Gates of Vienna News Feed 3/15/2023

Hours after Russian fighters downed an American drone over the Black Sea, NATO fighter jets intercepted Russian military transports over the Baltic. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke on the phone with his Russian counterpart Defense Secretary Sergei Shoigu about the drone incident.

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

Thanks to Daniel Greenfield, Dean, DV, LP, MM, Reader from Chicago, SS, 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
» Amid Market Turmoil, Bank Contagion, UK Will Avoid Recession This Year, Govt Says
» Bailout Arrives: Credit Suisse to Borrow $54BN From SNB to “Pre-Emptively Strengthen Liquidity”
» Banking Crisis: Credit Suisse Shares Plunge to Record Low, Trading Halts
» Biden and Schumer Took Cash From Silicon Valley Bank Affiliates Before Collapse
» Elon Musk Issues Warning: ‘Lot of Current Year Similarities to 1929’
» Facebook to Slash ‘Thousands More Jobs’ as Company Continues to Struggle
» House Budget Committee Chair Renews Call for Constitutional Convention of States to Address US Debt
» Inverse Jim Cramer ETF Outperforming Market Trackers After Just 2 Weeks
» Prepare for Governments to Push CBDCs in the Wake of the Silicon Valley Bank Collapse
» Too-Big-to-Fail Banks Flooded With Deposits as Bank Run Drains Small Bank of Cash
» Top Audit Firm Gave SVB, Signature Bank Clean Bill of Health Just Days Before Collapse
» Tucker Carlson Warns Banking Crisis Will Lead to Digital Cash
 
USA
» Americans Overwhelmingly Want U.S. To Label Cartels as Terrorist Groups, Poll
» Biden Rages in Anti-Gun Meltdown: ‘Ban Assault Weapons! Do it Now!’
» Breaking: SacBee APOLOGIZES for Smearing Charlie Kirk After Antifa Violence at UC Davis TPUSA Event
» California County is Sued for Banning Physical Mail for Prisoners
» CME Group CEO Overrules Lightfoot After Wife Carjacked in Chicago: ‘Absolutely Insane’
» Convicted Pedophile Gary Glitter Back in Prison One Month After Being Released for Trying to Access ‘Dark Web’
» Elon Musk, Others Respond After Protesters Smash Windows, Hurl Eggs at Charlie Kirk Event on College Campus
» Exclusive: Seattle Fire Chief Faces Backlash After Coordinating With BLM, Antifa Rioters During CHAZ Occupation
» James O’Keefe Announces New Project Following Departure From Project Veritas
» Judge Denies Requests From Jan. 6 Defendants to Cross-Examine FBI Agent on Leaked Messages
» L.A. Riders Bail on Metro Trains Amid ‘Horror’ of Deadly Drug Overdoses, Crime
» Michigan Judge Dismisses Charges Against White Couple Who Pulled Gun on Alleged Black Assailants
» Mom ‘Stabs 4-Year-Old Son to Death’ as His Grandma is Also Arrested
» Movie Star Praises Texas, Tells Hollywood to Pound Sand: ‘I’m Not Wearing a Mask’
» Nearly Half of Americans Do Not Expect a Return to Pre-Pandemic Normalcy
» New Mexico’s Special Prosecutor in ‘Rust’ Manslaughter Case Steps Down After Pressure From Alec Baldwin’s Lawyers
» Nikki Haley Auditions for Trump’s VP: ‘Trump is Right When He Says Governor DeSantis is Copying Him’
» Parents’ Rights Group Files Civil Rights Complaint Against School Over Club Exclusively for Black, Latinx Kids
» Portland’s TriMet Commuter Trains Face Repeated Delays Due to Passenger Drug Use on Board: Report
» Princeton Student Faces Charges in Connection With Jan. 6 Capitol Riot
» Republicans Pass Bill to Ban Federal Officials From Pushing Tech Platforms to Censor Content
» Rumble Makes Live Streaming Free to All Creators With at Least Five Subscribers
» Scott Adams Brings Dilbert Exclusively to Locals
» South Dakota Homes Explode Due to Excessive Snow Build-Up
» Stanford University Employee Charged With Lying About Rapes
» Teenage Cheerleader Suffers Cardiac Arrest During Competition
» Texas Announces Takeover of Houston Schools, Stirring Anger
» ‘They’re Coming After Waitresses’ Tips’: 2 Republicans Slammed the IRS Over Proposed Tip Reporting Program That Could Hike Taxes for Certain Workers — Here’s What it May Mean for You
» Thief Makes Fatal Mistake Trying to Steal Catalytic Converter, Gets Crushed to Death by Car
» Top Republican Endorses Ron DeSantis for President Despite Governor Not Announcing Candidacy
» Treasury Department Deals Huge Blow to Biden, Gives Suspicious Activity Reports on President’s Family to GOP
» Trump Blasts DeSantis in Iowa: ‘Ron Reminds Me a Lot of Mitt Romney’
» Trump Checkmates Hillary Clinton After She Complains About New Book: ‘No Copyright Protection Arises’
» Trump Builds Lead Over DeSantis in GOP Primary: Poll
» United Airlines Passenger Jet Makes Emergency Landing Due to ‘Incapacitated Pilot’ With Sudden ‘Chest Pains’
» US Possibly Scammed Out of Tens of Millions by Wuhan Lab: Reports
» Video: Lindsey Graham Says U.S. Should “Start Shooting Russian Planes Down”
 
Canada
» Calgarians Could Begin Recalling Municipal Politicians This Spring
» Canadian Museums Are ‘Colonial Institutions’ According to Trudeau Liberals’ Heritage Dept
» Crowd Attacks Police Officers Trying to Save Overdose Victim
» Trudeau Appoints ‘Special Rapporteur’ to Probe Chinese Interference Allegations
 
Europe and the EU
» Austrian Police Warn of Possible ‘Islamist-Motivated’ Church Attack
» Ben Fordham Rips Into Greta Thunberg for Deleting 2018 Doomsday Tweet That Climate Change Would ‘Wipe Out Humanity’ By 2023: ‘You Tried to Scare the Life Out of Kids’
» Dutch Farmers’ Protest Party Scores Big Election Win, Shaking Up Senate
» Dutch Farmers Turn Protests Into Vote Victory
» EU MPs Agree to Force ‘Insane’ Green Building Rules on Member States
» Psych Studies Attract a Certain Kind of Volunteer Which Could be Skewing Results
» Sweden: Man Arrested for 3D-Printing ‘Sub Machine Gun’
» The Ersatz Nitrogen Crisis or Delusional Expertocracy and the Destruction of Dutch Agriculture
 
Israel and the Palestinians
» Hollow Sanctimony Over Hawara
 
Russia
» Escalation Risk? Hours After USAF Drone Downed, NATO Jets Intercept Russian Planes Over Baltic
» Russia Will Retrieve Wreckage of Crashed U.S. Drone, Spy Chief Claims
» Ukraine War: US and Russian Military Chiefs in Rare Talks After Drone Downed
» US, Russian Military Chiefs Hold Emergency Deconfliction Call for 1st Time in Months
 
Far East
» TikTok Hires PR Firm With Biden Ties as it Faces Scrutiny
 
Latin America
» Colombian Coal Mine Blast Kills 11, Search on for Survivors
» Second Group of Prisoners Transferred to El Salvador Mega-Jail
 
Immigration
» France: Illegal Migrant With Deportation Order Gets 32nd Criminal Conviction
» Swedish Court Protects Identity of Migrant Suspected of Killing Women in Arson Attack
» Vermont City Hit With Lawsuit to Block Foreign Nationals Voting in Local Elections
 
Culture Wars
» Canada: Pastor Says Drag Storytime Damages Children, Library Says it’s About Respect
» DeSantis Reaches Limit, Strips Miami Hotel of Liquor License for Hosting Sexual Drag Show for Children
» France: Transgender Prostitute Invited by Paris Mayor Films Sex Act in City Hall Toilets
» It’s Everywhere
» Jamie Lee Curtis Declares Her Oscars Award Has ‘Woke’ Pronouns in Honor of Transgender Son
» Megyn Kelly Slams ‘Woke, Weak, White Woman’ Drew Barrymore for Kneeling Before Trans Activist Dylan Mulvaney and Demands to Know ‘Where Are the Strong Women?’
» Protesters Descend on Florida Capitol Criticizing DeSantis, GOP for Anti-Trans Bill: ‘Erasing Trans Babies!’
» Signature Bank Gave Lecture on Gender Pronouns 6 Months Before Collapse
» Students at Prestigious All-Women’s Wellesley College Vote to Admit Trans Men, Nonbinary Students
» Whopper: Biden Lies About Supporting Gay Marriage Since the 1950s
 

Amid Market Turmoil, Bank Contagion, UK Will Avoid Recession This Year, Govt Says

The UK government’s independent economic forecasting body says the country is to avoid technical recession this year and will grow in coming years, a feat the finance minister claims is informed by both international factors, and his own policies.

