, adding that “the number of bankruptcy declarations increased during all four quarters of 2022.”

The agency also noted that all areas of economic activity were affected.

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

Household Debt Skyrockets to Highest Level Since 2008 Financial Crisis

U.S. household debt jumped to the highest level since the 2008 financial crisis last year as mortgages surged amid high inflation and rising interest rates, according to a new analysis published by WalletHub.

The findings show that household debt — which increased by $320 billion in the final three months of 2022 — hit a 15-year-high of $17 trillion. On average, a typical household owed a total of $142,680 at the end of the year.

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

Oh Sh*t, They’re Actually Doing It

The left is now out in the streets protesting in favor of a new tax on the poor.

[Comment: Leftists are protesting in favor of “15 minute” neighbrhoods.]

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

14 People Injured Following Explosion at Metal Manufacturing Plant in Bedford, Ohio

Update: A minimum of 14 individuals have been admitted to hospitals, with one in critical condition, after a horrifying blast occurred at a metal production plant.

On Monday afternoon, emergency services were dispatched to a manufacturing enterprise near Bedford following a colossal blast that ignited fires and scattered debris onto adjacent businesses, streets, and vehicles.

The incident occurred at I Schumann & Co., a producer of brass and bronze alloys located on Alexander Road in Oakwood. The cause of the explosion remains unknown, although witnesses informed FOX3 that there were two blasts, with the first being minor and the second, stronger one happening at roughly 2:30 p.m.

           — Hat tip: Vlad Tepes [Return to headlines]
 

18 Inch Pipe Bomb Discovered Near Conrail Tracks in Northeast Philadelphia

An 18 inch pipe bomb was discovered behind a church in the Holmesburg section of northeast Philadelphia.

The bomb was found on Sunday afternoon behind St. Dominic’s Catholic Church, on the 8500 block of Frankford Avenue, according to reports by Fox 29.

One Twitter account of the location of the bomb pinned it to train tracks behind the church. The bomb was “near [the] Conrail railroad tracks in Philadelphia’s Holmesburg section”. BREAKING: Police have discovered a 18-inch pipe bomb on Train Tracks

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

1-Year-Old Among 3 Dead in Chicago Highway Shooting That Injured 3 Others

No one is in custody in connection with the Sunday night shooting on Interstate 57, Illinois State Police said.

A 1-year-old girl was among three people killed Sunday night in a Chicago highway shooting that injured three others, authorities said.

No one is in custody in connection with the shooting on Interstate 57 near 111th Street, which occurred around 10:37 p.m. local time and shut down northbound lanes of the interstate for hours, according to a statement from Illinois State Police. Two of the victims died on the scene and four others were taken to a hospital, police said in the statement.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office said the 1-year-old girl was pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center. The names and ages of the three killed were not released.

           — Hat tip: DV [Return to headlines]
 

20 States Join Bishops in Condemning FBI Memo Profiling ‘Latin Mass’ Catholics

Missouri Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey and 19 other attorneys general joined Catholic Bishops protesting religious profiling in a leaked Federal Bureau of Investigation memo.

Last week, an FBI internal memorandum dated Jan. 23, was published by Undercover DC, an investigative journalism organization. It mentioned Virginia Catholics, specifically traditional Catholics, some of whom are not in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church, according to information from the Catholic Diocese of Richmond.

The attorneys general seven-page letter of complaint was addressed to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray. The letter states the FBI memo “identifies ‘radical-traditionalist Catholics’ as a potential ‘racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists.’ … Among those beliefs which distinguish the bad Catholics from the good ones are a preference for ‘the Traditional Latin Mass and pre-Vatican II teachings,’ and adherence to traditional Catholic teachings on sex and marriage (which the memorandum describes as ‘anti-LGBTQ’).”

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

ADL Report Advocates for Deplatforming at Website Infrastructure Level

A new report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said pressuring online platforms and other internet services to remove those it deems to be far-right extremists is effective in limiting their reach. The report was authored by the ADL’s Center for Technology and Society Belfer fellow Megan Squire.

In preparing the report, Squire analyzed four deplatformed websites, including forum website The Donald, website The Daily Stormer, forum 8chan, and political commentator Nick Fuentes.

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

Alec Baldwin Scores Win in ‘Rust’ Fatal Shooting Case as DA Drops Firearm Enhancement

Alec Baldwin is no longer facing years behind bars in connection to the fatal shooting of “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Prosecutors dropped the firearms enhancement charge originally brought against Baldwin. First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies filed the paperwork Monday morning, according to documents obtained by Fox News Digital.

“In order to avoid further litigious distractions by Mr. Baldwin and his attorneys, the District Attorney and the special prosecutor have removed the firearm enhancement to the involuntary manslaughter charges in the death of Halyna Hutchins on the ‘Rust’ film set,” Heather Brewer, spokesperson for the district attorney, told Fox News Digital. “The prosecution’s priority is securing justice, not securing billable hours for big-city attorneys.”

           — Hat tip: LP [Return to headlines]
 

Anti-War Protesters Crash Biden’s Dinner Out in Washington DC: ‘I Hate to Bother You But People Are Dying’

Code Pink, a left wing activist group focused on ending foreign wars, confronted President Biden Saturday at a restaurant in Washington, D.C., over his handling of the Russia-Ukraine war. The protesters called on Biden to seek peace and an end to the war rather than escalation before being asked to leave by the establishment’s staff.

“President Biden, I hate to bother you, we need to end this war in Ukraine. We need to push through negotiations!” one protester shouted.

“I hate to bother you but people are dying,” she continued.

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

CBS: Soaring Heart Attacks Due to Lack of Masking

CBS News’s medical expert has claimed that the unprecedented spike in the number of young people suffering sudden heart attacks is due to a lack of masking and a failure to keep up to date with vaccinations.

Celine Gounder, the network’s medical contributor, argues that otherwise healthy young people who died suddenly from fatal heart attacks in the past couple of years only have themselves to blame.

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

ChatGPT’s Anti-Cheating Technology Could Still Let Many Students Fool Their Teachers

ChatGPT was launched back in November 2022 by OpenAI and has been a big hit thus far — but not always for the right reasons.

Students have begun taking advantage of the AI model as well by using it to help them cheat on their homework. The AI-bot, as it is called, essentially does everything a student is supposed to do while developing critical thinking in a learning environment.

Now, educators and experts behind anti-cheating software are doing their best to stop this from happening.

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

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot in Danger of Losing Re-Election With 9 Candidates on the Ballot

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is in possible danger of losing her re-election bid due to nine other candidates on the ballot for the election next week.

“There’s nine people on the ballot,” Lightfoot said in an interview, according to NBC News. “It’s impossible not to have a runoff.”

The municipal election will take place Feb. 28 and if a candidate doesn’t get a majority, the top two vote-getters will go against each other in another round of voting in April.

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

DA Drops Firearms Charge Against Alec Baldwin, Actor No Longer Facing 5 Years in Prison

Embattled Hollywood star Alec Baldwin has scored a huge win after prosecutors dropped a firearms charge against him in connection to the fatal shooting of “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Prosecutors dropped the firearms enhancement charge originally brought against Baldwin.

