Gates of Vienna News Feed 2/21/2023

According to a new survey, 65% of Austrians want Ukraine to stop fighting and engage in peace talks with Russia. Meanwhile, a mass demonstration took place in Munich calling for peace in Ukraine. However, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, during a meeting in Warsaw with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, said that Ukraine could count on Italian support in their struggle against Russia.

In other news, residents of East Palestine, Ohio can now acquire a digital medical ID that will help them cope with the aftereffects of the recent toxic chemical spill.

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

Thanks to Daniel Greenfield, Dean, DV, LP, MM, Reader from Chicago, SS, Upananda Brahmachari, WRSA, 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
» 1 in 4 Canadians Can’t Afford $500 Unforeseen Expense as Inflation Bites: Report
» Canada’s Inflation Drops Below 6% for 1st Time in Almost a Year
» Report: Gavin Newsom Underestimated California Deficit by $7 Billion
» StatsCan Price Update Shows Record Rise in Meat Prices
» Wall Street Posts Worst Day of 2023 on Higher-for-Longer Rate Fears
 
USA
» 2 Dead: 3 Hurt After Explosion, Massive Fire at Medley Welding Business
» 26-Year-Old Athlete Dies Suddenly After ‘Cardiac Event’ At Marathon
» 3 Teachers at Same School Die ‘Suddenly’ in 3 Months
» ‘Asbury Revival’ Ends After 50k Worshippers Flock to Kentucky Town for 24/7 Christian Service
» Biden Education Department Targets Trump-Era Rules Protecting Religious Liberty on Campus
» Breaking: James O’Keefe Now Has More Twitter Followers Than Project Veritas
» California Democrats Move to Ban ‘Racist’ Police Dogs
» College Football Star Ryan Keeler Dead at 20
» Disinformation Index Collapses After Targeting Conservative Media Content
» Don Lemon Removed From CNN Show Until He Receives ‘Formal Training’
» East Palestine, Ohio, Introduces Medical Digital ID
» EPA Comes to Ohio Derailment Site, Warns of Federal Cleanup Takeover
» Facing Discrimination Lawsuit, Pfizer Abandons Minorities-Only Fellowship
» Foreign Reporter Cries With Laughter After Watching Biden Speak: ‘Fit for Duty?!’
» ‘Furious’ Ohio Mayor Puts Biden on Notice: ‘Biggest Slap in the Face’
» Historian Says Joe Biden’s on Track to be Worst President in History
» House Republicans Call on Witness to Testify to Alleged Biden Family Bribery Schemes
» Kyle Rittenhouse Hit With Lawsuit From Man He Shot During 2020 Kenosha Clash: ‘Little Bit of a Shock’
» Malcolm X’s Family to File $100m Lawsuit Alleging Coverup of His Assassination
» Musk Blasts Rolling Stone for Claiming Cancel Culture is ‘Good for Democracy: ‘ ‘Scolding Stone’
» Nebraska Train Derailment Prompts Hazmat Team Response
» Northern Kentucky Closing Ohio River Water Intakes as ‘Precautionary Measure’ For Possible East Palestine Contamination
» Ohio Train Derailment: 15k Pounds of Contaminated Soil, 1.1M Gallons of Contaminated Water Excavated From Site
» Ohio Metal Alloy Factory Explosion Kills 1, Injures More Than a Dozen Others
» Police Arrest Housekeeper’s Husband for L.A. Bishop’s Murder
» Residents Report ‘Burning Rubber Smell, ‘ Likely Caused by Oakwood Explosion
» SCOTUS Again Denies Hearing 2020 Election Case Alleging Biden, Harris, Lawmakers Ignored Fraud
» Supreme Court Rejects Appeal for Man Who Was Arrested for Making Fun of Police on Social Media
» ‘Trophy Husband’ Dad-of-Two With Three Wives Says He Has ‘No Need to Work’ — And Claims There Are Plenty of Women Who Want to Join His Family
» Warming Center for Homeless Near Ohio State University Closes After Stabbing
 
Canada
» Exclusive: Alberta Moves Forward With Regional Policing Model as it Mulls Provincial Force
» Smith Says Alberta is ‘Indisputably’ Leading Canada in Addictions Recovery
» University Cites Privacy Act in Preventing Release of “300 Far-Right Groups” List
» Victoria Debates Banning Gas Ovens and Heating for Rezoned Developments
 
Europe and the EU
» Berlusconi’s Acquittal in ‘Bunga-Bunga’ Case Reveals How Italy’s Judicial System Was Weaponized to Keep Conservatives Out of Power
» Clear Majority of Austrians Say No to War
» Germany: Mass Demo in Munich Against War
» Le Pen Most Likely to Win Future French Presidency After Macron’s Pension Reform Push, Writes UK Paper
» Romanian Court Extends Andrew Tate’s Detention for Third Time Over Allegations: Reports
» Swedish Police Officer Speaks Out on Out-of-Control Crime
» Top Banker Says UK Will Introduce a “Super App” That Combines Digital ID and Financial Data
» UK: Cambridge Students Vote for a Completely Vegan Menu Across All Catering Services After Campaign by Extinction Rebellion Offshoot
» UK: Churchill Statue, National War Memorial Placed on Secret Police ‘Contentious’ Monuments List
» UK: The Newswashing of ISIS Bride Shamima Begum
» ‘Ukraine Can Count on Italy’ — Meloni Meets With Morawiecki and Duda in Warsaw
» Wah Wah Wah
» Watchdog Raises Concerns After Arson Attacks on German, French Churches
 
Middle East
» Al Qaeda’s New Leader is an Iranian Puppet
 
Russia
» Kaczynski Warns the Situation in Ukraine is Urgent
» Putin: ‘Russia is Suspending’ Nuclear Treaty With America
» Putin Says Western Elites Have Gone “Crazy”
» Putin Suspends Nuclear Arms Reduction Treaty, Insists Russian Invasion is Freeing Ukrainian ‘Hostages’ From Grip of the West
» Ukraine Accused of Faking Air Raid Sirens for Biden Visit
» Visions of ‘Justice’: Ukraine Wants Tanks in Moscow, Estonia Talks ‘Nuremberg Trials’ For Russian Leaders
» Zelensky Says “There Will be a World War if China Allies With Russia”
 
South Asia
» India: Hindus Against Love Jihad: Pramod Muthalik Shared His 1,10 Strategy With Hindu Youths
 
Far East
» China ‘Deeply Worried’ Russia-Ukraine War Could Spiral Out of Control
» EU Warns China Arming Russia Would Cross ‘Red Line’
 
Australia — Pacific
» Watch as a Man Goes on a Wild Rampage Smashing in Shop Windows and a Car’s Windscreen as Shocked Locals Take Cover
 
Immigration
» Biden Administration Proposes Tightening of Asylum Rules to Stem Illegal Migration
» British Public More United on Immigration Being ‘Too High’ Than Any Other Issue: Polls
» Croatia’s Schengen Membership Resulted in 600% Rise in Asylum Applications in January
» Csnada: Poilievre Calls on Trudeau to Implement Plan to Close Roxham Road Border Crossing Within 30 Days
» EU Push to Get Migrants to Vote in Elections Designed to ‘Muffle’ Voices of Local Europeans — MEP
» France: Woman Bites Tongue Off African Sex Predator During Morning Dog Walk
» France: Afghan Killer of Pro-Migrant Association President Spared Jail Due to Mental Incapacity
» ‘It’s an Early Death Notice’ — Poor and Elderly Tenants Forced From Apartments to House Migrants in German Town of Lorrach
» Punjab-Origin Man Admits to Receiving Over $5,00,000 for Smuggling Migrants Into US Via Canada
» Soaring Anti-’LGBTQ+’ Attacks in Europe, But Migration-Background of High-Profile Suspects Ignored
» Sweden: Afghan Who Slashed Throat of Prostitute Has Sentence Reduced
» UK: Dozens More Migrants Arrive in Dover as Group Including Toddler and Three Young Children Are First to Cross Channel by Boat in Nearly a Week Despite Cold and Foggy Sea Conditions
» Vermont Border Official Rips Canada’s Trudeau for Migrant Surge: ‘They’Re Allowing it to Happen’
 