In news that may calm markets as concern about a banking crisis rises with attention shifting from the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank in the past week to the scrutiny of one of the world’s largest banks, Credit Suisse, the UK is to defy expectations and avoid a technical recession this year, the government says.

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

Bailout Arrives: Credit Suisse to Borrow $54BN From SNB to “Pre-Emptively Strengthen Liquidity”

Update (21:00ET): And so, the “bailout” arrives just a few hours before the Europe open, Credit Suisse said it’s planning to borrow from the Swiss National Bank up to CHF50 billion ($54 billion) under a covered loan facility which is “fully collateralized by high quality assets”. It wasn’t immediately clear what high quality assets CS has left to pledge but in a time of BTFP, we are confident they found something.

The bank also announced offers by Credit Suisse International to repurchase certain OpCo senior debt securities for cash of up to about CHF3 billion, which will help the bank pick up a few pennies in bond discount, even as it faces tens of billions in deposit flight.

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

Banking Crisis: Credit Suisse Shares Plunge to Record Low, Trading Halts

Shares in Swiss banking giant Credit Suisse have plunged to a record low amid fears the bank will be the next financial institution to collapse.

Shares tumbled by as much as 30 percent on Wednesday after Saudis pulled funding.

Trading in the Swiss bank’s stock was halted several times on Wednesday.

As Slay News reported Tuesday, leading Wall Street expert analyst Robert Kiyosaki, who predicted the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008, warned that Credit Suisse would be the next bank to implode.

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

Biden and Schumer Took Cash From Silicon Valley Bank Affiliates Before Collapse

Democrat President Joe Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) were among several high-profile politicians who took cash from Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) affiliates before the financial institution dramatically collapsed last week.

Political action committees and individuals associated with the now-defunct SVB have donated extensively to leading politicians.

Silicon Valley Bank was one of the largest financial institutions in the United States when it collapsed last week.

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

Elon Musk Issues Warning: ‘Lot of Current Year Similarities to 1929’

Twitter boss Elon Musk has issued a grim warning about the state of the economy.

President Joe Biden and the Democrats have flooded the economy with unlimited cash-printing since he came into office.

The non-stop spending has led many experts to start warning our leaders of what may be coming.

Over the past week, the situation has taken a disturbing turn amid the sudden implosion of two banks, with more likely to follow.

Just yesterday, Moody’s Investors Service cut its view on the entire banking system to negative from stable as the banking crisis deepens.

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

Facebook to Slash ‘Thousands More Jobs’ as Company Continues to Struggle

Facebook’s parent company Meta is due to slash “thousands more jobs” on Wednesday, according to reports.

The move comes after the company fired around 11,000 employees in November.

Meta is reportedly coming down hard on “projects that aren’t performing” as the company continues to struggle.

Meta, which owns Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, is reportedly preparing to make thousands of job cuts to its policy, marketing, and communications teams in particular.

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

House Budget Committee Chair Renews Call for Constitutional Convention of States to Address US Debt

Following the release of President Joe Biden’s budget proposal, House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, is proposing a means for voters to have a say about rising debt and soaring inflation.

Arrington introduced a resolution calling for an Article V convention of states. More than the required two-thirds of states previously called for either a fiscal responsibility amendment or a balanced budget amendment in the 1970s. Arrington’s legislation says, Congress “appears to have failed in its constitutional duty to count applications and call a ‘convention for proposing amendments.’“ He introduced a similar measure last year, but now Republicans hold the majority in the House.

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

Inverse Jim Cramer ETF Outperforming Market Trackers After Just 2 Weeks

In the two weeks since its launch, the “Inverse Cramer Tracker” exchange-traded fund (ETF) has been outperforming the market by allowing investors to short any stock CNBC Mad Money host Jim Cramer recommended buying.

The ETF was launched on February 28, alongside another that goes along with all of Cramer’s top picks.

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

Prepare for Governments to Push CBDCs in the Wake of the Silicon Valley Bank Collapse

Over 100 of the world’s governments are planning to push central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank may have given them the perfect opportunity to introduce this nightmarish surveillance tech.

The heightened fear of bank runs and the growing calls for more government controls to prevent another Silicon Valley Bank-style event has created space for governments to swoop in and present CBDCs as the solution.

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

Too-Big-to-Fail Banks Flooded With Deposits as Bank Run Drains Small Bank of Cash

Over the weekend, amid populist howls of outrage that a bailout of SVB would promote moral hazard (in the end depositors did get bailed out with a full recovery, but other unsecured creditors oddly enough would get nothing, while the common stock is a doughnut), we said that while technically true, the events that toppled SVB and now SBNY as well, are really a subsidy for the big banks.

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

Top Audit Firm Gave SVB, Signature Bank Clean Bill of Health Just Days Before Collapse

One of America’s leading audit firms, KPMG, is defending giving both Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank a clean bill of health just days before they collapsed last weekend.

The banks imploded when customers rushed to withdraw their savings in panic-fueled bank runs.

The two banks collapsed shortly after their respective annual reports were certified by KPMG.

KPMG is one of the so-called “Big Four” accounting firms.

The list also includes Deloitte, Ernst & Young, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

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

Tucker Carlson Warns Banking Crisis Will Lead to Digital Cash

Fox News star Tucker Carlson has warned his viewers that Democrat President Joe Biden’s administration will usher in a federal government-control digital currency if Americans don’t make their voices heard over the banking crisis.

During the opening of his show, Carlson warned that the collapsing banking system will open the door to digital cash.

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

Americans Overwhelmingly Want U.S. To Label Cartels as Terrorist Groups, Poll

A sizeable majority of Americans support designating Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations, a recent survey revealed.

In total, 69% of Americans support designating the cartels as terrorist groups, with 80% of Republicans backing such a measure and 65% of Democrats concurring, according to a Wednesday poll from Rasmussen Reports.

Americans are increasingly wary of the cartels, with 79% of likely U.S. voters considering the groups to be a serious threat to the country. Fifty-five percent further identified the threat as “very serious.”

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

Biden Rages in Anti-Gun Meltdown: ‘Ban Assault Weapons! Do it Now!’

Democrat President Joe Biden raged during an anti-Second Amendment speech while ranting about banning so-called “assault weapons.”

Biden went into an anti-gun meltdown while rambling about banning firearms on Tuesday.

“I’m determined, once again, to ban assault weapons in high-capacity magazines,” Biden said during remarks at The Boys & Girls Club of West San Gabriel Valley in Monterey Park, California.

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

Breaking: SacBee APOLOGIZES for Smearing Charlie Kirk After Antifa Violence at UC Davis TPUSA Event

The Sacramento Bee has apologized for an opinion piece in which writer Hannah Holzer claimed that Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk “called for the lynching of trans people,” following Antifa violence at Tuesday evening’s Live Free Tour stop at University of California Davis.

“An earlier version of this column included a statement that Charlie Kirk had ‘called for the lynching of trans people.’ The basis for this accusation is a video clip in which Kirk was upset that a trans woman had won an NCAA swimming championship,” an editor’s note from Wednesday morning read.

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

California County is Sued for Banning Physical Mail for Prisoners

The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), the Social Justice Legal Foundation, and Columbia University’s Knight First Amendment Institute are suing to protect the rights of incarcerated people in a county jail to receive physical mail.