The move means that Baldwin is no longer facing mandatory five years of prison time in the criminal case.

According to court documents, First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies filed the paperwork to drop the charge on Monday morning.

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

DeSantis Warns NYC Police Officers Critical Race Theory ‘Teaching Kids to Demonize, ‘ ‘Hate’ Law Enforcement

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis visited New York City on Monday, telling police officers there are other states that “will value your service” compared to liberal-run areas of the country he says are pushing “critical race theory teaching kids to demonize and to hate law enforcement.”

Kicking off his pro-law enforcement tour in Staten Island — the only New York City borough to support former President Donald Trump in both the 2016 and 2020 elections — DeSantis told a crowd that while the Big Apple saw a 23% surge in major crime in 2022, Florida’s crime rate is at a 50-year low.

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

DeSantis Team Fires Back at Eric Adams After He Offers to Teach Florida Governor About NYC ‘Values’

Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ team fired back at New York City Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, after the mayor offered to teach the Florida governor about the crime-ridden city’s “values.”

Adams took a shot at DeSantis as the Florida governor kicked off his pro-police tour through Democrat-run cities in the City that Never Sleeps on Monday.

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

Exclusive Andy Ngo Reports: Leaked Letter Details James O’Keefe’s Response Following Indefinite No-Pay Suspension From Project Veritas

A leaked letter exclusively obtained by The Post Millennial reveals Project Veritas’ founder James O’Keefe’s statement to staffers on Monday after he was effectively removed from the organization by the board.

“I was asked to be gone until the 20th — it is now the 20th,” wrote O’Keefe. “I asked the board to resign for their conduct — they did not. So currently, I have no position at PV based on the board’s actions. So, I’m announcing to you all that today on President’s day — I’m packing up my personal effects from headquarters, and I’m intending to start anew.”

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

Explosion Rocks Ohio Factory, Scattering Molten Metal

Feb 20 (Reuters) — An explosion tore through an Ohio metals plant on Monday, scattering molten metal and debris that rained down on neighboring buildings and injuring at least 14 people, mostly with burns, officials and witnesses said.

The blast sent smoke billowing into the sky that could be seen for miles around the damaged factory about 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Cleveland.

The explosion at the I. Schumann & Co. metals plant in Bedford drew fire departments from throughout northeast Ohio.

Oakwood Fire Department Captain Brian DiRocco addressed the media on scene, saying 13 people were taken to hospital, many of them with burn wounds, and one more was being treated on site.

At least one was in critical condition, and one was pulled from the debris. All of those injured were on site, the falling debris having spared those at neighboring businesses, DiRocco said.

“The people were mostly walking wounded. They were coming up to us,” DiRocco said. “I’m sure there’s a lot of people that work here that were in shock.”

           — Hat tip: McN [Return to headlines]
 

Explosion Rocks Ohio Metal Plant, Sending Large Plume of Black Smoke Into Sky

Update (2030ET): The company has issued a statement confirming the explosion of unknown origin:

An explosion of unknown origin struck our Bedford, Ohio facility today resulting in injuries to employees and significant damage to the facility.

Our efforts now are focused on supporting the first responders who came on scene quickly to help our employees.

The safety and health of our employees is our top priority and we commit to ensuring they receive the medical care they need.

We will work alongside investigators in their search for answers as part of our commitment to Northeast Ohio where we have been operating for more than 100 years.

Our thoughts and prayers are with our team members and their families at this difficult time.

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

GOP Lawmakers Slam Biden for Ukraine Trip, Neglecting East Palestine, Southern Border: ‘They Can Keep Him!’

Republican lawmakers from the House and Senate criticized President Biden’s unannounced trip to Kiev, Ukraine, on Monday and said it shows Biden is more interested in Ukraine than the crisis at the border or the release of toxic chemicals into the air and water in East Palestine, Ohio.

“When our border is in crisis, Joe Biden goes home to nap in Delaware. When Ohio burns with toxic chemicals, Biden’s admin says everything is fine,” Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla. told Fox News Digital in a statement.

“So on Presidents Day, I’m not surprised that Biden is ditching America for Ukraine. He ditched America’s interests since the start of his presidency. They can keep him!” he said.

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

‘Healthy’ 12-Year-Old Boy Dies Suddenly Playing Football

A 12-year-old New Jersey boy has collapsed and died suddenly while playing football, according to reports.

Elijah Jordan Brown-Garcia unexpectedly dropped to the ground during football practice at a local field.

Brown-Garcia had no known health issues and team officials say that he was not engaged in any heavy activity at the time, according to News 12.

The young boy was reportedly performing drills along with his team, the Essex County Predators, at the West Side Park football field when he suddenly collapsed.

“No contact,” his devasted mother, Raven Brown, asserted.

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

James O’Keefe Ousted From Project Veritas, Accuses Group of ‘Lying’ About His Removal

Project Veritas founder James O’Keefe confirmed Monday his title as the CEO of guerilla journalism group has been “stripped” and that he had been “removed” from its board of directors following weeks of internal strife.

“I don’t know why this has happened now or why this is happening suddenly right now,” O’Keefe told staff on Monday in a video shared publicly by Project Veritas.

O’Keefe, who founded Project Veritas in 2010, acknowledged to staff that he had not “always been a compassionate leader,” which he admits is a “fault” of his, but boasted his work ethic and how he was never “slowing down.”

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

Kavanaugh Accuser Admits to Lying, Faces Criminal Charges

Authored by Molly Bruns via HeadlineUSA

Judy Monro-Leighton, one of three women who accused now-Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, was found to have lied during a congressional investigation and is now being charged with making materially false statements and obstruction.

According to The Beltway Report, a letter written by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, made a criminal referral against Monro-Leighton, who admitted that she “just wanted to get attention.”

She also admitted that an anonymous letter she sent to then-Sen. Kamala Harris describing a graphic sexual assault by Kavanaugh and a friend was not written by her, despite her original claim of being “Jane Doe from Oceanside, California.”

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

Kevin McCarthy Gives Tucker Carlson 41,000 Hours of Jan. 6 Footage

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has given Fox News host Tucker Carlson exclusive access to 41,000 hours of Capitol surveillance footage from January 6th, 2021, according to Axios, which reports that excerpts will begin airing in the coming weeks.

Last week, Carlson’s producers were on Capitol Hill to begin reviewing the trove — which includes various camera angles from around the Capitol complex.

The archive was previously reported at ‘just’ 14,000 hours.

“[T]here was never any legitimate reason for this footage to remain secret,” Carlson told Axios. “If there was ever a question that’s in the public’s interest to know, it’s what actually happened on January 6. By definition, this video will reveal it. It’s impossible for me to understand why any honest person would be bothered by that.”

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

‘Large White Balloon’ Spotted Northeast of Hawaii, Air Traffic Control Confirms

Air Traffic Control (ATC) confirmed that a “large white balloon” has been spotted just northeast of Hawaii.

The Oakland Oceanic Air Traffic Control Center said on Sunday that a white ballon was spotted over the Pacific Ocean just 594 miles northeast of Honolulu.