Culture Wars
» Decision on LGBT Blessings Splits Anglican Church
» Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Workers Fret Companies Aren’t Hiring Them Anymore: ‘Insane, ‘ ‘Pathetic’
» Muslim Latina Inclusion Activist’s Mom Says She’s Lying About Ethnicity: ‘White as the Driven Snow’
» Scotland: SNP Leadership Candidate Loses Support Over Gay Marriage Stance on Account of Her Christian Faith
» Trump Pledges, If Reelected, To End Federal Programs Promoting Gender Transition
» UK: College Professors Are ‘Dumbing Down’ Courses Over Fears ‘Woke’ Students Will Cancel Them, Scholar Warns
» UK: Transgender Murderer Who Identifies as a Baby Fears for Life if Moved to Men’s Prison
 

1 in 4 Canadians Can’t Afford $500 Unforeseen Expense as Inflation Bites: Report

New data from Statistics Canada showed one in four Canadians say they don’t believe they could afford an unexpected expense of $500. Global News spoke with some Canadians to find out what such an expense would mean for them.

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

Canada’s Inflation Drops Below 6% for 1st Time in Almost a Year

Canada’s annual inflation rate continued to ease in January, dropping below six per cent for the first time in nearly a year, which has economists saying there’s a reason for optimism. But as Anne Gaviola explains, costs remain sky-high for many Canadians and relief may be further away than originally thought.

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

Report: Gavin Newsom Underestimated California Deficit by $7 Billion

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D)’s projected budget deficit of $22.5 billion may have been too low by $7 billion, according to a report last week by the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO).

As Fox News notes, Newsom told Californians last month to expect a $22.5 billion deficit in the coming fiscal year — after a surplus of $100 billion, driven in part by federal grants for coronavirus relief spending.

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

StatsCan Price Update Shows Record Rise in Meat Prices

Consumer prices rose in January, including a record monthly increase in some meat prices.

Statistics Canada reported on Tuesday that the price of an average bundle of consumer goods went up by 0.5% in January — driven mostly by rising gas prices, mortgage interest costs and meat prices.

Meat prices set a record of nearly 20 years, rising by 3.4% between December and January. The rise included a 37-year-record set for chicken prices, which rose by 9%.

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

Wall Street Posts Worst Day of 2023 on Higher-for-Longer Rate Fears

Feb 21 (Reuters) — Wall Street posted its worst performance of the year on Tuesday, with the main benchmarks ending down as investors interpreted a rebound in U.S. business activity in February to mean interest rates will need to stay higher for longer to control inflation.

For the S&P 500 (.SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (.IXIC), it was their third session in a row closing lower, while the decline in the Dow Jones Industrial (.DJI) wiped out its gains for 2023.

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

2 Dead: 3 Hurt After Explosion, Massive Fire at Medley Welding Business

Chopper footage showed the scene in the 11300 block of Northwest South River Drive

Two people were killed and three others were injured after an explosion and massive fire that engulfed several vehicles and buildings at a Medley welding business Tuesday morning.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials said crews responded to a reported explosion at the business in the 11300 block of Northwest S. River Drive around 8:30 a.m.

A nearby camera captured a massive ball of fire rising into the air from the business.

Chopper footage showed heavy black smoke and flames pouring out of multiple structures and vehicles at the scene.

The fire seemed to be contained to one business, but several cars appeared to be destroyed as crews worked to extinguish the flames.

           — Hat tip: LP [Return to headlines]
 

26-Year-Old Athlete Dies Suddenly After ‘Cardiac Event’ At Marathon

A 26-year-old athlete has died suddenly after suffering a “cardiac event” at an Arizona marathon.

Pierre Lipton, who was also a well-known successful businessman, collapsed after completing the Mesa Marathon earlier this month.

Boston.com reported that Lipton suddenly collapsed near the paramedics after crossing the finish line.

He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.

There is still no official cause of death.

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

3 Teachers at Same School Die ‘Suddenly’ in 3 Months

Three teachers at the same North Carolina primary school have died “suddenly” and “unexpectedly” in the past three months.

The teachers all worked at Thomasville Primary School.

According to social media messages from friends and family as well as an obituary, the teachers all died “suddenly” and “unexpectedly.”

The deaths were confirmed in a statement from the district, Thomasville City Schools.

The causes of the teachers’ deaths have not been revealed but the school district said that “each teacher had different and unique health concerns that contributed to their passing,” FOX 8 News reported.

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

‘Asbury Revival’ Ends After 50k Worshippers Flock to Kentucky Town for 24/7 Christian Service

Asbury University has ended the viral “Asbury Revival” after tens of thousands of Christian worshippers flocked to the small Kentucky town for the marathon 24/7 service.

An estimated 50,000 participants had traveled to the small college town from across the country to join the service, As Slay News reported.

However, the influx of people has forced the university to downsize its service.

School officials say they welcome and appreciate the rapid inpouring of visitors but it is causing logistical issues for the surrounding area and worshippers will need to move off campus.

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

Biden Education Department Targets Trump-Era Rules Protecting Religious Liberty on Campus

The Department of Education on Thursday proposed eliminating a Trump-era regulation requiring the suspension of federal funds to colleges that restrict the activities of religious organizations on campus.

“After its thorough review, The Department today issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing to rescind a portion of the regulation related to religious student organizations because the Department believes it is not necessary in order to protect the First Amendment right to free speech and free exercise of religion given existing legal protections,” the department announced on Tuesday.

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

Breaking: James O’Keefe Now Has More Twitter Followers Than Project Veritas

After Monday’s revelation that Project Veritas had James O’Keefe removed as CEO and from the board, Twitter users responded by staging a mass exodus from the Project Veritas account.

At the same time, PV founder James O’Keefe began to gain followers by the thousands as conservatives showed their support for the man behind the brand and so much essential investigative journalism over the last few years.

Early in the morning on Tuesday, O’Keefe actually surpassed PV in terms of Twitter followers.

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

California Democrats Move to Ban ‘Racist’ Police Dogs

Democrat lawmakers in California are moving to ban multiple uses of police K-9s in the state.

California Democrats are working with activists on legislation to ban police dogs by citing claims of historical and present racism.

They claim that police dogs are used to target minorities in situations such as the Black Lives Matter riots.

Democrat Assemblymembers Corey Jackson (Perris) and Ash Kalra (San Jose) introduced Assembly Bill 742 on February 13.

The legislation would end the use of K-9 units for arrest, apprehension, and crowd control.

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

College Football Star Ryan Keeler Dead at 20

College football star Ryan Keeler has tragically died at just 20 years old, according to reports.

The UNLV defensive lineman died in Las Vegas on Monday, the university said in a statement.

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

Disinformation Index Collapses After Targeting Conservative Media Content

A State Department-backed group is severing its connections with a disinformation index group also backed by progressive megadonor George Soros following reports about the group’s efforts to muzzle conservative media outlets by blacklisting them with advertisers.

The National Endowment for Democracy, a private foundation created by Congress whose funding is part of the State Department budget, said it will no longer provide grants to the Global Disinformation Index, according to The Washington Times.

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

Don Lemon Removed From CNN Show Until He Receives ‘Formal Training’

CNN CEO Chris Licht has removed Don Lemon from his morning show until he’s completed “formal training” in response to the sexist comments the embattled host made on air.

Lemon did the impossible in uniting America against him with his anti-women rhetoric.

The former prime-time anchor has provoked a widespread backlash over his repeated aggressive and disrespectful behavior toward women.

This straw that broke the camel’s back was when Lemon declared on air last week that Nikki Haley isn’t “in her prime” because she’s 51.