In 2021, California’s San Mateo County banned incarcerated people in county jails from getting physical mail. Instead, friends and family have to send letters to Smart Communication, a Florida-based private firm that scans the letters and sends them to the jails where inmates can digitally access them through tablets and kiosks that are limited in number.

The rights organizations filed the complaint on behalf of five inmates, family members, and ABO Comix, a group of artists that interacts with inmates. The lawsuit argues that the mail policy violates the associational, expressive, and privacy rights of inmates, the friends, families, and supporters.

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

CME Group CEO Overrules Lightfoot After Wife Carjacked in Chicago: ‘Absolutely Insane’

The CEO of the CME Group Inc. has blasted Democrat Mayor Lori Lightfoot after his wife was carjacked in crime-infested Chicago.

The CME Group is headquartered in Chicago and operates the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Chicago Board of Trade, New York Mercantile Exchange, and The Commodity Exchange.

It is one of the largest employers in Chicago but that may change due to the out-of-control violent crime in the city.

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

Convicted Pedophile Gary Glitter Back in Prison One Month After Being Released for Trying to Access ‘Dark Web’

Disgraced 1970s pop star Gary Glitter is once again back behind bars a little over one month after being released from prison where he served half a 16-year sentence for the sexual abuse of three schoolgirls.

Glitter, 78, whose real name is Paul Gadd, was recalled to prison for breaching his license conditions after he was secretly filmed allegedly trying to access the dark web, reports the Daily Mail.

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

Elon Musk, Others Respond After Protesters Smash Windows, Hurl Eggs at Charlie Kirk Event on College Campus

About 100 protesters at the University of California, Davis, surrounded a venue attempting to disrupt an event Tuesday evening headlined by conservative personality and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. The event was organized by the school’s Turning Point chapter.

The protesters, who were mostly wearing black, clashed with law enforcement officers and other students, including attendees of the event, as they smashed windows, hurled eggs, used pepper spray and blocked people from entering the University Credit Union Center, where the event was held.

There were at least two arrests.

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

Exclusive: Seattle Fire Chief Faces Backlash After Coordinating With BLM, Antifa Rioters During CHAZ Occupation

A group of Seattle firefighters have sent a letter to the King County Sheriff, King County prosecutor Leesa Manion, and Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell calling into question Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins’ ability to continue to lead the department following the discovery of evidence that he allegedly coordinated with the BLM/Antifa occupiers of the deadly Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) in 2020.

According to the letter obtained exclusively by The Post Millennial, the firefighters stated, “Chief Scoggins — while on duty, and in uniform, actively supported the perpetrators of the civil unrest and provided support, acting in the capacity as a city official. He ordered the removal of front-line emergency equipment from Fire Department vehicles and gave it to the people inside the ‘autonomous zone’, this bypasses set protocols and directly puts patients in way of harm by removing trained personnel and placing undue burden on civilians to administer aid. Chief Scoggins also openly stated that he facilitated the movement of cement blockades into the street of the protest zone, this reckless act made it impossible for the Fire Department to come to the aid of those inside the zone.”

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

James O’Keefe Announces New Project Following Departure From Project Veritas

Project Veritas founder James O’Keefe on Wednesday announced his latest project following his departure from the group.

In a video posted to Twitter, O’Keefe announced the creation of the O’Keefe Media Group, which will include a handful of dedicated journalists with whom he has long collaborated.

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

Judge Denies Requests From Jan. 6 Defendants to Cross-Examine FBI Agent on Leaked Messages

Authored by Gary Bai via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours)

Defendants in the ongoing Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol Breach trial suffered a defeat on Monday, as the court ordered that the defendants may not cross-examine an FBI agent for most of the defense attorneys’ allegations that spawned from internal FBI messages inadvertently leaked in court.

Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump-appointed judge, on Monday addressed allegations made by attorneys of the Jan. 6 defendants that targeted leaked internal FBI messages, which were revealed in court when Nick Smith, a defense attorney representing Ethan Nordean, cross-examined FBI Special Agent Nicole Miller on Thursday last week.

The judge denied all but one of the defendant’s arguments about the leaked messages. That leaves a narrowed space for the defendants to maneuver should they wish to upend the trial based on these messages alone.

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

L.A. Riders Bail on Metro Trains Amid ‘Horror’ of Deadly Drug Overdoses, Crime

Matthew Morales boarded the Metro Red Line at MacArthur Park as classical music blared over the station loudspeakers.

It was rush hour on a Tuesday afternoon, and Morales made his way to a back corner seat and unfolded a tiny piece of foil with several blue shards of fentanyl. As the train started west, he heated the aluminum with a lighter and sucked in the smoke through a pipe fashioned from a ballpoint pen.

Doors opened and closed. A few passengers filed in and out. A grain of the opioid fell to the floor. He concentrated on trying to pick it up, then lost track, as his body went limp. His shoulders slumped and he slowly keeled forward.

By the time the train arrived at the Wilshire/Western station, Morales, 29, was doubled over and near motionless, his hand on the floor. The train operator walked out of the cabin, barely glancing at him as she passed — as if she encountered such scenes all the time.

Drug use is rampant in the Metro system. Since January, 22 people have died on Metro buses and trains, mostly from suspected overdoses — more people than all of 2022. Serious crimes — such as robbery, rape and aggravated assault — soared 24% last year compared with the previous.

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

Michigan Judge Dismisses Charges Against White Couple Who Pulled Gun on Alleged Black Assailants

Eric and Jillian Wuestenberg, a white couple who were charged with felonious assault for pulling a gun on a black mother and daughter who allegedly attacked their car in the summer of 2020, had all charges against them dismissed after their alleged “victims” failed to show up in court.

I suspect they feared they’d be charged themselves as they threatened “I will beat your white ass” on video and appeared to have attacked the Wuestenbergs’ car and refused to let them leave.

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

Mom ‘Stabs 4-Year-Old Son to Death’ as His Grandma is Also Arrested

A mother allegedly stabbed dead her four-year-old son as the boy’s grandmother looked on.

Monica Figueroa confessed to murdering her son Grayson Hurt and was arrested on Monday, according to Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse.

Figueroa’s mother, Mary Johnson, called police around 6.40am saying she was afraid her daughter had hurt her grandson.

Police officers responding to the home on the 300 block of Mitchell Street in Athens, Texas, discovered Hurt partly covered by a blanket and dead.

           — Hat tip: DV [Return to headlines]
 

Movie Star Praises Texas, Tells Hollywood to Pound Sand: ‘I’m Not Wearing a Mask’

Movie star Tilda Swinton told Hollywood to pound sand and praised Texas over Covid protocols, saying that she refuses to wear a mask any longer because she’s “super healthy.”

The “Doctor Strange” actress made the declaration during her keynote address at the 2023 South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) in Austin, Texas.

“I’m actually just about to start shooting a picture in Ireland,” the Britsh actress revealed.

“And I was told, full disclosure, and I’m sure this is being recorded — people in Ireland might hear it — to wear a mask at all times.

“And I’m not wearing a mask because I’m super healthy and I’ve had Covid so many times and I’m so full of antibodies and I have faith.

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

Nearly Half of Americans Do Not Expect a Return to Pre-Pandemic Normalcy

By Megan Brenan of Gallup

Three years into the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., relatively few Americans, 33%, say their lives are completely back to normal, and those who say their lives have not yet completely returned to normal are largely pessimistic about it ever happening. Nearly half of U.S. adults, 47%, think pre-pandemic normalcy is not attainable for them, but 20% think their lives will eventually get back to normal.

These expectations have improved slightly since last summer, but they are essentially unchanged from Gallup’s previous reading in October.

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

New Mexico’s Special Prosecutor in ‘Rust’ Manslaughter Case Steps Down After Pressure From Alec Baldwin’s Lawyers

The special prosecutor in the fatal shooting on the “Rust” movie set case against Alec Baldwin has announced she is stepping down from the role.

On Tuesday, Andrea Reeb said in a statement shared by the office of New Mexico’s First Judicial District Attorney, “After much reflection, I have made the difficult decision to step down as special prosecutor in the ‘Rust’ case.”