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

Media Covering for Democrats Sitting on ‘Stolen’ FTX Money Because They Are Also Recipients of it: Greenwald

Politicians and liberal media outlets on the receiving end of FTX donations and grants are sitting on “stolen” money, journalist Glenn Greenwald said Tuesday, urging them to return the funds given to them as a result of a “Ponzi scheme” that impacted an estimated one million customers.

“Everyone knows, including these politicians, that it is not their money,” Greenwald said on “Tucker Carlson Tonight.” “That money was stolen. It was a Ponzi scheme and people are without their money while these politicians keep the money that doesn’t belong to them.”

The bankrupt cryptocurrency company this week called on politicians, campaign committees, and super PACs to return the donations from Sam Bankman-Fried by Feb. 28, warning recipients that making a donation to a third-party charity “does not prevent the FTX debtors from seeking recovery from the recipient or any subsequent transferee.”

The 30-year-old FTX CEO became a major player in Washington with his commitment to philanthropy and political donations that made him the second-largest donor to the Democratic Party in the 2022 election cycle, with over $40 million in contributions. One of the largest donations was to Joe Biden’s presidential campaign in 2020, for a total of $5.2 million.

Bankman-Fried is also accused of trying to purchase favorable coverage from the press after it was revealed he gave cash to media outlets including The Intercept, Vox, ProPublica and former New York Times media columnist Ben Smith’s new outlet, Semafor.

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

Ohio to Open a Clinic Amid Growing Health Concerns Over Train Derailment

The clinic will open at noon Tuesday for any East Palestine area residents with questions related to the Feb. 3 train derailment.

The Ohio Department of Health is launching a clinic in East Palestine on Tuesday to address mounting health concerns among residents after a train derailment prompted Norfolk Southern officials to release and burn a toxic chemical in the area to avoid an explosion.

The department said in a news release Sunday it would be opening the clinic in partnership with the Columbiana County Health Department and with support from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

It said the clinic, which opens at noon, will be available to East Palestine area residents “who have medical questions or concerns related to the recent train derailment.”

It comes after the state attorney general’s office indicated it plans to take legal action against Norfolk Southern after a 150-car train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed Feb. 3.

           — Hat tip: MM [Return to headlines]
 

Ohio Senators Raise Alarm on Cancer-Causing Chemical Potentially Spreading in East Palestine

Sens. JD Vance, R-Ohio, and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, penned a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its state counterpart over the weekend, requesting more information regarding the potential spread of a compound in East Palestine, Ohio, that can cause cancer.

The two Ohio senators warned in the letter sent Saturday EPA Administrator Michael Regan and Ohio EPA Director Anne Vogel that the combustion of vinyl chloride — the toxic chemical released and burned after a train carrying it derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this month — can lead to the formation of dioxins, highly toxic compounds that are “persistent environmental pollutants.”

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

Protesters Gather as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Speaks to Law Enforcement Officials in Elmhurst

ELMHURST, Ill. (WLS) — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a possible presidential candidate, is scheduled to speak before a crowd of law enforcement officials in west suburban Elmhurst on Monday evening.

Several dozen protesters gathered across the street from the Knights of Columbus Hall, where that invite-only event is being held, and there’s a large police presence in the area. Supporters of the Florida governor are gathered outside as well.

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

Reddit Defends Against Movie Producers Who Want to Unmask Its Users

In a piracy lawsuit, filmmakers have requested a subpoena to reveal the identities of Reddit users who posted piracy-related content. According to the filmmakers, the comments can provide evidence that RCN, an internet service provider (ISP) does not have a policy to terminate the accounts of repeat infringers.

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

Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene Calls for ‘National Divorce’ Between Red and Blue States

Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) marked Monday’s President’s Day holiday by calling for a split between America’s conservative and liberal states to shrink the central government and defeat radical political agendas.

“We need a national divorce,” she wrote on Twitter. “We need to separate by red states and blue states and shrink the federal government.

“Everyone I talk to says this.

“From the sick and disgusting woke culture issues shoved down our throats to the Democrat’s [sic] traitorous America Last policies, we are done.”

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

Residents Say They’ve Broken Out in Rashes After East Palestine Train Derailment

Authored by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours)

Locals who live near the train derailment and release of toxic chemicals near East Palestine, Ohio, have complained about various health problems since the incident unfolded earlier this month, including rashes, headaches, and other issues. And they’ve expressed concerns that these new symptoms may be tied to the chemicals that were burned or released.

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

Ron DeSantis Rips Biden’s ‘Blank-Check’ Ukraine Policy as US Announces Additional Aid: ‘Not Acceptable’

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) called out President Biden for his “blank-check policy” on Ukraine after the president traveled to Kyiv for an unannounced visit shortly before the one-year mark of Putin’s assault.

DeSantis joined “Fox & Friends” Monday to discuss Biden’s first visit to the war zone since the conflict started a year ago, and why the newly allocated half-billion dollars in Ukrainian aid is unacceptable without clearly defined goals.

“They have effectively a blank-check policy with no clear, strategic objective identified, and these things can escalate, and I don’t think it’s in our interests to be getting into a proxy war with China, getting involved over things like the borderlands or over Crimea,” DeSantis said.

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

Squatters Return to Washington Property Immediately After SWAT Raid

A gang of squatters has completely taken over a Washington woman’s home, even breaking back in after the property was raided by police, the victimized homeowner says.

As reported by KIRO 7, Snohomish County police on Wednesday raided the Lynnwood property due to the crime “stemming” from the home’s inhabitants. During the investigation, police said they discovered 52 cars — some of which had been reported as stolen — drugs, and firearms.

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

Trump Blasts Biden for Choosing Ukraine on President’s Day Over Ohio: ‘They Were Abandoned’

Former President Donald Trump on Monday blasted Joe Biden for spending President’s Day with Ukrainians rather than the victims of a devastating train wreck in Ohio, suggesting it sent a powerful message of neglect to voters in a key election battleground state.

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

Undercover DC Police Officer Pushed Protesters Toward Capitol, Climbed Over Barricade: Court Filing

Authored by Joseph M. Hanneman via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours)

Three undercover Metropolitan Police Department officers joined the march of protesters up the northwest side of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021—including one who climbed over a barricade and pushed others toward the Capitol, and another who walked behind Ashli Babbitt and predicted that “someone will get shot,” according to newly disclosed court documents.

New court motions filed by Jan. 6 defendant William Pope of Topeka, Kansas, also show MPD bicycle officers stopping four armed men in plainclothes on Jan. 6. The men turned out to be federal agents. Video included with Pope’s filings also shows uniformed MPD officers saying, “we were set up” to fail on Jan. 6.

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

Watch: 2023 Don Lemon Would Accuse 2013 Don Lemon of Being a White Supremacist

Authored by Steve Watson via Summit News

In the wake of CNN’s last remaining woke host being sidelined for making a ‘sexist’ and ‘ageist’ remark about Nikki Haley, a video of Don Lemon from 2013 in which he surprisingly speaks sense has gone viral.

The video shows Lemon talking about what the black community should do to fix its problems, including stop littering, and encouraging kids to try harder in school.

The host also extols the virtues of marriage, and warns about the problem of absent fathers, asserting “just because you can have a baby doesn’t mean you should.”

Lemon even tells young black men to stop using the N word and to pull up their pants and stop walking around with their asses hanging out looking like prison bitches.