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

East Palestine, Ohio, Introduces Medical Digital ID

East Palestine, a small town in Ohio that has come to national prominence after a recent environmental disaster when a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed more than two weeks ago, is about to roll out a medical device equipped with a form of digital ID called MyID.

MyID is a medical information system that is supposed to help first responders when someone is unresponsive. Users have to first upload their personal medical information onto the system.

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

EPA Comes to Ohio Derailment Site, Warns of Federal Cleanup Takeover

Federal environmental regulators on Tuesday took charge of the cleanup from the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment and chemical burn and ordered Norfolk Southern to foot the bill.

The Environmental Protection Agency told Norfolk Southern to take all available measures to clean up contaminated air and water, and also said the company would be required to reimburse the federal government for a new program to provide cleaning services for impacted residents and businesses.

The EPA warned Norfolk Southern that if failed to comply with its order, the agency would perform the work itself and seek triple damages from the company.

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

Facing Discrimination Lawsuit, Pfizer Abandons Minorities-Only Fellowship

Nearly six months after top civil rights lawyers said the program violated federal law, Pfizer has opened a minorities-only fellowship to applicants of all races in the wake of a discrimination lawsuit.

Between Feb. 14 and Feb. 18, according to web archives, Pfizer quietly dropped the requirement that applicants to its Breakthrough Fellowship be black, Hispanic, or Native American. The program, which offers recipients guaranteed employment with the pharmaceutical giant, is now open to all college juniors with a “demonstrated commitment” to “diversity, equity, and inclusion.” New application guidelines state that “you are eligible to apply for the Breakthrough Fellowship Program regardless of whether you are of Black/African American, Latino/Hispanic, or Native American descent.”

The changes come amid a legal battle between Pfizer and Do No Harm, a medical advocacy group that in September sued the company over the fellowship. Though a federal judge tossed out the lawsuit in December, saying the plaintiffs lacked standing, Do No Harm filed an appeal on January 4. The group’s chairman, Stanley Goldfarb, is now taking credit for the changes, arguing that they reflect the power of lawfare to challenge reverse discrimination.

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

Foreign Reporter Cries With Laughter After Watching Biden Speak: ‘Fit for Duty?!’

It’s not only American patriots who are concerned about Democrat President Joe Biden’s fitness for office as alarm bells have also been sounding around the rest of the world for some time.

In the United States, the Democrats’ allies in the corporate media rarely report on Biden’s embarrassing gaffes.

However, foreign media outlets report on Biden’s flubs with a mix of hilarity and alarm.

On Monday, Sky News Australia host Rita Panahi reported on Biden’s recent medical assessment declaring that Biden is fit to lead.

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

‘Furious’ Ohio Mayor Puts Biden on Notice: ‘Biggest Slap in the Face’

Trent Conaway, the mayor of East Palestine, Ohio, has put Joe Biden on notice over the Democrat president’s lack of interest in the small town’s toxic train derailment disaster.

Conway accused Biden of neglecting his domestic responsibilities while visiting Ukraine on Monday.

The mayor also blasted the president for “giving away millions of dollars” to fund the foreign nation’s war effort.

Conway said: “That was the biggest slap in the face.

“That tells you right now he doesn’t care about us.”

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

Historian Says Joe Biden’s on Track to be Worst President in History

Presidential historian and New York Times best-selling author Craig Shirley knocked President Joe Biden off his high horse ina recent interview.

Shirley says Joe Biden is on track to become the nation’s worst president in history.

“I ranked him among our five worst presidents in American history,” Shirley said.

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

House Republicans Call on Witness to Testify to Alleged Biden Family Bribery Schemes

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., on Tuesday called on a former Serbian politician to provide information to the lower chamber connected to the Biden family and their alleged involvement in international bribery schemes.

“The Committee requests you schedule a transcribed interview with Committee staff and produce certain documents related to CEFC, Robert Hunter Biden, James Biden, and their business associates,” the Kentucky Republican said.

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

Kyle Rittenhouse Hit With Lawsuit From Man He Shot During 2020 Kenosha Clash: ‘Little Bit of a Shock’

EXCLUSIVE — A man who was shot in the arm by Kyle Rittenhouse during the Kenosha riots in 2020 has filed a lawsuit against Rittenhouse and Wisconsin police and officials, Fox News Digital has learned.

Gaige Grosskreutz, who testified that he pointed a firearm at Rittenhouse before the then-teenager shot Grosskreutz and two others, is seeking economic losses, “damages for emotional distress, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life, and other pain and suffering on all claims,” and punitive damages.

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

Malcolm X’s Family to File $100m Lawsuit Alleging Coverup of His Assassination

The family of Malcolm X, the civil rights icon who was assassinated in 1965, will file a $100 million wrongful death lawsuit against federal and state government agencies for allegedly concealing evidence related to his killing.

The family, along with their lawyers, said at a press conference on Tuesday that they were seeking “justice” for Malcolm X, who was shot and killed while speaking in New York city in February 1965.

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

Musk Blasts Rolling Stone for Claiming Cancel Culture is ‘Good for Democracy: ‘ ‘Scolding Stone’

Tesla founder and Twitter CEO Elon Musk called out music and entertainment magazine Rolling Stone for sharing a piece claiming cancel culture will “liberate us all.”

Rolling Stone’s Ernest Owens published a piece on Tuesday headlined, “Why Cancel Culture Is Good For Democracy.” The piece is an excerpt from his book, “The Case for Cancel Culture: How This Democratic Tool Works to Liberate Us All” and claimed that “Cancel culture has leveled the playing field for those who can’t always rely on the government to protect them.”

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

Nebraska Train Derailment Prompts Hazmat Team Response

A Nebraska train derailed Tuesday in Gothenburg, Neb., prompting a response from a HAZMAT team and law enforcement.

The derailment occurred around 1:45 a.m. roughly 50 miles outside of Lincoln, according to the Daily Mail. A total of 31 cars derailed in the incident. There were no injuries.

Local news observed that the derailment is just one of a slew of such incidents that have occurred in the area, with at least three nearby derailments taking place in 2022, according to 1011Now.

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

Northern Kentucky Closing Ohio River Water Intakes as ‘Precautionary Measure’ For Possible East Palestine Contamination

CINCINNATI — UPDATE: The water intakes have reopened and the drinking water has been deemed safe.

Original story below:

Northern Kentucky is following in the footsteps of Cincinnati as it closes its Ohio River water intakes ahead of possibly contaminated water from the East Palestine train derailment.

Northern Kentucky Water District (NKWD) announced Saturday that it is officially shutting off its Ohio River intakes as a “precautionary measure.” NKWD previously said on Feb. 10 that they intended to close down the water intakes as a precaution if chemicals from the train derailment continued downstream.

“Maintaining the safety of our community’s drinking water is our highest priority,” said Lindsey Rechtin, president and CEO of NKWD.

The decision also comes after Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) decided Friday to shut off its water intakes from the Ohio River and switch to reserves. GCWW said their decision came “out of an abundance of caution.”

NKWD serves roughly 300,000 people in Campbell and Kenton counties, as well as portions of Boone, Grant and Pendleton counties. It also serves CVG airport.

“As a community member, I am grateful to know that the health of my family is safe because of their efforts,” Rechtin said.

NKWD said they have been working closely with GCWW and the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO) on monitoring the Ohio River.

The water intake closures come after hundreds of tests and samples have been performed on the Ohio River. GCWW said on Saturday, Feb. 18 they had tested approximately 148 samples from the date of derailment, and “no detectable levels of the chemicals have been found.”

           — Hat tip: WRSA [Return to headlines]
 

Ohio Train Derailment: 15k Pounds of Contaminated Soil, 1.1M Gallons of Contaminated Water Excavated From Site

About 15,000 pounds of contaminated soil and 1.1 million gallons of contaminated water have been excavated from site of a train derailment on Feb. 3 in East Palestine, Ohio, Norfolk Southern said Monday.