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

Nikki Haley Auditions for Trump’s VP: ‘Trump is Right When He Says Governor DeSantis is Copying Him’

Former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley appears to be auditioning to be President Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick in 2024.

In a surprise move, she slammed Trump’s closest rival Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Haley is running in 2024 but has little chance of winning the Republican nomination.

DeSantis has not formally announced his candidacy but most expect him to run.

Trump is the clear frontrunner with DeSantis trailing in a distant second place.

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

Parents’ Rights Group Files Civil Rights Complaint Against School Over Club Exclusively for Black, Latinx Kids

Parents’ rights group, Parents Defending Education (PDE), recently filed a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Education against a Massachusetts public school for allegedly discriminating based on race.

PDE filed a complaint with the U.S. Depart of Education Office of Civil Rights Tuesday against Newton North High School in Newton, Massachusetts, claiming that that school had an academic program, called Dover Legacy Scholars, exclusively for ambitious “young Black and Latinx scholars.”

The parents’ rights group charged that the existence of the club violates the Civil Rights Act and the 14th amendment as it conducts “discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin in programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance.”

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

Portland’s TriMet Commuter Trains Face Repeated Delays Due to Passenger Drug Use on Board: Report

A new report conducted by KATU has found that Portland, Oregon TriMet MAX trains have been delayed countless times due to passengers using, or being suspected of using, drugs while onboard.

The report found that users were getting high on everything from marijuana to fentanyl during their journeys, and that each time a suspected incident took place, it resulted in lengthy delays for other passengers.

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

Princeton Student Faces Charges in Connection With Jan. 6 Capitol Riot

Princeton University student Larry Giberson was arrested Tuesday on charges he encouraged rioters to push and attack police officers guarding the Capitol entrance in the Jan. 6 riot, according to the Justice Department.

Giberson was charged with civil disorder and related misdemeanor offenses.

Photos released by law enforcement appear to show him engaged in violence against law enforcement officers guarding the Lower West Terrace tunnel entrance into the Capitol building.

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

Republicans Pass Bill to Ban Federal Officials From Pushing Tech Platforms to Censor Content

Republicans in the House of Representatives passed a bill that aims to ban federal officials from pressuring social media companies to censor content. The Protecting Speech From Government Interference Act passed along a party line, with a 219 to 216 vote.

The bill bans “federal employees From advocating for censorship of viewpoints in their official capacity,” including recommending to a third party to “take any action to censor speech.”

Republicans’ claims of collusion were intensified by the revelations of the Twitter Files, internal documents released by Twitter owner Elon Musk through independent journalists, that detailed the platform’s history of censorship under the previous management.

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

Rumble Makes Live Streaming Free to All Creators With at Least Five Subscribers

Video platform Rumble has made new changes, making live streaming free for all creators. The only prerequisite is that channels need to have at least five subscribers.

Live streamers can also now add their live streams to categories on the Rumble homepage, boosting discoverability for creators.

The move will help new and smaller channels get started with live streaming almost straight away.

Live streaming has grown in popularity over the years and it continues to be a popular form of entertainment, communication, and marketing.

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

Scott Adams Brings Dilbert Exclusively to Locals

Scott Adams, the creator of the comic strip Dilbert, has announced that a new iteration of the series, titled “Dilbert Reborn,” will launch exclusively on his subscription site on Locals.

This announcement follows Adams being dropped by hundreds of publications due to comments that were accused of being racist.

In an interview with the Washington Post, Adams revealed that the initial strips will feature the character Ratbert as a “context removing editor” at a media outlet that parodies newspapers such as The Post.

Locals announced that cartoonist Adams has brought his comic “Dilbert” to Locals. Annual and monthly subscribers now have access to exclusive content from the popular cartoonist.

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

South Dakota Homes Explode Due to Excessive Snow Build-Up

Two recent house explosions in Lake County, SD, were linked to to excessive weight piling up on the homes gas meters.

           — Hat tip: MM [Return to headlines]
 

Stanford University Employee Charged With Lying About Rapes

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A 25-year-old Stanford University employee was arrested Wednesday and charged with felony perjury for allegedly lying about being raped twice last year on campus, authorities said.

Jennifer Ann Gries, of Santa Clara, first reported a false sexual attack in August when she told a nurse at Valley Medical Center in San Jose that a man grabbed her while she was at a campus parking lot, dragged her to a restroom and sexually assaulted her, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s office said.

In October, she went to Stanford Hospital to get another rape examination and told the nurse conducting the exam that she was returning to her office from lunch when an unknown male grabbed her arm, forced her into a basement storage closet and raped her, prosecutors said. She again declined to speak with police, they said.

Both of Gries’ sexual assault examination kits were analyzed quickly “given the extreme public safety risk of a potential sex offender,” prosecutors said, adding that the lab results “were not consistent with her story.”

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

Teenage Cheerleader Suffers Cardiac Arrest During Competition

A devastated mother is demanding answers after her teenage daughter suddenly collapsed and went into cardiac arrest during a cheerleading competition.

The shocking incident occurred in Raleigh, North Carolina on March 5.

Healthy 17-year-old Keianna Joe was performing a cheerleading stunt on stage when she unexpectedly dropped to the floor.

Mom Andrea Joe told WRAL-TV that she grabbed an automatic external defibrillator (AED) and shocked her daughter until her heart started again, saving her life.

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

Texas Announces Takeover of Houston Schools, Stirring Anger

HOUSTON (AP) — Texas officials on Wednesday announced a state takeover of Houston’s nearly 200,000-student public school district, the eighth-largest in the country, acting on years of threats and angering Democrats who assailed the move as political.

The announcement, made by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s education commissioner, Mike Morath, amounts to one of the largest school takeovers ever in the U.S. It also deepens a high-stakes rift between Texas’ largest city, where Democrats wield control, and state Republican leaders, who have sought increased authority following election fumbles and COVID-19 restrictions.

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

‘They’re Coming After Waitresses’ Tips’: 2 Republicans Slammed the IRS Over Proposed Tip Reporting Program That Could Hike Taxes for Certain Workers — Here’s What it May Mean for You

Out of all the federal agencies, the IRS traditionally ranks among the lowest in public support.

But a recent move has spurred Sen. Ted Cruz to go so far as to accuse the tax agency of “next level cruelty.”

The IRS announced a proposed new tip reporting program, Service Industry Tip Compliance Agreement (SITCA) last month. It would be a voluntary tip reporting program between the IRS and employers in various service industries and could result in service workers seeing their tax liability go up.

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

Thief Makes Fatal Mistake Trying to Steal Catalytic Converter, Gets Crushed to Death by Car

A Georgia thief made a fatal mistake while attempting to steal a car’s catalytic converter and was crushed to death by the vehicle, according to officials.

Officers with the Chatham County Police Department (CCPD) were called to Prestige Auto Sales around 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday after a deceased man was found under a vehicle in the car lot.

Police believe the man was killed while he was illegally removing a catalytic converter from the car and the vehicle fell on top of him.

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

Top Republican Endorses Ron DeSantis for President Despite Governor Not Announcing Candidacy

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, gave a full-throated endorsement of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president on Wednesday, despite the popular Republican having yet to even announce his candidacy.

Roy made the endorsement in an email to supporters on Wednesday, calling DeSantis a “man of conviction” who is best suited to be America’s next president. While DeSantis is considered a top contender for the Republican ticket in 2024, he has not announced his candidacy.

“The next President of the United States must be a vibrant and energetic leader with the faith, vision and courage to chart a new course. America needs a leader who will truly defend her and empower the people against the destructive force of unrestrained government and corporate excess, profligate spending and woke cultural indoctrination,” Roy wrote in the email. “That leader is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.”

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

Treasury Department Deals Huge Blow to Biden, Gives Suspicious Activity Reports on President’s Family to GOP

The Treasury Department has dealt a massive blow to Joe Biden and agreed to finally hand over suspicious activity reports (SARs) on the Democrat president’s family members.

The Department has given the documents, related to Hunter Biden and the family’s foreign business deals, to Republicans on the House Oversight Committee.

The House Oversight Committee James Cormer (R-KY) said: “After two months of dragging their feet, the Treasury Department is finally providing us with access to the suspicious activity reports for the Biden family and their associates’ business transactions.