Imagine the meltdown that would occur if Lemon spoke like this today, just 10 years later.

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

Watch: Trump Announces ‘Plan to End Crime and Restore Law and Order’

Former President Donald Trump unveiled his new plan to stop “out-of-control crime and keep all Americans safe” in a video released on Monday. In the video, the 2024 presidential candidate outlined how he “reduced violent crime and stood strongly with America’s law enforcement.”

“On Joe Biden’s watch, violent crime has skyrocketed and communities have become less safe as he defunded, defamed, and dismantled police forces,” Trump said. “Joe Biden and the ‘Defund the Police’ Democrats have turned our once great cities into cesspools of bloodshed and crime.”

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

Wisconsin Judge Rules in GOP’s Favor Over April Ballot Measures

A Wisconsin judge on Monday ruled that two Republican-backed measures can appear on the April ballot over the objections of criminal justice advocates who said elections officials had missed the state deadline.

One of the measures would add an amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution that would make it harder for people accused of violent crimes to get out of jail on bail. The other is a non-binding advisory referendum that asks voters if they believe that able-bodied, childless welfare recipients should be required to look for work.

Dane County Circuit Judge Rhonda Lanford said the groups bringing the lawsuit had not met legal requirements for a court to intervene. If the decision is not overturned by a higher court, the ballot measures will go before voters on April 4.

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

Youngkin Orders VA’s Education Secretariat to Review the College Board’s ‘AP African American Studies’

Gov. Glenn Youngkin has ordered Virginia’s Education Secretariat to review the College Board’s “AP African American Studies,” joining three other states in a review of the course.

Arkansas, Mississippi, and North Dakota have also ordered reviews to see if it conflicts with any state policies regarding the teaching of race and Florida has already banned the course.

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

YouTube Stands by Decision to Slap Age Restrictions on Catholic League Video Slamming Disney

Google-owned YouTube placed age restrictions on a documentary from the Catholic League that was critical of Disney earlier this month but has yet to explain the rationale behind their decision, or what specific aspects of the video triggered the move.

Several interview subjects in the documentary, “Walt’s Disenchanted Kingdom,” claim Disney’s leadership has sacrificed the company’s family-friendly image to woke rebranding in a misguided effort to secure future viewers and crack the Chinese market.

In an interview with Just the News, Catholic League Communications Director Mike McDonald recapped the events surrounding the release and subsequent regulation of the online video.

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

Alberta Justice Minister Maintains Emergencies Act’s Invocation ‘Sets a Dangerous Precedent’

After the Public Order Emergency Commission determined that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s use of the Emergencies Act was appropriate, Justice Tyler Shandro said Alberta maintains that the act’s invocation “sets a dangerous precedent.”

According to Commissioner Paul Rouleau the federal government’s invocation “was appropriate” and in accordance with the requirements set out by the emergency legislation.

But Shandro says the federal government’s consultation with provinces was inadequate “and that unnecessarily invoking the Emergencies Act set a dangerous precedent.”

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

EPP Berates Berlusconi: ‘Support for Ukraine is Not Optional’

European People’s Party (EPP) President Manfred Weber on Friday cancelled an event scheduled to take place in Naples this year in protest to comments by ex-premier and Forza Italia (FI) leader Silvio Berlusconi criticizing Ukrainian President Zelensky.

“Following the remarks by Silvio Berlusconi on Ukraine we decided to cancel our study days in Naples,” Weber said via Twitter.

The decision by the centre-right group in the European parliament sparked an angry reaction from FI’s politicians.

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

German FM Doubles Down on 360 Degree Stupidity

Only when Russia’s head of state does a “360 degree” turn, will Ukraine be safe. That is what the German foreign minister declared when she spoke at the Munich Security Conference (MSC). She actually repeated the threat.

It is now unclear what the Russian leader is supposed to do to avoid the escalation of the conflict with the ever-expanding NATO. Annalena Baerbock shared the podium together with her counterparts from the US and Ukraine, Antony Blinken and Dmytro Kuleba, to issue the jumbled ultimatum.

Her comments have certainly cast a pall on what is purported to be the “crème de la crème of international politics” gathered to discuss the most important challenges of global geopolitics and defense policy in the Bavarian capital.

The moderator asked Germany’s foreign minister if Ukraine would be safe if President Putin remained Russia’s leader. Baerbock’s answer was firm: “If Putin doesn’t change 360 degrees, no.”

She even repeated her comment during the same public appearance, insisting for a second time on a 360-degree turn that Putin must complete.

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

Irish Rooster With a Violent Past Kills Man With Attack to the Back of His Leg, Court Says

An Irish inquest found that a man who died in April 2022, was attacked by a rooster with a history of attacking people, according to reports.

The Irish Examiner in Cork, Ireland, reported that Jasper Kraus was allegedly attacked by a Brahma chicken that was moved to his property in Ballinasloe after it attacked a child.

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

‘It’s a Joke’ — UK Parole Board May Send Triple Murderer to ‘Open Prison’

The family of a woman murdered along with her two children have expressed outrage that the Parole Board for England and Wales is considering sending the killer to a so-called “open prison”.

Triple murderer Phillip Austin was given three supposed “life” sentences in 2001 for the brutal murder of his wife Claire, 31, and children Jade and Keiren, aged seven and eight, in 2001 — hardly a lifetime ago.

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

PM Orbán: ‘When Russia Launched Its Attack, The West Didn’t Isolate the Conflict But Elevated it to a Pan-European Level’

The escalation of the war by European powers is another argument against giving Brussels more power, says Viktor Orbán during his state of the nation address

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

Poland’s President Goes on a Diplomatic Offensive

Last week, Polish President Andrzej Duda met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels, as well as British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and King Charles III in London; he then participated in the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

“The whole series of meetings took place in a good atmosphere,” the president said after arriving in Warsaw. “We are preparing, together with our partners, for the visit of U.S. President Joe Biden in Warsaw.”

“We discussed what we will be talking about at the Bucharest Nine meeting with President Biden: further action regarding the strengthening of the eastern flank of NATO, as well as the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius,” said the president.

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

Polish President Duda and British PM Sunak Talked About War in Ukraine in London

Polish President Andrzej Duda continued his diplomatic offensive in advance of U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to Warsaw, which is to take place on Tuesday. Duda’s meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in London concentrated mainly on the war in Ukraine and issues associated with it, such as defense and energy security.

At the end of the meeting at Downing Street, the Polish president briefed the media on his discussion with Sunak. It was the first meeting between the two men and Duda stressed that it came just before the Bucharest Nine (B9) summit of NATO’s eastern frontline states in Warsaw where Biden will be present.

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

Polish PM: ‘We Want Permanent US Military Bases’

During an interview with the CBS program “Face the Nation,” Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said he hoped that U.S. President Joe Biden would confirm his determination to see Russia beaten in the war with Ukraine. Morawiecki disagreed with those European leaders such as French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz who are saying that Russia “cannot win this war and Ukraine cannot be defeated.”

“We have to change that paradigm and we have to say, Ukraine must win and Russia must be defeated,” said Morawiecki. The reason for this is that “the very nature of Russia is to conquer other countries.”