Dozens of rail cars, including 11 carrying toxic chemicals, derailed as the train passed through the town on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. Officials conducted a controlled release of vinyl chloride three days after the derailment to avoid an explosion.

Norfolk Southern said that a “majority” of the hazardous rail cars have been decontaminated, but they’ll stay on the scene until the National Transportation Safety Board completes its investigation.

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

Ohio Metal Alloy Factory Explosion Kills 1, Injures More Than a Dozen Others

An explosion at a Cleveland-area metal factory killed one person and injured more than a dozen others while prompting multiple fire crews to respond Monday.

Witnesses said an explosion occurred at the I Schumann & Co. metal and paint plant in Oakwood Village just after 2 p.m., Fox 8 reported. The company produces copper alloys.

The Oakwood Village Fire Department said 13 people were injured and taken to a hospital. One of them was in critical condition, the news report said.

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

Police Arrest Housekeeper’s Husband for L.A. Bishop’s Murder

L.A. police have arrested 65-year-old Carlos Medina in connection with the shooting death of auxiliary bishop David O’Connell.

Bishop O’Connell (pictured) was discovered with a gunshot wound in his upper torso in the bedroom of his Hacienda Heights home on Saturday afternoon and was pronounced dead at the scene.

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

Residents Report ‘Burning Rubber Smell, ‘ Likely Caused by Oakwood Explosion

WOOSTER — A burning rubber smell filled the air Monday afternoon, alerting residents across Summit, Medina and Wayne counties just hours after an explosion at a metal foundry in the village of Oakwood.

The blast at the alloy-producing I. Schumann & Co. factory in southeast Cuyahoga County is likely to blame, according to authorities in Oakwood and Wadsworth.

Located 30 miles away from the factory, the Wadsworth Police Department also reported “many” calls about the odor while residents roughly 50 miles from the explosion in Wooster detected burning rubber smells.

           — Hat tip: MM [Return to headlines]
 

SCOTUS Again Denies Hearing 2020 Election Case Alleging Biden, Harris, Lawmakers Ignored Fraud

The Supreme Court announced Tuesday it will not hear a 2020 election lawsuit against former Vice President Mike Pence, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, 291 House members and 94 senators, after a petition to reconsider was filed last month.

The lawsuit alleges the respondents violated their oaths of office by refusing to investigate evidence of fraud in the 2020 election before accepting the electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021, allowing for Biden and Harris to be “fraudulently” inaugurated.

The court held a private conference Friday to vote to reconsider whether to hear the case, releasing its decision Tuesday. Four of the nine justices must vote to hear a case for it to move forward.

After the Supreme Court initially declined on Jan. 9 to hear the lawsuit filed by Raland J. Brunson. He filed a petition on Jan. 23 for reconsideration.

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

Supreme Court Rejects Appeal for Man Who Was Arrested for Making Fun of Police on Social Media

The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal, backed by the satirical The Onion, from a man who was arrested and prosecuted for making fun of police on social media.

The justices on Tuesday left in place a lower court ruling against Anthony Novak, who was arrested after he spoofed the Parma, Ohio, police force in Facebook posts.

After his acquittal on criminal charges, Novak sued the police for violating his constitutional rights. But a federal appeals court ruled the officers have “qualified immunity” and threw out the lawsuit.

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

‘Trophy Husband’ Dad-of-Two With Three Wives Says He Has ‘No Need to Work’ — And Claims There Are Plenty of Women Who Want to Join His Family

An unemployed man has revealed he is ‘living the life’ after getting married to three women who ‘sandwich him to sleep at night’.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Warming Center for Homeless Near Ohio State University Closes After Stabbing

A warming center for people who are homeless at the former Summit on 16th United Methodist Church, 82 E. 16th Ave., closed Monday after a male suspect stabbed and wounded two men on Feb. 10.

A warming center for people who are homeless near the campus of Ohio State University closed Monday after two men were stabbed and injured earlier this month.

Since December, those in need of shelter have been able to find it at the former Summit on 16th United Methodist Church, 82 E. 16th Ave., one of two round-the-clock warming centers operated by the Columbus Coalition for the Homeless.

But the site has drawn the ire of nearby Ohio State students and their parents, who have complained that some of those who stay there have caused problems and threatened the safety of those who live nearby.

Those safety concerns came to a head on the evening of Feb. 10 when two men staying at the warming center were hospitalized after a suspect entered the building and stabbed them both.

The men were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, but the violent incident prompted the church, which leases the building to the Columbus Coalition for the Homeless, to shutter the warming center, said Jim Rose, a coalition board member.

           — Hat tip: DV [Return to headlines]
 

Exclusive: Alberta Moves Forward With Regional Policing Model as it Mulls Provincial Force

While it isn’t the Alberta Police Service, the United Conservative Party government is looking to help at least one municipality replace the RCMP.

Alberta’s public safety minister says no decision has been made on whether the province will move forward with its own police force, but it is looking at other immediate options to help improve safety and reduce response times in rural Alberta.

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

Smith Says Alberta is ‘Indisputably’ Leading Canada in Addictions Recovery

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says Alberta is “indisputably” Canada’s leader in a recovery oriented system of care following the four years of the United Conservative Party government’s efforts to address homelessness and addictions epidemic.

The premier was speaking on Tuesday morning in Calgary to 1,300 attendees at the Alberta Recovery Conference.

Smith said the devastating impacts of addiction on families and communities are evident in Alberta and across North America — and it’s a result of years of neglecting systems of care.

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

University Cites Privacy Act in Preventing Release of “300 Far-Right Groups” List

Ontario Tech University (OTU) is using a provision of the Privacy Act (FIPPA) to prevent the release of a list of the 300 “far-right” extremist groups operating in Canada, which has been cited by the Liberal government to bolster impending anti-hate legislation.

In response to an access to information request filed by True North to have the university identify the said groups, OTU administrators cited certain exceptions which bar the release of records “associated with research conducted or proposed by an employee of an educational institution or by a person associated with an educational institution.”

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

Victoria Debates Banning Gas Ovens and Heating for Rezoned Developments

The City of Victoria is debating whether or not to ban gas ovens and heating after several councillors put forward a motion to require rezoned developments to be powered only by electricity.

A Council Member Motion on Low GHG/Electric energy systems in new buildings has been presented to the Committee of the Whole.

Receiving support from Councillors Dave Thompson, Susan Kim, Krista Loughton and Jeremy Caradonna, it asks the city to do two things.

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

Berlusconi’s Acquittal in ‘Bunga-Bunga’ Case Reveals How Italy’s Judicial System Was Weaponized to Keep Conservatives Out of Power

Has any man spent more time in court than Italy’s Silivio Berlusconi and at the same time still walk away with so many acquittals? There are likely few contenders.

Italy’s former center-right prime minister’s latest acquittal came on Feb. 15. For Berlusconi, he has faced a Kafkaesque 86 lawsuits and over 4,000 court hearings without any condemnation except in all but one case where a judge later apologized to Berlusconi for having taken part in a politically-driven trial. In that one and only case, which led to Berlusconi being found guilty for alleged tax fraud in 2013, Cassation Court Judge Amadeo Franco said to Berlusconi in a private conversation how sorry he was for having taken part in a judicial farce which was “steered from above.”

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

Clear Majority of Austrians Say No to War

According to a recent survey by Unique Research, 65 percent of Austrians want Ukraine to stop fighting. They want peace talks. It is interesting to also note that only Green voters want fighting to continue.

The effects of the war are becoming more and more dramatic. A current survey done for the magazine Heute is therefore unsurprisingly very clear: the Austrians have had enough. They feel that Ukraine should finally sit down at the negotiating table with Russia, even if that means giving up territory.

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

Germany: Mass Demo in Munich Against War

While Annalena Baerbock and US VP Kamala Harris discussed the further escalation of the war in Ukraine at the Munich Security Conference convened in the Bayerischer Hof, thousands demonstrated peacefully against war on the Königsplatz.