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

Trump Blasts DeSantis in Iowa: ‘Ron Reminds Me a Lot of Mitt Romney’

President Donald Trump dropped the hammer on Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis during a big speech in Iowa yesterday.

Trump compared DeSantis to his nemesis Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) and said he was a disciple of former House Speaker Paul Ryan.

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

Trump Checkmates Hillary Clinton After She Complains About New Book: ‘No Copyright Protection Arises’

President Donald Trump checkmated Hillary Clinton after the twice-failed Democrat presidential candidate complained about his new book.

Trump is publishing a new book that will reveal 150 private letters sent to him by celebrities and world leaders when they still loved him.

Among the letters includes one penned by Trump’s now-bitter rival Hillary.

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

Trump Builds Lead Over DeSantis in GOP Primary: Poll

Former President Donald Trump has surged in support among Republicans and enjoys a commanding lead in the race for the party’s 2024 presidential nomination, according to a new survey.

Trump claimed 46% support from Republicans and Republican-leaning voters in the most recent Quinnipiac University poll. That metric showed him 14 points ahead of nearest rival Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has not announced his candidacy. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley came in third with 5% while no other candidate cleared 3%.

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

United Airlines Passenger Jet Makes Emergency Landing Due to ‘Incapacitated Pilot’ With Sudden ‘Chest Pains’

A United Airlines passenger jet was forced to make an emergency landing in Houston, Texas after the pilot became suddenly “incapacitated” while suffering from “chest pains.”

The incident occurred on Saturday night during a United Airlines flight from Guatemala to Chicago.

The plane was rerouted to Houston International airport due to medical and technical emergencies.

According to an internal Houston UAL memo obtained by CDM Press, the emergency was called “for an incapacitated pilot.”

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

US Possibly Scammed Out of Tens of Millions by Wuhan Lab: Reports

The U.S. government may have paid twice for laboratory research in Wuhan, China, before the outbreak of COVID according to an initial report by CBS News.

The double payments occurred regarding grants that supported research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Senator Roger Marshall, R-Kan., commissioned the investigation, led by former investigator Diane Cutler, and took the results to the United States Agency for International Development, which launched a new independent investigation.

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

Video: Lindsey Graham Says U.S. Should “Start Shooting Russian Planes Down”

In an appearance on Hannity Tuesday night, Senator Lindsey Graham floated the idea of starting world war three, before accusing the Biden Administration of doing exactly that.

Reacting to the apparent downing of an unmanned U.S. drone over the Black Sea by two Russian Su-27 aircraft, Graham suggested firing down any Russian aircraft that approaches an American asset over international waters.

“Well, we should hold them accountable and say that, ‘If you ever get near another U.S. asset flying in international waters, your airplane will be shot down,’“ Graham proclaimed.

“What would Ronald Reagan do right now? He would start shooting Russian planes down if they were threatening our assets,” he added.

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

Calgarians Could Begin Recalling Municipal Politicians This Spring

A motion before Calgary City Hall could allow residents to issue petitions to recall municipal politicians as soon as April 22, 2023.

The policy, which was devised to meet obligations outlines by Alberta’s Recall Act, would allow Calgarians to launch petitions to have specific City Council members, including the mayor removed from office.

The process would require the filing of a $500 application by organizers of a petition. To successfully recall a politician, 40% of the voter population of a specific ward would be required.

In the case of removing a mayor, that would mean 40% of the city would have to be a signatory on the petition.

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

Canadian Museums Are ‘Colonial Institutions’ According to Trudeau Liberals’ Heritage Dept

The Department of Canadian Heritage under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently released its discussion guide on the renewal of the 1990 Museum Policy, in which it labeled Canada’s museums “colonial institutions.”

The department suggested museums “must understand decolonization and embrace technology to grow and maintain digital collections, while mitigating the threats of climate-change and natural disasters.”

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

Crowd Attacks Police Officers Trying to Save Overdose Victim

A crowd in Victoria, British Columbia attacked police officers and stabbed them with a needle while the officers attempted to resuscitate an overdose victim.

According to a media release by Victoria Police Department (VicPD), on Saturday night an officer was called to respond to an overdose incident on Pandora Avenue.

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

Trudeau Appoints ‘Special Rapporteur’ to Probe Chinese Interference Allegations

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed former Governor-General David Johnston as the ‘special rapporteur’ to oversee Canada’s investigation into Chinese election interference.

The prime minister has tasked Johnston to look into allegations of foreign interference in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections, and to provide recommendations on how the government should respond.

Trudeau previously announced he would abide by the rapporteur’s recommendations, including if now-named Johnston calls for a public inquiry.

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

Austrian Police Warn of Possible ‘Islamist-Motivated’ Church Attack

ROME — Vienna police have alerted of a possible “Islamist-motivated attack” on churches, citing information received by the country’s intelligence services.

“The Directorate for State Security & Intelligence received information that an Islamist-motivated attack was planned in Vienna,” Vienna police tweeted Wednesday. As a precautionary measure, “neuralgic points of interest” have been put under increased guard by regular and special operation police forces.

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

Ben Fordham Rips Into Greta Thunberg for Deleting 2018 Doomsday Tweet That Climate Change Would ‘Wipe Out Humanity’ By 2023: ‘You Tried to Scare the Life Out of Kids’

A deleted tweet by climate change activist Greta Thunberg has been slammed by 2GB breakfast host Ben Fordham, who accused her of scaring children.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Dutch Farmers’ Protest Party Scores Big Election Win, Shaking Up Senate

AMSTERDAM, March 15 (Reuters) — A farmers’ protest party shook up the political landscape in the Netherlands on Wednesday, emerging as the big winner in provincial elections that determine the make-up of the Senate.

The BBB or BoerBurgerBeweging (Farmer-Citizen Movement) party rode a wave of protests against the government’s environmental policies and looked set to have won more Senate seats than Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s conservative VVD party.

A first exit poll projected BBB won 15 of a total of 75 seats in the Senate, which has the power to block legislation agreed in the Lower House of parliament, with the VVD dropping from 12 to 10 seats.

The meteoric rise of BBB is a major blow for Rutte’s governing coalition, casting doubt over its aim to drastically cut nitrogen pollution on farms, the single issue upon which BBB was founded in 2019.

           — Hat tip: WRSA [Return to headlines]
 

Dutch Farmers Turn Protests Into Vote Victory

Dutch farmers dealt a blow to Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s environmental plans Wednesday, ploughing up the political landscape to win elections that will shape the upper house of parliament.

Exit polls showed the Farmer-Citizen Movement (BoerBurgerBeweging, BBB), which was founded less than four years ago, riding a wave of recent protests to win the most seats in the Dutch senate.

The farmers’ party immediately vowed to challenge the Rutte government’s plans to cut nitrogen emissions by reducing livestock numbers and possibly closing some farms.

“What is happening here? We really knew we were going to win, but this is so indescribable,” stunned BBB leader Caroline van der Plas told public broadcaster NOS.

She described the nitrogen plans as a “kind of dogma dictated from The Hague”.

The BBB is on course to win 15 seats in the 75-seat senate, ahead of the 10 seats of Rutte’s centre-right party, based on exit polls from provincial elections that also determine the make-up of the upper house.

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

EU MPs Agree to Force ‘Insane’ Green Building Rules on Member States

The European Parliament has passed a resolution that will see “insane” green building rules forced onto individual EU member states.

MPs in the European Parliament have agreed to a rework of its Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) that would mandate the renovation of various buildings should they be seen as not up to scratch.

The measure will also reportedly see fossil fuel heating systems completely banned throughout the bloc by as early as 2035.

According to a report by Euractiv, internal resistance to the green agenda rework was not enough from preventing it from passing a vote by the EU parliament, with 343 members voting in favour, compared to the 216 who voted against.

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

Psych Studies Attract a Certain Kind of Volunteer Which Could be Skewing Results

Many psychological studies rely on participants to give up their time to take part in experiments or complete questionnaires. They take part because they get paid or because they are required to as part of their university course. But, beyond this, not much is known about what motivates people to take part in these studies.