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

Romania Becomes Ukraine’s Largest Fuel Supplier

Romania’s fuel exports to Ukraine increased 30-fold last year to almost 1 million tons (983,404 tons), while another 251,303 tons of fuel was transported through Romania to Ukraine, which is 96 times more than in 2021, business daily news outlet Profit.ro reports.

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

‘There is No Price for Independence’ — Poland’s Kaczynski Calls for Coalition to Stop EU Superstate From Erasing National Sovereignty

Poland will never agree to the creation of a European superstate, the head of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, told conservative weekly Sieci during an interview.

Poland’s conservative leader said that such an EU project does exist, and it can “only be stopped by a coalition of states that reject it, bang their fists on the table and say that there will be no scrapping of the veto or changes to EU treaties.”

According to him, “there is no price for independence.”

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

UK: Extinction Rebellion Activists Surround Bristol Airport Bus in Transport Protest

Activists blocked a Bristol Airport bus in South Bristol again at the weekend, as part of a campaign to highlight the double standards of bus provision in Bristol.

The campaigners from Bristol’s Extinction Rebellion Youth stopped the bus leaving a northbound stop outside Asda on Bedminster Parade, as it was on its way back to the city centre from the airport at lunchtime on Saturday.

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

UK: Extinction Rebellion Target London Fashion Week: Protesters Pour Fake Oil Over Red Carpet Demanding an End to Sponsorship Deal With ‘World’s Biggest Plastic Polluter’ Coca Cola

Extinction Rebellion protesters set off smoke bombs and covered the floor in black paint as they targeted London Fashion Week today.

In the group’s latest stunt, about 30 eco-zealots stormed 180 The Strand — where the fashion show is being staged — in a protest against the ‘world’s biggest polluter’, Coca-Cola.

Climate change agitators in white overalls paraded up and down a red catwalk before drenching it in fake oil from two giant Coca-Cola bottles, as others set off black smoke grenades around them.

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

UK: Study Finds People With Higher Cognitive Ability Care More About Free Speech Than Political Correctness

A new study has found that people with higher cognitive ability are less likely to be concerned about political correctness and more likely to support free speech.

“Britain’s elite cultural institutions — the BBC, universities, the national trust — are dominated by the woke. Since smart people tend to get ahead in life, you might assume the woke would have higher intelligence. Not so, according to a new study,” writes Noah Carl.

Researcher Louise Drieghe and colleagues surveyed 300 American adults using the platform Mechanical Turk to measure participants’ cognitive ability by administering a test which involves accurately assigning words to pictures.

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

Ukraine War Chaos Saw Germany Lose Over $100 Billion in 2022

Germany lost over $100 billion as a result of the chaos brought about by the Ukraine War, the head of a major economic research institute in the country has said.

Marcel Fratzscher, who serves as the president of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW), has said that the German economy ultimately lost more than $100 billion as a result of the Ukraine War so far.

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

Viktor Orban Continues to Comfortably Top Hungarian Polls

Incumbent Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban holds a considerable lead over his political rivals, receiving the support of almost half of all respondents in the latest polling.

According to a recent survey by the Nézopont Institute, a total of 49 percent of Hungarians consider Orban to be the most suitable candidate to continue in his role at the next election, as trust in him is nearly four times higher than in the leftist Democratic Coalition (DK), seven times higher than the Our Homeland movement, and eight times higher than Momentum.

DK’s Klara Dobrev is the second most trusted politician among those asked, winning the trust of 13 percent of voters, a considerable 36 percentage points less than the current prime minister.

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

Caroline Glick: How Biden Subverts Israeli Democracy

The Movement for Quality Government (MQG) in Israel is the far-left organization at the epicenter of the Israeli left’s war against the Netanyahu government. MQG began its current campaign of delegitimization, subversion and demonization immediately after the Netanyahu government was sworn into office on Dec. 29. The next day, MQG petitioned the Supreme Court to prevent Shas leader Aryeh Deri from serving as a minister in the government.

There was no legal basis for the petition. But that didn’t bother the lawyers at MQG.

In its petition, MQG claimed that the terms of a plea deal Deri reached with the State Prosecution last year on tax reporting errors barred him from serving as a minister. Never mind that nothing in the plea deal stipulated anything of the sort or that 400,000 Israeli voters cast their ballots for Shas with the full expectation that Deri would serve as a senior minister.

Like MQG, the Supreme Court justices didn’t bother giving a legal basis for their decision to act on MQG’s petition and bar Deri from serving as a cabinet minister. The justices said Deri’s appointment was “unreasonable,” and with a stroke of a pen, the court retroactively disenfranchised Shas voters.

Building on its success, late last month MQG submitted a new petition asking the justices to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As in the case of Deri, MQG’s petition is based on a political rather than a legal argument. MQG argues that as a criminal defendant, Netanyahu is unfit to serve. The premier, MQG insists, is acting with a conflict of interest by overseeing judicial reforms while on trial. And as a result, the justices should declare him unfit and remove him from office.

Never mind that the justices have a conflict of interest since it is their powers the government’s proposed reforms would check. Never mind that in a bid to prevent politicized judges and prosecutors from overturning the will of the voters, the law explicitly permits prime ministers to serve not only while standing trial, but even if convicted. And never mind that the charges against Netanyahu have fallen apart in Jerusalem District Court.

MQG saw with the Deri ruling that the justices feel no inclination to respect either the law or the will of the voters when their personal interests are at stake. And indeed, last week, Justice Daphne Barak-Erez gave the attorney general and the government a month to explain why the court shouldn’t overturn the votes of 2.4 million Israelis who voted for Likud and its coalition partners to return Netanyahu to the Prime Minister’s Office.

In a withering response to Barak-Erez’s order, Justice Minister Yariv Levin described MQG as “a gang of lawyers who do not respect the outcome of the election, working to carry out a coup and remove the prime minister from office.”…

           — Hat tip: Caroline Glick [Return to headlines]
 

Biden Administration Announces $10M for Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure

The Biden administration announced nearly $500 million in additional aid for Ukraine, including $10 million for its energy infrastructure, after a surprise visit to Kyiv by President Joe Biden.

“Today, the United States announced $460 million in new support for Ukraine: $450 million worth of arms and equipment from DoD inventories under Presidential Drawdown Authority, as well as $10 million to support ongoing U.S. efforts to provide emergency assistance to help maintain Ukraine’s energy infrastructure,” a U.S. Department of State spokesperson said in a statement.

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

Biden Visits Ukraine in Show of Support a Year Into Russia’s Invasion, Amid Concern China Could Give Putin Lethal Aid

President Biden paid an unannounced visit Monday to Ukraine’s capital, offering a huge show of support for the country the U.S. and its allies have helped to hold out during Russia’s nearly-year-long, unprovoked invasion. Mr. Biden spent about six hours in Kyiv, much of it with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom he promised unwavering backing and another tranche of American weapons.

“You know, one year later, Kyiv stands. Ukraine stands,” Mr. Biden said while there. “Democracy stands. America stands with you and the world stands with you. Kyiv has captured a part of my heart.”