Several demonstrations took place in Munich on Saturday on the fringes of the Security Conference directed against the meeting itself. The organizers of one group, Munich Stand Up! counted between 20 000 to 25 000 of their participants.

Protesters followed the call by the Munich AfD on Saturday morning to the Old Botanical Garden, where they could be seen with peace signs and Russian flags.

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

Le Pen Most Likely to Win Future French Presidency After Macron’s Pension Reform Push, Writes UK Paper

One of the most popular French opposition politicians, Marine Le Pen, is the most likely to win the next elections in 2027, writes British newspaper The Times.

The right-leaning politician’s position has been strengthened by her strong stance over the last two weeks against the government’s proposed pension reform. She has been sharply critical of President Emmanuel Macron, who wants to keep French people working longer by extending the retirement age by two years from 62 to 64.

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

Romanian Court Extends Andrew Tate’s Detention for Third Time Over Allegations: Reports

A Romanian court on Tuesday agreed to extend former kickboxer and social media influencer Andrew Tate’s detention on suspicion of human trafficking, rape, and forming an organized crime group for another 30 days, according to reports.

Tate was arrested on Dec. 29. 2022, with his brother Tristan and two Romanian women after Romanian authorities raided their Bucharest properties and held them for 24 hours.

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

Swedish Police Officer Speaks Out on Out-of-Control Crime

A Swedish police officer has spoken out on the ongoing out-of-control problems of gang crime in Sweden after resigning from the force, saying the problem requires more than just police.

Christoffer Bohman, who resigned as a member of the Swedish police last week, has claimed that gang violence has become so widespread in Sweden that police alone are no longer enough to contain and deal with the issue.

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

Top Banker Says UK Will Introduce a “Super App” That Combines Digital ID and Financial Data

UK Finance chair Bob Wigley has predicted the development of a “super app” that would store a person’s economic digital identity, including credit score ratings and know-your-customer (KYC) data.

The economic digital ID would be similar to the UK government’s NHS health app, which carries an individual’s health data. Launched in January 2019, the app faced opposition before it gained popularity during the pandemic.

Finance expert Wigley says that the banking sector has taken note of the NHS app and might launch a similar app for economic data.

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

UK: Cambridge Students Vote for a Completely Vegan Menu Across All Catering Services After Campaign by Extinction Rebellion Offshoot

A total ban on animal products could one day be on the cards for Cambridge University’s food services following an Extinction Rebellion offshoot campaign.

Cafes and canteens at Cambridge University are being pushed towards a ‘100 per cent plant-based’ menu as student union votes were cast to ‘initiate talks’ for more sustainable options.

Yesterday’s vote came after lobbying from Cambridge’s Plant Based Universities campaign, which is supported by Animal Rebellion, an offshoot of activist group Extinction Rebellion.

Its motion — which calls for change in response to the ‘climate and biodiversity crises’ — was backed by 72 per cent of non-abstaining student representatives who voted.

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

UK: Churchill Statue, National War Memorial Placed on Secret Police ‘Contentious’ Monuments List

The statue honouring Sir Winston Churchill and Britain’s national war memorial were included in a secret list of “contentious statues” by London’s Metropolitan Police in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, a report has revealed.

A report from the Policy Exchange think tank, which drew on freedom of information requests, has found that in response to radical protest movements such as the resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, Scotland Yard has compiled a list of public monuments and statues deemed to be “contentious” and therefore possible flashpoints for violence and vandalism.

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

UK: The Newswashing of ISIS Bride Shamima Begum

While around 3,000 Yazidi children and women are still being held captive at the hands of the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist organization, many in the Western media are portraying a former “ISIS bride” not only as a victim but as a celebrity.

The ISIS bride in question Shamima Begum, a British citizen who left the UK to join ISIS in Syria in 2015, and was later stripped of her British citizenship. Begum was chosen by The Times Magazine in the UK to lionize on February 4, both on its cover and in an eight-page feature. She is now part of a glamorized “newswashing” campaign to help get her British citizenship back.

The UK’s Special Immigration Appeals Tribunal is scheduled to rule this week on Begum’s appeal against being stripped of her citizenship.

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

‘Ukraine Can Count on Italy’ — Meloni Meets With Morawiecki and Duda in Warsaw

Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni was in Warsaw on Monday just a day ahead of U.S. President Joe Biden’s planned visit. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki confirmed that he and the ruling Polish conservatives share with Meloni the same vision of Europe as a democracy based on Christian values and that they also share a commitment to supporting Ukraine.

The two prime ministers discussed bilateral and EU relations, as well as security matters. Morawiecki confirmed that both were on the same page as far as the war in Ukraine was concerned.

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

Wah Wah Wah

Harry & Meghan are seriously considering suing South Park for making fun of them.

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

Watchdog Raises Concerns After Arson Attacks on German, French Churches

Following a devastating arson attack on a historic church in Germany — and several prior incidents in Paris, France — a European watchdog has raised concerns over hate crimes targeting Christian churches on the continent.

The 1,000-year-old Church of the Elevation of the Cross in Wissen, a community in the Westerwald region, was severely damaged by an arson attack on Feb. 10, reported CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner.

The parish priest in charge, Father Martin Kürten, described the attack as “arson directed with fearsome single-mindedness,” targeting the historic high altar and causing damage estimated to run to several million euros.

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

Al Qaeda’s New Leader is an Iranian Puppet

by Daniel Greenfield

Despite appearing in the 9/11 Commission report, Democrats and their foreign policy allies have denied Iran’s ties to Al Qaeda The 9/11 Commission report noted that “senior managers in al Qaeda maintained contacts with Iran and the Iranian-supported worldwide terrorist organization Hezbollah” and that “Al Qaeda members received advice and training from Hezbollah.” The report went on to describe how Al Qaeda was able to move its people through Iran.

After Iran’s terror boss Qasem Soleimani was taken out, Vice President Mike Pence laid out the case by tweeting that he had “assisted in the clandestine travel to Afghanistan” of some of the terrorists who carried out the September 11 terrorist attacks. This would be in line with the 9/11 commission report, as well as admissions by Al Qaeda terrorists, describing the travel of hijackers involved in all four 9/11 attacks passing through Iran.

As was the case each time that the connection between Iran and Al Qaeda came up, media fact checkers and experts swarmed to ridicule the idea. This despite the fact that top Al Qaeda figures, including the man who has now been named as its new leader, were in a safe house operated by Soleimani’s Qods Force, and that Soleimani had personally approved the Al Qaeda base and that even the “welfare of Osama’s family was the personal responsibility” of Soleimani.

Denial has become much harder now that a UN report officially named Al Qaeda’s leader, after the death of Ayman Al-Zawahiri, as being Saif Al-Adel who has been in Iran since 2003…

           — Hat tip: Daniel Greenfield [Return to headlines]
 

Kaczynski Warns the Situation in Ukraine is Urgent

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of Poland’s governing Law and Justice (PiS) party, had expressed his hope that U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to Warsaw would see concrete declarations of American and other Western states’ engagement in support of Ukraine.

Kaczynski warned the situation in Ukraine is urgent since Russia is reported to have mobilized half a million troops, a number three times higher than that which invaded Ukraine a year ago.

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

Putin: ‘Russia is Suspending’ Nuclear Treaty With America

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that “Russia is suspending” its participation in the New START nuclear treaty with America.

In a statement Tuesday, Putin confirmed that Russia is withdrawing from the treaty with the United States which reduces and limits each country’s nuclear arsenal.

Putin made the announcement during his annual address to the nation, just one day after Democrat President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Ukraine.

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

Putin Says Western Elites Have Gone “Crazy”

Well, he’s not wrong.

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

Putin Suspends Nuclear Arms Reduction Treaty, Insists Russian Invasion is Freeing Ukrainian ‘Hostages’ From Grip of the West

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a suspension to his country’s participation in the New START treaty with the United States, an agreement that seeks to promote nuclear arms reduction in the two nations.