Some participants may be looking for help — perhaps seeking a diagnosis for a mental health issue they’re struggling with. A team of researchers in Poland theorized that taking part in a psychological study might be “perceived as a cheap substitute or alternative to acquire some professional help”.

To this end, they set out to discover if participants in psychological studies were more likely to have a personality disorder or be experiencing depression or anxiety.

Their results are published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.

“Researchers often take for granted that the way they advertise their studies and who they recruit do not appreciably affect their outcomes,” the study authors write.

“In our studies, we have shown that those who have more personality pathologies are more drawn to studies where they can express their trauma and may be simply more likely to volunteer for studies.”

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

Sweden: Man Arrested for 3D-Printing ‘Sub Machine Gun’

A 26-year-old man in Gotland has been arrested by Swedish police for manufacturing automatic firearms, using a 3D printer to create components.

The suspect was arrested after turning himself in back in January, reporting to police in Visby that he had been manufacturing and selling weapons that he had largely created with a 3D printer, and claimed he wanted help police.

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

The Ersatz Nitrogen Crisis or Delusional Expertocracy and the Destruction of Dutch Agriculture

by Jaap Hanekamp

Introduction

The Dutch ‘nitrogen crisis’ revolves around the misconception that the quality of nature is predominantly determined by N-deposition coming from agriculture. That is to say: N-deposition is regarded as a ‘nature quality-thermostat’ which can be positively regulated by forcefully shrinking Dutch agriculture.

It is clear that the Dutch government embraces a disastrous expertocracy to try to control national agriculture top-down via nitrogen(compounds) and its ostensibly apocalyptic consequences on nature.

Current agriculture is ‘bad’, according to the extirpative expertocracy. This applies to nitrogen but also to carbon-dioxide, which now needs to be taxed as to ‘nudge’ people away from animal products such as meat, milk and cheese.

We will see whether the Dutch population buys into the nitrogen delusion — the upcoming province elections that will impact national politics as well, will be an indicator.

Nevertheless, the Dutch nitrogen delusion seriously undermines the most basic of human endeavours — the production of food — and stands as a stark warning to the rest of the (agricultural) world.

The delusion in two acts — AERIUS and Nitrogen Critical Loads

The Dutch ‘nitrogen crisis’ boils down to two ‘acts’: a model that simulates nitrogen (N) deposition ánd a standard that ostensibly defines N-deposition limits beyond which damage to nature cannot be excluded. The model is AERIUS and the standard is the Nitrogen Critical Load (NCL). Combined, these two have created the ‘crisis’ as we now know it in the Netherlands.

As we will see, this crisis is wholly artificial. We should call it the Dutch nitrogen delusion.

Nevertheless, it is advertised by the expertocracy, politicians and the media as a genuine emergency we have to solve at great financial, economic, social and personal cost. By the way: these massive expenditures are devoid of any cost-benefit analyses (see further below)!

To understand the delusion, we have to understand what NCL are ánd how well AERIUS works (if at all). Let’s start with the model, as it plays a central role in the Dutch nitrogen delusion…

           — Hat tip: WRSA [Return to headlines]
 

Hollow Sanctimony Over Hawara

by Daniel Greenfield

One Sunday, two brothers, Hillel and Yagel Yaniv, young men with a bright future ahead of them were murdered while stuck in traffic in the Muslim village of Hawara in Israel. The locals celebrated their crime by singing, handing out candy and shooting off fireworks in the air.

“Every day, yes! — every single day — at least 20 Jewish cars get stoned while driving through Hawara,” Shmuel Sackett, the head of a tree-planting foundation, wrote.

1,600 Israeli Jewish families have to travel the road that goes through the village. Stoning cars, he clarified, means “throwing bricks and dropping cinder blocks from rooftops.”

“Imagine a young mother with 3 children in her car, driving home from the supermarket. As she is driving, a brick comes crashing through her windshield. The shock of what happened is enough to give her a heart attack! The children start screaming, there is broken glass everywhere, but she cannot stop for help… because she’s in the middle of Hawara with a mob just waiting to finish the job.”……

           — Hat tip: Daniel Greenfield [Return to headlines]
 

Escalation Risk? Hours After USAF Drone Downed, NATO Jets Intercept Russian Planes Over Baltic

Fighter jets from the UK’s Royal Air Force and the German air force intercepted a Russian strategic tanker on Tuesday, it has been revealed, just hours after the USAF lost a drone in a confrontation with Russian jets over the Black Sea.

Eurofighter Typhoon jets from the United Kingdom and Germany assigned to the joint NATO Baltic air policing mission in northern Europe were scrambled Tuesday to intercept a Russian military aircraft near Estonia which failed to respond to Estonian air traffic control, the Ministry of Defence said Wednesday.

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

Russia Will Retrieve Wreckage of Crashed U.S. Drone, Spy Chief Claims

The U.S. Reaper drone that crashed in the Black Sea Tuesday will be recovered and studied, a Russian spy chief claims, as the two countries tousle over how exactly the unmanned aircraft was brought down.

An MQ-9 Reaper attack-reconnaissance drone crashed into the Black Sea on Tuesday morning, prompting the United States Air Force (USAF) to accuse Russia of having acted in an “environmentally unsound” manner by dumping aviation fuel onto the drone before striking its propeller, causing it to lose power and crash. Russia for their part denied having come into contact with the drone, stating it crashed by itself without their help.

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

Ukraine War: US and Russian Military Chiefs in Rare Talks After Drone Downed

WASHINGTON/KYIV, March 16 (Reuters) — Washington’s top general said the crash of a U.S. surveillance drone after being intercepted by Russian jets showed Moscow’s increasingly aggressive behaviour, while Russia warned Washington that flying drones near Crimea risked escalation.

A day after the U.S. drone went down over the Black Sea, defence ministers and military chiefs from the U.S. and Russia held rare telephone conversations on Wednesday, with relations at their lowest point in decades over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Moscow’s defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, told his U.S. counterpart, Lloyd Austin, that American drone flights by Crimea’s coast “were provocative in nature” and could lead to “an escalation … in the Black Sea zone,” a ministry statement said. Crimea is a peninsula that was part of Ukraine until Moscow annexed it by force in 2014.

Russia, the statement added “had no interest in such a development but will in future react in due proportion” and the two countries should “act with a maximum of responsibility”, including by having military lines of communication in a crisis.

           — Hat tip: Dean [Return to headlines]
 

US, Russian Military Chiefs Hold Emergency Deconfliction Call for 1st Time in Months

Update(1559ET): Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed in an afternoon press briefing that he spoke with his Russian counterpart Defense Secretary Sergei Shoigu — in the first such phone call since October — about Tuesday’s drone incident over the Black Sea.

“I just got off the phone with my Russian counterpart, Minister Shoigu,” Austin said of efforts at deconfliction, as both sides seek to underscore they’re not looking for a fight. “As I’ve said repeatedly, it’s important that great powers be models of transparency and communication, and the United States will continue to fly and to operate wherever international law allows.”

But the Kremlin has said it has restricted some additional airspace over the Black Sea while conducting its ‘special operation’ in Ukraine. Thus the stage is set for possibly another dangerous intercept encounter such as this one which resulted in the crashing of a MQ-9 Reaper drone. Both sides have said they are seeking to recover the wreckage, but it reportedly crashed in a part of the sea that’s very deep, making recovery unlikely.

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

TikTok Hires PR Firm With Biden Ties as it Faces Scrutiny

In the face of increased scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators, TikTok, owned by Beijing-based tech giant ByteDance, has hired Biden-connected consulting firm SKDK.

SKDK is a public affairs and political consulting firm that is considered the most well-connected left-leaning firm in DC.

Several top former employees at the firm now hold mid— to top-level positions in the Biden administration.

One of its co-founders, Anita Dunn, has been working as a senior adviser to the White House since last May, Politico reported.

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

Colombian Coal Mine Blast Kills 11, Search on for Survivors

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — A powerful explosion tore through a series of five coal mines interconnected by tunnels and ventilation systems in a rural area of central Colombia, killing at least 11 people and leaving 10 others missing, the government said Wednesday.

Nine other miners who got out of the complex after the blast were taken for medical examinations, and three were still being treated Wednesday evening, officials said.