Mr. Biden’s visit to the region, which was to see him meet later in the day with other European leaders in Poland, comes as the world prepares to mark a full year since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine — and amid concerns first publicized over the weekend by America’s top diplomat that China may be on the brink of providing Russia with weapons to bolster its assault.

           — Hat tip: Dean [Return to headlines]
 

Chechen Warlord Ramzan Kadyrov Vows to Set Up His Own Private Army to Challenge Wagner — Sparking Fears He is Preparing for Russian Civil War When Putin is Gone

The rise of Wagner and other mercenary forces outside the traditional Russian military structures has raised concerns among that such groups could pose a threat to stability in Moscow.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Czech President-Elect Warns Against Ukrainian Victory That Would Result in Collapse of Russia

Czech President-elect Petr Pavel has irritated the Ukrainian government by calling for realism in the country’s ongoing conflict with Russia and warning against pushing for a result that could see the collapse of Russia and lead to greater problems for the region.

Pavel offered his thoughts on the war during the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. He said an attempt to liberate some parts of Ukraine from occupied Russian forces would inevitably lead to “unbearable loss of life” and Ukraine and its allies should “prepare for the worst.”

“We need to be careful about pushing Ukraine to a certain result. Maybe at some point, Ukraine will change its vision,” the former NATO general added.

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

Dominic Lawson: I’d Love to Believe That Ukraine Was Simply Putin’s War, But the Cold Reality is it’s the Russian People’s Too

DOMINIC LAWSON: Some truths we find hard to accept. For example, a year after Putin sent the tanks in to seize full control of Ukraine, the war is still overwhelmingly supported by Russians.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

NATO Chief Rejects Ukrainian Request for Outlawed Cluster Bombs, Phosphorus Munitions

The head of NATO has rejected Ukrainian requests for it to be supplied with controversial phosphorous weapons and outlawed cluster bombs.

Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary-general of the NATO military alliance, has publicly rejected calls for the group to hand over cluster bombs and phosphorous-based incendiary weapons to Ukraine.

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

President Biden Makes Surprise Visit to Kyiv, Pledges New Military Aid

President Biden departed from Joint Base Andrews in Prince George’s County, Maryland, early Sunday morning. He stopped at Ramstein Air Base in Germany before making an unannounced visit to Ukraine on Monday morning. The visit comes ahead of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Biden’s visit comes as Russia prepares for a massive spring offensive. Western countries are racing to flood Ukraine with new weaponry, including main battle tanks and armored vehicles. Biden delivered remarks alongside President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mariinsky Palace in Kyiv and announced new military aid worth $500 million, according to AP News. The new military aid includes anti-tank missiles, air surveillance radars, howitzers, shells, ammunition, and other support but no new advanced weaponry.

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

Ukraine War Costs Germany’s Economy €100 Billion

The war in Ukraine and the growing energy prices have cost the German economy about 2.5% of its GDP. While the impact milder than expected, the country still faces a minor recession.

The head of the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) has said he expects Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to continue to hamper growth and inflate costs in the German economy.

German government interventions and a mild European winter have cushioned the blow of the war and its consequences, but Europe’s largest economy is likely heading for a recession.

           — Hat tip: JW [Return to headlines]
 

India Hits Back After George Soros Says Adani Troubles Will Greatly Weaken Modi’s Grip on Power

India slammed billionaire investor George Soros after he alleged the Adani turmoil will weaken Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s grip on power and lead to a “democratic revival” in the country.

The latest dispute highlights renewed scrutiny on the relationship between India’s leader and business tycoon Gautam Adani, who has lost billions in net worth since a short seller report accused his companies of fraud. The Adani Group has denied those allegations, calling the report a “calculated attack on India.”

Last week, Soros criticized the prime minister saying India was a democracy but Modi “is no democrat.” Over the weekend, India’s foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, told a conference in Sydney that Soros’ comments were typical of a “Euro-Atlantic view” and rejected his accusations.

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

CCP Successfully Tests ‘Phantom Space Strike’ Device That Can Disrupt US Missile Defense Systems

The Chinese military has successfully completed a simulated test of their new “phantom space strike” device, which discharges a group of fake target signals from space designed to sabotage and overwhelm an enemy’s missile defenses.

According to the South China Morning Post, the results of the successful simulated test were published on February 10 in the Chinese-language Journal of Electronics and Information Technology and the Chinese team wrote, “Generating phantom tracks in space is extremely difficult” and “We solved one of the major challenges … with a clever design.”

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

Killer Crime Wave Forces Aussie State Into Major Backflip as it Reintroduces Crime it Dumped Eight Years Ago — After Leaders Denied Change Would Stop Young Crims Terrorising the Streets

Breach of bail will again become a standalone offence for young people in Queensland after an about-face by the state government.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

‘Innocent People… Indicted and Sentenced to Death’: The Persecution of Christians, January 2023

The following are among the murders and abuses inflicted on Christians by Muslims throughout the month of January 2023:

The Muslim Slaughter of Christians

Democratic Republic of Congo: On Sunday, Jan. 15, Muslim terrorists bombed a Pentecostal church during a baptismal ceremony. At least 14 Christians were blown to pieces—the Islamic State, which claimed the attack, said 20—and 63 were seriously wounded. From their hospital beds, survivors recalled that black day:

“People were just flying in the air and falling down lifeless — it was a painful Sunday, everyone inside was trying to get his or her way out, but some couldn’t because their legs had gone off. The bomb killed children and their parents. I… suffered some pain all over my body, but thank God I survived … Bibles were in pieces and there was blood all over, and when I checked around me I was in a pool of blood… [I]n a hospital bed … I saw my fellow church members covered with blood, while others were crying… in pain … This was done… to instill fear in the hearts of Christians of attending church services within the province.”

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

Brazil: Proposed Laws Aim to Criminalize Vaccine Criticism

There are at least six bills in Brazil’s Congress that would result in the criminalization of vaccine hesitancy and spreading “false” information online about how vaccines work.

Bills introduced by Senator Angelo Coronel would result in the criminalization of people who oppose mandatory vaccines in children and adolescents during a “public health emergency.” The punishment would be a prison sentence of 1 to 3 years.

The proposals would also see adults who refuse mandatory vaccinations imprisoned for 2 to 8 years. A similar punishment would apply to those who spread vaccine “misinformation.”

The penalties are doubled if the offender is a government employee.

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

18 Dead After Truck Packed With Afghan Migrants Abandoned in Bulgaria

Bulgarian authorities have arrested multiple suspects after more than 50 Afghan migrants were found trapped inside an abandoned truck last week, according to reports.

The horrifying discovery was made on Friday near Sofia.

Police came upon a cargo truck on a highway outside the capital city and during a search, located dozens of people in a secret compartment behind a load of lumber.

In total, 52 migrants from Afghanistan had been crammed into a space designed to hold 25-30 people.

While 34 migrants were hospitalized with various injuries, 18 suffocated to death inside the vehicle.

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

Border Crisis Spreads to Canada as Vermont Sector Asks for Help With Migrant Surge in Frigid Weather

Fox News’ Casey Stegall reported Monday on “America’s Newsroom” that the northern U.S. border with Canada has seen close to 56,000 migrant encounters in the 2023 fiscal year, which began October 1.