In a state-of-the-nation address in the Russian parliament in Moscow on Tuesday, the Russian leader reiterated his view that both Ukraine and its Western allies were responsible for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and warned its opponents it is “impossible” to beat Russia on the battlefield.

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

Ukraine Accused of Faking Air Raid Sirens for Biden Visit

The Ukrainian government has been accused of setting off fake air raid sirens for dramatic effect during Democrat President Joe Biden’s visit to Kyiv on Monday.

As videos emerged of Biden walking through the streets of Ukraine’s war-torn capital city, many were quick to notice that nobody was reacting to the sirens as they sounded off loudly in the background.

Videos show the air raid sirens, which are used to warn of approaching danger, started going off as Biden walked the streets.

Nobody appears to respond to the warning sound, however.

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

Visions of ‘Justice’: Ukraine Wants Tanks in Moscow, Estonia Talks ‘Nuremberg Trials’ For Russian Leaders

Thoughts are turning to the end of the Ukraine war in some European capitals and how “justice” is to be meted out to Russian leaders, with suggestions from top political figures in recent days ranging from war crimes trials to Ukrainian tanks parked in Moscow’s Red Square.

Military ambitions for how to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine took a considerable leap forward this week with comments attributed to Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council Secretary Oleksiy Danilov who spoke of “justice” in the form of troops marching on Moscow.

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

Zelensky Says “There Will be a World War if China Allies With Russia”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared Monday that should China provide support to Russia in any way it will lead to World War Three.

As Joe Biden travelled to Kiev by train to hug Zelensky for a photo op and hand him another $500 million, the Ukrainian leader proclaimed “For us, it is important that China does not support the Russian Federation in this war. In fact, I would like it to be on our side. At the moment, however, I don’t think it’s possible.”

In the comments to German newspaper Die Welt, Zelensky continued “I do see an opportunity for China to make a pragmatic assessment of what is happening here. Because if China allies itself with Russia, there will be a world war, and I do think that China is aware of that.”

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

India: Hindus Against Love Jihad: Pramod Muthalik Shared His 1,10 Strategy With Hindu Youths

He also said it is the duty of the Sri Rama Sene to aware Hindu girls of ‘love jihad’…

Upendran | HENB | Bengaluru | Feb 20, 2023:: Pramod Muthalik, the fierce Hindutva leader and president of Sri Ram Sene in Karnataka, on Sunday called upon Hindu men in the state to take Muslim girls to counter ‘love jihad’, and assured them protection.

Addressing a public meeting in Bagalkot, Muthalik said, “We clearly know what is happening in Karnataka and I have a solution. If we lose one Hindu girl to ‘love jihad’, we must try and get 10 Muslim women in retaliation. If this happens, Sri Rama Sene will be behind and give you complete protection and even employment. We must protect our religion from external forces.”

Sri Ram Sene chief shared his planning with a huge applause among the audience.

He also said it is the duty of the Sri Rama Sene to warn Hindu girls of ‘love jihad’. “Across the country, we have been losing hundreds of girls as they are exploited by ‘love jihad.’ We must take responsibility to warn the girls about this,” he added.

Muthalik is known for making controversial and communal statements in public meetings. Last week, he claimed that he faced obstacles from his own members for standing with Hindutva ideologies and protecting it. He also said that BJP’s fake and two-faced Hindutva will only damage the party further.

Muthalik is also reportedly aiming to contest from the Karkala constituency in coastal Karnataka as an independent candidate in the upcoming state assembly elections. Sri Ram Sene decided to file 25 candidates in upcoming Assembly polls in Karnataka.

Earlier, Muthalik expressed his dissatisfaction many times over the ‘pseudo-Hindutva’ attitude of the present BJP Government in Karnataka undermining various Hindutva issues in the state.

           — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari [Return to headlines]
 

China ‘Deeply Worried’ Russia-Ukraine War Could Spiral Out of Control

China’s foreign minister said on Tuesday that Beijing is “deeply worried” that the war in Ukraine could continue to escalate and “spiral out of control,” as the conflict continues to rage on nearly one year later.

Foreign Minister Qin Gang appeared to call out the U.S. for its extensive support of Ukraine, urging “the countries concerned to immediately stop adding fuel to the fire, stop blaming China, and stop clamoring for ‘Ukraine today, Taiwan tomorrow.’“

Qin added that Beijing will “continue to promote peace talks” and “provide Chinese wisdom for the political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis.”

While China has sought to appear neutral in the war in Ukraine, Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused Beijing on Saturday of “strongly considering” providing Russia with “lethal assistance.”

“China is trying to have it both ways,” Blinken said in an interview aired on Sunday. “Publicly, they present themselves as a country striving for peace in Ukraine. But privately, as I said, we’ve seen already over these past months the provision of non-lethal assistance that does go directly to aiding and abetting Russia’s war effort.”

           — Hat tip: Dean [Return to headlines]
 

EU Warns China Arming Russia Would Cross ‘Red Line’

The European Union claims that it has warned Communist China that supplying arms to Russia would cross a “red line” and have “consequences”.

“I expressed our strong concern about China providing arms to Russia,” said Josep Borrell, the European Union’s grandiosely-titled High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, of a recent meeting with Wang Yi, the Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

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

Watch as a Man Goes on a Wild Rampage Smashing in Shop Windows and a Car’s Windscreen as Shocked Locals Take Cover

The footage captured a man repeatedly bashing in the window of a restaurant with a metal pole on Hampshire and Devonshire Roads at Sunshine in Melbourne’s west on Monday.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Biden Administration Proposes Tightening of Asylum Rules to Stem Illegal Migration

The Biden administration on Tuesday announced a proposal to deport would-be migrants who did not seek asylum from another country while travelling to the United States or who failed to provide advance notice of their plans to seek asylum.

Under the proposal, border authorities would automatically assume a migrant to be ineligible for asylum if they enter the U.S. in an unlawful manner, the New York Times reported.

The administration announced the proposal ahead of the planned lifting of the Title 42 COVID-19 pandemic immigration enforcement order and an anticipated surge in illegal migration, per the outlet. The policy closely resembles a proposal from the Trump administration that would have rejected asylum status to applicants who did not first seek it in other countries along their route to the United States.

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

British Public More United on Immigration Being ‘Too High’ Than Any Other Issue: Polls

The British people are more united on immigration being “too high” than on any other issue, polls suggest — but their political class are continuing to give them more and more of it.

UnHerd Britain polling released on Monday showed every single one of the 632 parliamentary constituencies (electoral districts) in Britain bar one saw more agreement with the state “immigration levels are too high” than disagreement.

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

Croatia’s Schengen Membership Resulted in 600% Rise in Asylum Applications in January

In the month that Croatia officially joined the European Union’s Schengen free movement zone, the country experienced a dramatic rise in the number of asylum applications it received.

A total of 1,390 people requested asylum in Croatia in January, a figure up 600 percent on the 198 applications made during the same month last year, according to assistant director general of the Croatian police, Zoran Niceno.

Croatia joined the border-free European Union zone known as the Schengen Area on Jan. 1, 2023. The move saw the abolition of border controls between Croatia and neighboring Slovenia, and presented an opportunity for those wishing to claim asylum in Europe. Once smuggled into Croatia, asylum seekers no longer needed to illegally enter Slovenia before registering for asylum, they can now simply register in Croatia and effectively have license to roam freely.

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

Csnada: Poilievre Calls on Trudeau to Implement Plan to Close Roxham Road Border Crossing Within 30 Days

Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday over his government’s handling of the Roxham Road irregular border crossing, and called on Trudeau to implement a plan to close the crossing within 30 days. He went on to claim there was no problem with this area before Trudeau took office. He said that the problem “followed” Trudeau, and “didn’t precede him.” He went on to say that the immigrants crossing there are not at fault, saying they’re just doing what Trudeau “told them to do.”