President Gustavo Petro said on his Twitter account that rescuers were making every effort to reach the missing miners.

The blast, which was attributed to a build-up of methane gas, happened Tuesday night in Sutatausa, a municipality in Cundinamarca department about 75 miles (45 miles) from the capital, Bogota.

Álvaro Farfán, captain of the Cundinamarca fire department, told local media the explosion affected five mines interconnected by tunnels, generating a “chain” blast with a wide impact.

Petro said 11 miners had been confirmed dead. Energy and Mines Minister Irene Vélez said 10 people were unaccounted for.

           — Hat tip: LP [Return to headlines]
 

Second Group of Prisoners Transferred to El Salvador Mega-Jail

A second group of 2,000 inmates were moved on Wednesday amid tight security to a new prison built in El Salvador to accommodate more than 40,000 suspected gangsters targeted in President Nayib Bukele’s “war” on crime.

“In a new operation we transferred the second group of 2,000 gangsters to the Center for the Confinement of Terrorism (CECOT),” Bukele said on Twitter.

The president published a video of heavily tattooed barefoot men in white shorts with their heads bowed and hands cuffed behind their backs being hurriedly moved around and loaded onto buses.

Bukele has boasted that the new facility is the largest mega-prison in the Americas, but rights groups have criticized it over its severe conditions.

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

France: Illegal Migrant With Deportation Order Gets 32nd Criminal Conviction

A Turkish national with an existing order to leave France has been convicted of a crime for the 32nd time after stealing a chequebook and using it to obtain cash.

The latest conviction for 51-year-old Sehin Cetinoglu related to crimes he committed in 2018 when, in financial difficulty, he stole a chequebook to obtain money illegally when he was unable to find a job, leading to complaints from at least nine different victims.

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

Swedish Court Protects Identity of Migrant Suspected of Killing Women in Arson Attack

The identity of a foreign man suspected of killing two women in a residential arson attack is being hidden by a court in Sweden, according to reports.

On March 4, an apartment in the Stockholm suburb of Alby was torched by a suspect who poured flammable liquid through the mail slot.

A woman in her 50s and an 18-year-old female died in the fire, while three males survived.

A suspect was detained following the blaze but the Södertörn district court is keeping a tight lid on details about the case, Samnytt reports.

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

Vermont City Hit With Lawsuit to Block Foreign Nationals Voting in Local Elections

Republicans have filed a lawsuit against a city in Vermont to block the local ordinance from allowing foreign nationals to vote in municipal elections.

The small city of Winooski began allowing foreign nationals the ability to vote in local elections last year.

The move includes elections for the mayor, city officials, and school board races.

Now, the Vermont Republican Party, the Republican National Committee (RNC), and two residents have filed suit against the city of Winooski.

The lawsuit charges that it is illegal for foreign nationals to vote in local elections.

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

Canada: Pastor Says Drag Storytime Damages Children, Library Says it’s About Respect

While a Calgary pastor says drag storytime events are indoctrination, supporters say the events are one of many programs offered with the goal of diverse learning experiences.

Pastor Derek Reimer — who was arrested this month for disrupting a drag storytime — told True North he is compelled to be assertive in protesting the events because he feels children are being indoctrinated.

“If adults want to engage in the adult entertainment of drag, that’s their decision. They’re consenting adults,” Reimer told True North. “Although when you involve a little child, now that’s the innocent.”

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

DeSantis Reaches Limit, Strips Miami Hotel of Liquor License for Hosting Sexual Drag Show for Children

Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis followed through on a promise and will strip the Hyatt Regency Miami of its liquor license for hosting a sexually explicit drag show with children in attendance.

Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation is “revoking the venue’s license for the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages.”

“Exposing children to sexually explicit activity is a crime in Florida and such action violates the Department’s licensing standards for operating a business and holding a liquor license,” the department said.

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

France: Transgender Prostitute Invited by Paris Mayor Films Sex Act in City Hall Toilets

A transgender adult performer and prostitute allegedly filmed themselves performing sexual services in the toilets of Paris City Hall after being invited there as part of an event by leftist Mayor Anne Hidalgo.

Transgender performer and prostitute “Icy Diamond” was invited to Paris City Hall by Mayor Anne Hidalgo, and made a post on Instagram saying, “How I managed to transform Paris City Hall into a giant strip club & brothel… Freedom guiding the people in the midst of the gold of the Republic. Thanks who? Thank you @annehidalgo for the invitation,” they added.

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

It’s Everywhere

An animated Netflix show aimed at pre-school children features a plot where a cartoon bison comes out as “non-binary” and wants others to use the pronouns “they/them”.

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

Jamie Lee Curtis Declares Her Oscars Award Has ‘Woke’ Pronouns in Honor of Transgender Son

Jamie Lee Curtis has declared that she is using “woke” pronouns to refer to her new Oscars award trophy.

In a confusing disregard for the English language, the Hollywood actress says she is using the plural pronouns “they/them” to refer to the single trophy.

Curtis said she is using the illogical pronouns for her award to honor her 27-year-old son who claims to be a “transgender woman.”

The actress recently won the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for her role in “Everything Everywhere All At Once.”

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

Megyn Kelly Slams ‘Woke, Weak, White Woman’ Drew Barrymore for Kneeling Before Trans Activist Dylan Mulvaney and Demands to Know ‘Where Are the Strong Women?’

Megyn Kelly slammed Drew Barrymore after she kneeled in front of Dylan Mulvaney, a trans activist who has been accused by some of trivializing womanhood with her online persona.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Protesters Descend on Florida Capitol Criticizing DeSantis, GOP for Anti-Trans Bill: ‘Erasing Trans Babies!’

Members of LGBTQ group “Equality Florida,” and other leftwing activist groups and Democratic state lawmakers turned out at the Florida capitol recently to protest GOP-sponsored bills restricting minors’ access to sex change therapies and surgeries.

In a viral moment from the protest, Democratic Florida Rep. Anna Eskamani told a raucous pro-LGBTQ crowd that through the bill, the GOP is “erasing our trans babies!”

The protests at the Florida capitol in Tallahassee Monday were part of the “Pride at the Capitol” event, organized to oppose Senate Bill 254, a legislative proposal limiting the access minors have to sex reassignment treatment.

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

Signature Bank Gave Lecture on Gender Pronouns 6 Months Before Collapse

Six months before its collapse, Signature Bank chairman Scott Shay hosted a “know your pronouns” company seminar during which employers were lectured on how to pronounce “gender-neutral pronouns” such as “Ze” and “Hir”.

Maybe they should have been concentrating on more important matters.

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

Students at Prestigious All-Women’s Wellesley College Vote to Admit Trans Men, Nonbinary Students

Students at a university that has historically served women voted in favor of allowing biological women who now identify as men.

The official website for Wellesley College noted that the institution “was founded in 1870 by Henry and Pauline Durant, who were passionate about the higher education of women.” However, the university held a vote on Tuesday over a nonbinding call to allow applications from biological females who now identify as male, as well as calling for less gendered language in school materials.

This will allegedly not change school policy so much as be a declaration of the student population’s sentiment.

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

Whopper: Biden Lies About Supporting Gay Marriage Since the 1950s

In an interview Tuesday, Joe Biden told perhaps the biggest whopper of a lie to date, claiming that he has actively supported gay marriage since 1959.

Biden told the actor playing an interviewer on The Daily Show that he had an “epiphany” over 60 years ago when he was witness to “two well-dressed men in suits kissing.”

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

5 thoughts on “Gates of Vienna News Feed 3/15/2023

  1. .
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    You, we, will all die prematurely – just prepare yourselves

    Heil MONSANTO
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    MARS 15, 2023

    Liver Disease, Alzheimer’s, Robot Bees + Cannibal Hamsters

    https://live.childrenshealthdefense.org/chd-tv/shows/good-morning-chd/liver-disease-alzheimers-robot-bees–cannibal-hamsters/

    Conventional farming — is it really that dangerous? From healthier soil and better yields to studies on glyphosate in the food supply and exposure to chemical sprays — should we be asking ourselves if there is a better way? Zen Honeycutt looks deeper into the research and success stories of implementing organic, regenerative agriculture into a toxin-heavy ecosystem and why it all matters. Tune in to ‘Good Morning CHD’ to hear the latest from Zen and her guests.