As a result, border agents are being moved from the southern border to assist their colleagues at the Swanton, Vermont crossing. Stegall said officials are primarily seeing Mexican nationals crossing during a time that is typically slow because of extreme weather conditions.

For all of 2021, the northern border only had about 27,000 crossings, according to Stegall. He said the Swanton sector saw 367 apprehensions in January, higher than the previous 12 January months combined.

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

Business Hit Hard as NYC Hotel Houses More Migrants, Less Tourists: ‘Ghost Town’

A New York City business owner said Monday that ever since migrants were placed at a hotel near her cafe, this has resulted in fewer customers.

Wattle Cafe owner Ana Ivkosic joined “Fox & Friends” to discuss how the migrant crisis has affected her business and how the lack of tourists has made the neighborhood feel like a “ghost town.”

Ivkosic said small business owners like herself felt “blindsided” by the decision to place migrants at the “world’s largest” Holiday Inn, located by her Manhattan cafe. She said her business relies on tourists for steady traffic, but now the hotel has become the “world’s tallest migrant facility.”

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

Concern Over Rising Number of Ukrainian Refugees in UK Facing Homelessness

More than 4,000 Ukrainian households have required assistance from local authorities in the face of the risk of homelessness.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Ireland: Man Blames ‘Racist Mob’, Denies Dangerous Driving After Driving Car Into Anti-Mass Migration Protest

A man has denied deliberately ramming an anti-mass migration protest with his car, instead blaming the “racist mob” for causing the collision.

Stephen Bedford, 36, has reportedly denied allegations that he intentionally rammed his car into a number of anti-mass migration protesters earlier this week, accusing what he described as the “racist mob” of protesters — who were on foot — as causing the collision.

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

Quebec: Legault Goes Direct to the U.S. To Get Action on Roxham Road

With a surge of migrant foot traffic at Roxham Road — the illegal crossing south of Montreal — the Quebec government is ramping up the pressure on Washington to address the border crisis, circumventing potential federal involvement.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault met with the U.S. Ambassador to Canada David Cohen the morning of Feb. 14 to discuss making changes to the Canada-US Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA), which ensures that any refugee who comes to a Canadian border checkpoint seeks asylum in the first “safe place” they arrived. The accord was codified in 2002 as a safety initiative following the 9/11 attacks.

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

State Trooper ‘Base Camp’ Erected in Florida Keys as Boatloads of Migrants Invade

Hundreds of migrants have arrived in small boats along the Florida Keys over the last month in what local authorities have described as a ‘crisis.’ Food shortages and soaring inflation, inducing economic turmoil, have sparked a wave of migration from Cuba and other countries in the Caribbean.

Florida officials have erected a small tent city in the Upper Florida Keys near mile marker 88.5 in the Village of Islamorada, according to the Miami Herald.

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

UK: Exclusive: Health Chiefs Advertise £12MILLION Contract to Give Detained Immigrants Access to GP and Dental Treatment — as Crisis-Hit NHS Creaks Under Pressure

Up to £12million could be spent to ensure detained immigrants continue getting free dental care and GP appointments at one detainee centre.

MailOnline can reveal that NHS bosses need new providers to take over the 24-hour services at Derwentside Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) in County Durham.

Campaigners claimed the sum would be difficult for taxpayers to swallow given the dire appointment crisis plaguing Brits wanting to see their GP or dentist.

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

After Spain Pushes to Legalize Bestiality, Polish Justice Minister Says ‘Leftism is a Plague of the 21st Century’

Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro called leftism “a plague of the 21 century,” while referring to the recent bills adopted by the Spanish Parliament that allow for gender changes on demand and legal bestiality.

“Leftism is the plague of the 21st century. Spaniards allowed children to change their gender on demand. Now, they are legalizing bestiality, while (individuals) using a rat’s trap may result in imprisonment. The leftist virus is also circulating here (in Warsaw) and infected Trzaskowski (Warsaw’s mayor) is already trying to ban meat consumption,” posted the Polish minister of justice on Twitter.

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Attorney for Teen Suspended After Opposing Trans Ideology Says Religious Freedom ‘Essentially Dead’ In Canada

A lawyer for a Canadian Catholic high school student who was reportedly suspended for opposing transgender ideology said his client’s legal battle shows freedom in the country is quickly eroding.

“I think it’s representative of where the culture is at, where society is at, and where our government institutions are at up here,” attorney James Kitchen told Fox News Digital of the case against 16-year-old Josh Alexander.

The high school junior was arrested on Feb. 6 for allegedly trespassing after he showed up at St. Joseph’s Catholic High School in Renfrew, Ontario, despite an exclusion order. Kitchen is taking legal action by appealing the exclusion order against Alexander and filing a human rights complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal.

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Disney’s ‘Woke’ Employees Melt Down, Claim Mandate Ending Remote Work Will ‘Cause Long-Term Harm’

Disney’s “woke” employees are outraged after the company issued a mandate to end remote work and ordered all staff to return to the office.

Workers suffered a collective meltdown over the move and claim that returning to work will “cause long-term harm,” according to the Washington Post.

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Irish Government is ‘Ignoring’ Risks of Child Transgenderism to Please Activists, Expert Says

The Irish government is “ignoring” medical experts on the risks posed by child transgenderism in the hopes of pleasing activists, a professor involved in the treatment of gender dysphoria has claimed.

Professor Donal O’Shea, a doctor who has worked within Ireland’s National Gender Service, has warned that senior officials within the Irish government are “ignoring” warnings issued by leading medical experts about child transgenderism in the hopes of pleasing progressive activists in the country.

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Nolte: Uncensored Roald Dahl Collection Zooms Up Sales Chart

To the surprise of no one, an uncensored, unvandalized collection of Roald Dahl’s seminal works sits at number two on the Amazon sales chart for “Children’s Fantasy and Magic Books.”

Number one is the Harry Potter Collection.

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‘Respect Pronouns’ Bill at University of Houston Challenged on First Amendment Grounds

Student senator Mike Abel at the University of Houston successfully challenged the Student Government Association’s (SGA) “Respect for Pronouns” bill that would have mandated the use of others members’ preferred pronouns.

The bill also calls for “Name tags containing the proper pronouns will be given to every member of the Student Government Association” and it “strongly recommend[ed]” to list pronouns during Zoom meetings.

The SGA’s Supreme Court is poised to rule in favor of Abel, determining that such legislation constituted a violation of the students’ first amendment rights, Campus Reform reported Friday.

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Scotland: Trans Butcher Charged With Abduction, String of Child Sex Offences

Andrew Miller, a transgender butcher who goes by Amy George, has been charged with a string of child sex offences in the Scottish courts.

Miller, 53, was initially charged merely with threatening or abusive behaviour alongside abduction, after an incident in which an 11-year-old girl disappeared from the town centre of Galashiels the Scottish Borders, which triggered search including police divers and mountain rescue teams.

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Targeted Author Salman Rushdie Outraged Over Changes to Roald Dahl Books: ‘Absurd Censorship’

Indian-born author Salman Rushdie blasted Puffin Books and the late author Roald Dahl’s estate for allowing recent changes to his classic works that are now deemed offensive.