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

EU Push to Get Migrants to Vote in Elections Designed to ‘Muffle’ Voices of Local Europeans — MEP

A push to get internal EU migrants to vote in the elections of other European countries is designed to “muffle” the voices of locals living in those nations, an MEP has claimed.

Dr Gunnar Beck of the populist Alternative for Germany party (AfD) has told Breitbart Europe that a push towards getting more migrants from within the bloc to vote in the local elections of other countries is an attempt by Eurocrats to undermine the link between nationality and democracy.

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

France: Woman Bites Tongue Off African Sex Predator During Morning Dog Walk

A woman in France fought back when an African illegal migrant sexually assaulted her in the middle of the street while she was walking her dog this week, according to reports.

The harrowing incident unfolded at around 4 a.m. on Sunday morning in Avignon, a commune in the department of Vaucluse.

The 57-year-old woman was walking her pooch in the Saint-Jean district when a man started following her.

He then grabbed her and forcibly kissed her while slipping his hand into her pants, France Bleu reports.

During a struggle, the victim bit off a chunk of the suspect’s tongue, sending him fleeing in pain.

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

France: Afghan Killer of Pro-Migrant Association President Spared Jail Due to Mental Incapacity

A 23-year-old Afghan national who beat to death the president of a pro-migrant activist organization in his own home has avoided prison time after being declared mentally incapacitated due to his diagnosed “paranoid psychosis.”

As Remix News previously reported, Killer Amir Hussein Najafi, who was 21 at the time of the offense, beat 63-year-old Jean Dussine repeatedly with an iron bar at his home in Cherbourg, northwestern France, on May 12, 2020.

Mr. Dussine was a retired teacher and had been serving as president of migrant assistance group Itinérance. He had been hosting the Afghan national at the time of his death.

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

‘It’s an Early Death Notice’ — Poor and Elderly Tenants Forced From Apartments to House Migrants in German Town of Lorrach

German tenants in the town of Lörrach in southern Germany, many of them elderly and barely surviving on pensions, have just learned that their apartment contracts are set to be terminated, and they will be forced out of their homes to make way for Ukrainian refugees.

The town’s housing association, which is operated by a municipal subsidiary, argued that it was terminating the contracts of approximately 40 tenants because the apartments were “particularly suitable” for refugees. The city is looking to rent the apartments directly to Ukrainians, according to the Focus media outlet.

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

Punjab-Origin Man Admits to Receiving Over $5,00,000 for Smuggling Migrants Into US Via Canada

Toronto, February 20

Indo-Canadian Rajinder Pal Singh, who admitted to receiving more than $500,000, for coordinating a human smuggling ring moving migrants into the US via Canada, has pleaded guilty to the charges, the media reported.

Singh was arrested in Washington in May last year.

According to CBC News, during a plea agreement hearing in the US District Court, Western District of Washington at Seattle, Singh pleaded guilty to “conspiracy to transport and harbour certain aliens for profit and conspiracy to commit money laundering”.

His sentencing is scheduled for May 9.

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

Soaring Anti-’LGBTQ+’ Attacks in Europe, But Migration-Background of High-Profile Suspects Ignored

The number of alleged anti-”LGBTQ+” attacks in Europe spiked in 2022, a year that also saw the highest number of asylum seekers arrive on the continent since the 2016 migrant crisis.

Attacks on “LGBTQ+” people in Europe are said to have reached a decade high in 2022 according to a report published on Monday, with the document linking the increased violence to the activities of the political right. Yet the document made no effort to investigate the impact of mass migration on alternative sexual communities, despite many of the brutal attacks on minorities outlined in the report are reported to have been committed by individuals with migration and Islamic faith backgrounds.

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

Sweden: Afghan Who Slashed Throat of Prostitute Has Sentence Reduced

A Swedish court has reduced the sentence for an Afghan migrant found guilty of slashing the throat of a Russian prostitute in a hotel room and leaving the woman for dead.

An appeals court has ruled to reduce the 16-year prison sentence of 23-year-old Seyed Alavi, who was found guilty of cutting a Russian woman’s throat in a hotel room in the city of Malmö, by one year but has kept his deportation order in place.

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

UK: Dozens More Migrants Arrive in Dover as Group Including Toddler and Three Young Children Are First to Cross Channel by Boat in Nearly a Week Despite Cold and Foggy Sea Conditions

Around 50 migrants have been intercepted while attempting to cross the English Channel despite cold and foggy conditions at sea.

Border Force vessel Hurricane intercepted dozens of people and brought them into the harbour at Dover, Kent, shortly after 1.30pm today.

The latest arrivals, which included a toddler and at least three young children, are the first to reach the UK since February 15 — when 69 people made the treacherous journey in a single boat.

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

Vermont Border Official Rips Canada’s Trudeau for Migrant Surge: ‘They’Re Allowing it to Happen’

The migrant surge crippling the U.S. southern border has made its way north as one Vermont sector endured an 846% spike in migrant encounters from the same time period in 2022.

But one Border Patrol representative in the thick of the matter says there are more actors to blame than just President Biden and his administration.

Sean Walsh, president of the Swanton sector of the National Border Patrol Council, called out Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Tuesday for “allowing” the crisis to worsen with his country’s lenient travel policies.

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

Decision on LGBT Blessings Splits Anglican Church

A group of 12 Anglican archbishops from around the world have announced that they no longer believe the Church of England to be their “mother church” after the General Synod voted to allow priests to conduct blessings of same-sex couples in civil union.

In a seven-point statement published on Monday, the conservative Global South Fellowship of Anglican Churches (GSFA) said that with “great sorrow” it is no longer able to recognize the current Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, as “first among equals” in the global communion. The GSFA claims to represent some 75% of Anglicans worldwide.

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

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Workers Fret Companies Aren’t Hiring Them Anymore: ‘Insane, ‘ ‘Pathetic’

As the Biden administration adds more diversity and equity roles, other industries are letting go of these high-priced positions in 2023.

Companies are gutting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) jobs while workers were leaving these fields at a higher rate than non-DEI positions, a recent report found. The study by Revelio Labs said last year companies who had layoffs cut DEI positions at a 33% rate versus a 21% cut for other roles.

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

Muslim Latina Inclusion Activist’s Mom Says She’s Lying About Ethnicity: ‘White as the Driven Snow’

A diversity executive for a progressive social justice organization in Philadelphia has been accused of lying about her race by her own family.

An open letter by anonymous staff and supporters at The American Friends Service Committee is calling on newly hired equity and inclusion leader, Raquel Evita Saraswati, to step down after discovering she was actually a White woman of European descent who was lying about being a person of color.

The activist’s mother told The Intercept that her daughter’s name was Rachel Elizabeth Seidel, and she was actually of European descent.

“I’m as White as the driven snow and so is she,” Carol Perone said, adding, “I don’t know why she’s doing what she’s doing…She’s chosen to live a lie, and I find that very, very sad.”

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

Scotland: SNP Leadership Candidate Loses Support Over Gay Marriage Stance on Account of Her Christian Faith

Supporters of Kate Forbes, a candidate seeking to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as leader of the Scottish National Party, have revoked their endorsement of her candidacy after she revealed she would have voted against legislation on same-sex marriage on account of her Christian faith.

The current finance secretary was asked during a number of media interviews for her stance on topics such as same-sex marriage and having children outside of wedlock.

Forbes faced the wrath of some of her socially liberal colleagues after revealing she would not have supported legislation passed by the Scottish parliament which allowed for same-sex marriage.

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

Trump Pledges, If Reelected, To End Federal Programs Promoting Gender Transition

Former President Trump says if reelected he will end President Biden’s policies on gender-affirming care and sign an executive order instructing federal agencies to end all programs promoting gender transitions.

“I will revoke Joe Biden’s cruel policies on so-called ‘gender-affirming care.’ Gender affirming? A process that results in the physical mutilation of minor children,” Trump said Monday in Palm Beach, Florida, at an event for Club 45 USA, which bills itself as the nation’s largest club of Trump supporters.

“I will sign a new executive order instructing every federal agency to cease all programs that promote the concept of sex and gender transition at any age. It’s enough,” Trump also said.

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

UK: College Professors Are ‘Dumbing Down’ Courses Over Fears ‘Woke’ Students Will Cancel Them, Scholar Warns

A renowned British scholar has revealed that college professors are being forced to “dumb down” their courses to protect their own careers.

Prof. Steven Greer, a former human rights lecturer at the University of Bristol, told the Telegraph that professors fear they’ll be canceled by “woke,” “intolerant,” free speech-hating students.

Greer told the newspaper he feared for his life after being falsely accused of Islamophobia by the “woke” mob.

The professor is now raising the alarm about this crisis and details the deterioration of freedom of speech in academia in his new memoir.

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

UK: Transgender Murderer Who Identifies as a Baby Fears for Life if Moved to Men’s Prison

A prisoner who strangled a cellmate to death before later identifying as transgender and a baby now fears for his life if authorities decide to send him to a men’s prison.

Daniel Eastwood strangled his cellmate Paul Algie to death with his shoelaces at Dumfries Young Offenders Institution in 2004 and received a life sentence.

After declaring himself transgender and changing his name to Sophie in 2017, Eastwood was moved to Cornton Vale women’s and young offenders’ prison in Sterling.

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

5 thoughts on “Gates of Vienna News Feed 2/21/2023

  1. There. Someone found the right words: “…send them the kind of exorcists who violate the Geneva Conventions.” Friends here know I’m not a fan of the creed and church I was born into, but seeing it hazard so far out of its own way in such a short timeframe is… astonishing. I’m honestly scrambling to find stronger words for that.

    https://www-danisch-de.translate.goog/blog/2023/02/22/vom-katholizismus-zum-gender-faschismus/?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp

  2. “EU Warns China Arming Russia Would Cross ‘Red Line’”

    China: “Uh-huh. And whatcha gonna do about it?” — I don’t think they care anymore what those headless chickens are clucking about all day long. All that woke nonsense only makes your head spin. The specter of armed conflict with America over Taiwan still holds them up though, with too many unknowns on both sides. Also, if China expects Russia to help them in return when China itself is the aggressor, I’m not sure what would happen. Hope the Russians are smarter than that. But what Europe says or does has become utterly inconsequential. Except for itself.

  3. .
    .
    PUBLISHED ON SNAPHANEN.DK, FEB 22, 2023:

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Is it possible to put an end to the left-wing establishment’s woke?

    By Lars Hedegaard

    The world has apparently turned into a madhouse. The media and most politicians have been taken over by demented ideologues who are mainly concerned with “climate change”, the inherent evil and racism of the white man, the guilt of the present for the deeds of the past, men who can become women, politicians who dance around in nude parades to celebrate various sexual deviants, drag queens who squirm in pleasure in front of toddlers, children who are taught in school to despise their country and Western culture.

    pfoto

    https://www.snaphanen.dk/upload/2012/08/18.08.2012-095-788×497.jpg

    Anyone can continue the list. What is going on and what can we do to restore a modicum of common sense?

    This was one of the topics of a long conversation between Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson and Russian-born comedian Konstantin Kisin. There are many angles to the content of this in many ways profound, philosophical exchange, but here’s what I’m biting off.

    Peterson and Kisin agreed that we can never fight the woke crash by condemning it alone.

    The 16-20 year olds who make up the core of the wokists are looking for something meaningful in their lives, something heroic to connect to, and if the right has nothing meaningful to offer them, they will plunge into pure destruction and nihilism. Which fills their lives with meaning in the sense that the effort calls for struggle and offers a collective to which they can relate.

    As Kisin points out, an apocalyptic worldview (the earth is about to end, so let’s help with the end) is attractive to people who have no meaning in life.

    Woke, which aims to eliminate all ancestral beliefs and historical experiences, is in fact an expression of self-hatred: because I see no purpose in anything, I can get a certain satisfaction from tearing down everything around me.

    In doing so, I can also – as Jordan Peterson points out – satisfy my need to be punished for my sins – a need that persists even though modern man may consider himself never to have been so irreligious.

    If anti-revivalists can do nothing but automatically reject everything that followers of the revivalist movement say, they become a mere reflection of what they want to end.

    If you simply become the opposite of what you want to fight, you will face the same problems as your opponents. Or as Constantine Kisin puts it: You can’t win the battle of ideas by saying that your opponents’ views are bullshit, even if they are. Nor does moralising about the folly of the times get you anywhere. The right must give young people hope, a positive vision of something worth striving for, something that can give life meaning.

    But how do you do that at a time when God is dead and replaced by other religions like climate change, the rejection of the biological differences between men and women, the belief in the innate evil of the white man and the conviction that humanity in the 21st century is in a space completely separate from millions of years of history – a unique state in which we are free and entitled to engage in any experiment we can think of?

    Peterson’s answer is that we must ask each person what his or her goal in life is – whatever it may be – and then ask what he or she intends to do to realize that goal.

    So we have to make it clear to the individual that if you want to live a satisfying life, you have to build something, create something – whether it’s a family, having children, getting a meaningful job, making friends or whatever it might be.

    If you can get people to do that, they will no longer be woke, because you can’t be woke if you’re building something. However, this is not a transformation that can be imposed from the top of society, but must come from below.

    As Kisin points out, we need to understand that the world will never be perfect – that we cannot create a paradise on earth. All we can do is try to make it better.

    Video: Konstantin Kisin and the counter-revolution
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnpUFLD_xlw

    ***
    From George Orwell / 1984:
    “Even now we know almost literally nothing about the revolution and the years before the revolution. Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book has been rewritten, every picture has been repainted, every statue, street and building has been renamed, every date has been changed. And this process continues day by day and minute by minute. History has stopped. Nothing exists except an infinite present in which the party is always right. I know, of course, that the past is falsified, but it would never be possible for me to prove it, even if I made the falsification myself. Once it is done, there is never any proof left. The only proof is inside my own mind, and I don’t know for sure that any other person shares my memories. Only in that one case, in my whole life, did I actually have concrete evidence after the event – years after it.”
    (Steen/Snaphanen) 1984, p. 103:
    https://www.abhafoundation.org/assets/books/html/1984/103.html#:~:text=Every%20record%20has%20been%20destroyed,day%20and%20minute%20by%20minute.

    ***
    Woke
    is a political term that emerged in the United States to describe a demonstrated awareness of issues related to ethnic and gender equity and social justice. It comes from the expression “stay woke” in African American English, roughly “stay awake”.

    Woke has also been interpreted as a package of “approved” views, and has been used sarcastically to refer to people who pretentiously believe themselves to be aware and enlightened but who only advocate these “approved views” out of sheer conformity.

    In some varieties of African American English, woke is the perfect participle of the verb wake, that is, the equivalent of woken, the common participle form in modern English In African American English, the same form is often used in the past tense (“I woke, I ate”) and in the perfect participle/supine (“I have woke, I have ate” instead of “I have woken, I have eaten”)[4] The word is thus used as “I was sleeping, but now I’m woke.”. instead of “I was sleeping but now I am awake”.

    In the mid-20th century, however, it began to be used in the transferred sense of “politically aware”. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the earliest written evidence for the transferred meaning is from a 1962 New York Times article titled “If you’re woke you dig it” by author William Melvin Kelley, which discusses how white beatniks added to the African-American slang of the time.

    The term was popularized in 2008 in Erykah Badu’s song “Master Teacher”, in which she dreams of a world where there “are no niggas” but instead “only master teachers” who make it clear that they “stay woke”, expressing a justifiable vigilance against social and racial injustice. The concept has since gained currency in the Black Lives Matter movement, for example after the 2012 shooting of Trayvon Martin.

    In Sweden, for example, Zara Larsson’s commitment against, among other things, expressions of gender power has been described as “very woke.”
    (LN)

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