Puffin, the publisher of Dahl’s classic works, hired sensitivity readers to update portions of the author’s wording in the U.K. editions to ensure the books “can continue to be enjoyed by all today.” The edits include new gender-neutral language and altered descriptions of certain characters’ physical appearances.

“Roald Dahl was no angel but this is absurd censorship,” Rushdie tweeted Saturday. “Puffin Books and the Dahl estate should be ashamed.”

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Transgender Teacher Claims Giant Prosthetic Breasts ‘Are Real, ‘ Growing Due to ‘Rare’ Condition

A transgender teacher has claimed that his giant prosthetic breasts “are real” and have been growing due to a “rare” medical condition, according to reports.

The biological male Canadian teacher, Kayla Lemieux, first went viral in September for wearing huge, Z-cup prosthetic breasts to school.

However, he reportedly denied accusations that they were fake in a recent interview.

“I’m not wearing prosthetic breasts,” Lemieux reportedly told The New York Post.

“These are real,” he insists.

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

14 thoughts on “Gates of Vienna News Feed 2/20/2023

    • The problem with such a proposal is that those who propose such garbage always seem to think that somehow they will be immune to the consequences; that it will only be for someone else.

    • I suspect sometimes these stories are bait to provoke a response to get people to self identify.

      The professor at best presents himself as an amoral professor to disguise his sociopathic or evil personality.

    • I read the article and – lets just say I have problems.

      On the one hand I dont want him ill, but

      I want him to have a nightmare tonight.
      A nightmare, where he is of old age, needing help and whenever he leaves the house people hiss at him “Why havent you committed suicide already!” or “You must kill yourself for the greater good!”.

      I want him to stand at a street, not being able to cross it and when someone comes to help him – and he smiles at the nice person – he ends up at one of his suicide pods, because the “nice” person brought him there, and he is surrounded by hundreds of people demanding in louder and louder and shrill voices, that he should get into the suicide pod.

      And I want him to have this nightmare every night till he wakes up and becomes a better person.

      • You’re far more merciful than I.

        I wish him and others like him to die in the most painful and cruel ways imaginable. Burning while impaled on a stake is probably the least cruel of those methods.

        When the world has changed and justice can finally be metered out to those who deserve it, for Schwab, Soros, Gates, Zuckerberg, Fauci, etc, it needs to be done in such a manner that it will be talked about a thousand years from now. Like the Brazen Bull of King Phalaris.

        Pour encourager les autres…

        • Hexenhammer (Malleus Maleficarum). They had it the wrong way around, the wrong targets, but left a lasting impression in collective memory of the tools that their ilk deserves to experience. All it takes is a waking-up and reversal of powers.

  1. ** Putin sent the tanks in to seize full control of Ukraine **

    Putin invaded to stop the impending attack on Russian speakers in the east of Ukraine. Some 14,000 people in the Donbas region had been killed by AFU shelling and sniping over the years, the tempo of which attacks was increasing prior to the invasion.

    He had also had it with NATO and US arrogance and encroachment.

    Russia has no interest in full control over Ukraine. This is unfortunate as it will leave its government under the control of the Azov nutcases.

    • I don’t think that Putin has much choice now but to take all of the Ukraine whatever his original plans were, to ensure that NATO forever stays out.

      And furthermore, I see it as highly likely that even with the complete occupation of the Ukraine by the Russian Federation, the West egged on by the US based neocons will not recognize the hostilities as over and it will be necessary to threaten or even extend the war into Europe and demand a dissolution of NATO or a return to the pre-1991 borders before a conclusion of hostilities.

      All of this mess is the result of Western leaders refusal to accept the end of the Cold War with the dissolution of the USSR, choosing instead to take advantage of the military, cultural, and political weakness of Russia to move into the traditional Russian sphere of influence and gobble up as many territories on it’s periphery preparatory to dividing up and balkanizing Russia itself.

      • I russian TV there was a guy who remembered that the UN Enemy State Resolution is still in the books, meaning every one of the four Allied Powers can invade Germany if Germany shows warlike tendencies.

        According to the german foreign secretary, the Enemy State Resolution is obsolete and therefore not binding anymore, and the UN never got to the point of removing it.

        And now that Germany is about to deliver tanks to Ukraine where they will be used against Russia…

        I have a sneaky suspicion why it was never removed.
        If a german politician would step out of line and think of leaving the EU or NATO, then the Enemy State Resolution would come in handy.

        • The German politicians of now are so witless and unreflecting, they haven’t the slightest clue of the consequences of their actions and speeches. The Russians and especially Putin are quite aware of that. They are also intelligent and have hardly any incentive to trouble themselves with such an undertaking. I could be wrong, one is never sure what happens next in these times, but I can’t really see it. At least not in response to sending those tanks to the clown, they are a minor headache for the Russian military, their significance is mainly symbolic (this was examined in various sources recently.) However, should we get that far that direct attacks on Russia launch from US airbases in Germany, then all bets are off. They will escalate to nuclear if their very existence is at stake, knowing they might not hold against the whole of NATO in a war with conventional means. Putin has said that, literally, in public speeches and international addresses, so nobody can say they didn’t know.

    • Not excusing the Ukrainians’ actions, but why didn’t Putin stop at Dombas? Much easier than trying to occupy the entire country.

      • Stopping at the Donbas would not solve the problems leading up to the war.

        The Donbas region had opted for independence following the US backed coup in 2014 and this led to Ukrainian military invasion of the region and conflict there up to the present day. Those volunteer militias which were absorbed into the regular Russian Federation forces following the votes for incorporation into Russia did not spring up from nowhere. They had been fighting the invasion forces from Kiev since 2014.

        Kiev’s American backers unceasingly prod Alinsky to flap his jaws about reclaiming Crimea, which was never historically part of Ukraine. Kruschev may have given it to Ukraine but it had been part of the Ottoman empire until the Russians under the Tsar conquered it, and then fought a war against Britain and France over it. The Americans want it in order to deny Russia the warm water port of Sevastopol, and so American naval vessels would have reason to be immediately on the periphery of Russia once Ukraine was incorporated into NATO. This is the second reason why just taking the Donbas wouldn’t have been sufficient to end the war, since it would leave a rump Ukraine which sooner or later would invite the Americans to station troops and missiles on its territory. It’s the same reason why the war would never be able to end unless Russia controlled the entire Black Sea coast or had ironclad guarantees of Ukrainian neutrality and control of its foreign policy. Their is precedent; the British Empire fought three wars with Afghanistan before coming to an understanding that they would leave the country alone in exchange for running its foreign policy – to keep the Tsar’s forces and influence out.

        Lastly, as Putin has said in his most recent speech, the war is existential for Russia. The war has become much more than about Ukrainian territorial claims if it truly ever was. America through its NATO proxies has turned it into an existential crisis for NATO and the EU. And American “leaders” have so foolishly gambled on regime change in Moscow and over committed itself that the very existence of the dollar as the reserve currency is threatened, while most of the global south has seen this war for what it is and have chosen this moment to tell the Americans and the “rules based international order” to piss off. Anything less than complete victory will mean the end of Putin’s rule, and hand a victory from the jaws of defeat to the West, which is wobbling on the ropes and only needs a tap to be down for the count.

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