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Please also take an interest in the following:

    Dr. David Martin on the lab leak and who is to blame

    https://plandemicseries.com/davidmartin/

  2. .
    .

    The next pandemic is being prepared

    The WHO calls and declares a “health emergency”, and we take action.

    By Lars Hedegaard / snaphanen.dk

    Many are hopeful as the truth about the so-called vaccines – not to mention the gag orders and lockdowns – slowly trickles out. It is also possible that the covid panic will subside and the accompanying draconian – and unnecessary – interference with civil liberties will be forgotten.

    Perhaps some of the victims of the spraying will receive an apology and compensation.

    But new interventions are already underway. The World Health Organization (WHO) is working on plans for an ‘international health agreement’, which will be adopted if a simple majority of member states vote for it. This is planned for 2024.

    The aim of the ‘health agreement’ is for the WHO to take over the management of future pandemics, bypassing Member States.

    The WHO will therefore be able to impose measures on Member States without having to go through national legislation. The WHO calls and declares a “health crisis” and we act.

    In a commentary in the newspaper Nordjyske, medical specialists Claus Hancke and Kim Varming, among others, warn of the consequences if the WHO, for example, requires everyone to have a vaccine passport.

    This would be a violation of basic civil rights, as it would force people to present their health data to “a random official, train inspector or at the check-in for a flight”, they write.

    “If such a vaccine passport is also controlled by the WHO, then the government has de facto ceded sovereignty in the context of basic civil rights, and then it may ultimately be the WHO that imposes lockdowns, masking orders, isolation, quarantine, forced vaccination and mandatory vaccine passports.
    And it will be the WHO that decides whether we can invite guests, go to the movies or to a festival.”

    So much for the two doctors.

    The next pandemic could play out as follows: The big pharmaceutical companies develop a miracle vaccine and then get the Wuhan laboratory to construct a virus that matches the vaccine.

    The virus spreads ‘accidentally’ and Bill Gates and the Chinese Communist Party get the WHO to declare a state of emergency.

    The manufacturers make big money, while Western economies are pushed further to the limit and China quickly becomes the world’s dominant power.

    As we know, the WHO is controlled by Bill Gates and the Chinese Communists, so this scenario is far from unlikely.

  3. .
    .

    Llatest Rasmus Paludan lustifications

    Part 1 of 2

    Paludan on Wagner allegations:

    “A propaganda thing from TV4″~.

    Published 2023-03-16

    Danish-Swedish politician Rasmus Paludan is accused by TV4 of collusion with the Wagner group. The reason is that they found an account on the Russian social media site VKontakte that they suspect belongs to Paludan and that has “friends” allegedly belonging to the notorious Russian private army.

    – “It’s a propaganda thing from TV4, they know it’s not true,” Paludan told Samnytt.

    He lives under death threats from Islamists, is loathed by both left-wing activists and liberals, is hunted by Swedish police for blaspheming Islam, is threatened by Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov, is accused of sabotaging Sweden’s NATO process, is condemned by Russia’s foreign ministry and now the state-owned TV4 is also after him.

    Rasmus Paludan, who leads the equally Danish-Swedish Stram Kurs party, has managed to gather a seemingly diverse group of enemies who have found at least one common denominator in him.

    Accused of Wagner links
    The latest accusation against the Danish-Swedish politician and opinion leader concerns a now closed account on the Russian social media platform VKontakte (VK).

    TV4 has seen a list of “8 000 men who are believed to belong to the Wagner group or the militias that are fully or partially under Wagner’s control”. Six of them are said to be friends with an account on VK allegedly belonging to Rasmus Paludan. The VK account was closed in 2018, four years before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

    READ ALSO: Russia’s call to Ukraine:
    “You are almost surrounded”.

    The state-owned TV channel claims that the six mysterious men on VK fought for Russia in Ukraine, or had other missions for the Wagner group. One of them is identified as a recruiter.

    “No idea”
    Paludan makes no secret of the fact that he previously had an account on VK, but is skeptical of TV4’s claims that it is his account they have found.

    – “I have no idea. I can’t rule it out 100 percent, he says to Samnytt, but says that there are circumstances that indicate that it is not.

    – It may very well not be my account. They say that the account controls a Stram Kurs page on VK, but I have never controlled any such page on VK.

    He says he can no longer access the account, which was closed five years ago.

    – “But Stram Kurs has never had a page on VK,” Paludan stresses.

    “Carolina Putin”
    Paludan points out that it is easy to create fake accounts in other people’s names on the internet, and that he himself has been affected several times.

    – “There are many people who claim to be me,” he says.

    – “I can’t prevent others from creating accounts in my name or in the name of Stram kurs. There are five or ten different Stram Kurs accounts on Twitter, and I have nothing to do with any of them.

    Paludan believes that TV4 may have found one of the social media accounts belonging to Carolina Sabour, a woman who calls herself “Carolina Putin” on social media. She has previously used Rasmus Paludan’s name on social media profiles.

    – “She has been claiming for several years that she is the chairman of Stram Kurs in Sweden,” he says, laughing ruefully.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

  4. .
    .
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    part 2

    Facebook/Facsimile:
    Suspended from Facebook
    Rasmus Paludan explains that he created a VK account after being suspended from Facebook several times. He was tipped off about the site and saw it as an alternative way for politicians and opinion leaders to reach out to people.

    – “But there were very few Swedes and Danes there. It was mostly Russians,” he says, adding that he therefore stopped using the platform.

    Paludan says that if it is his closed account that TV4 found, there may be a logical explanation for the presence of shady Russians on his friends list.

    – “When I was at VK, there were a lot of people asking to be friends. It’s difficult to check what kind of people are asking to be friends with you. We as politicians have an interest in having contact with people to get our message across,” he says, adding:

    – “If you go through the 5000 friends I have on my Facebook account, you can certainly find shady people there too.

    “They just want to paint a black picture”
    In any case, Rasmus Paludan denies collusion with the Russians that TV4 accuses him of.

    – “I don’t remember everyone I write with in Denmark or Sweden, but I would remember if I ever wrote with Russians. The only thing I remember is that I wrote to a guy who lived in Siberia,” he says.

    Paludan says the person contacted him and told him which city he lived in and Paludan politely replied that he lived in Denmark.

    READ ALSO: Authorities:
    Putin’s propaganda makes Swedes xenophobic

    – “It was a very short conversation,” he said.

    Paludan even claims that TV4 is deliberately spreading false claims about him.

    – “It’s a propaganda thing from TV4. They know it’s not true,” he says, adding:

    – “They are not so interested in the truth. They just want to make me look bad.

    Blue-white-red tie
    In the more conspiratorial part of the Nafo community, the TV4 report is being used as a pretext for claiming that Paludan is yet another Westerner working for the Russian regime. Some point out that the blue-white-red tie Paludan wears when he is interviewed is in itself proof of this.

    Reactions from the Nafo conspiracy community. Facsimile
    – I haven’t thought about that. It was a coincidence that the tie was on display that day,” says Paludan, commenting on the tie.

    – “It has nothing to do with Russia. It’s just a tie I like. I’ve had it and many other ties before. I usually wear a different one every day.

    He then repeats again that he has nothing to do with Russia.

    – “I have also demonstrated and burned a Koran outside the Russian residence in Copenhagen. I’ve been threatened by the Chechen MMA fighter Khamzat Chimaev, who lives in Sweden now, and by the Chechen dictator Kadyrov. The Russian Foreign Ministry has distanced itself from me,” Paludan points out.

    Wrong to blame Russians
    While Paludan denies the alleged Russian links and says he has not had any contact with Russians, he points out that having Russian friends is not in itself wrong.

    – “Being friends with Russians today is about the same as being friends with Jews in 1930s Germany,” he says.

    – “It’s not as if all Russians are responsible for Putin’s policies? “I’m Danish and Swedish, but I don’t think I’m responsible for Ulf Kristersson’s, Magdalena Andersson’s or Mette Frederiksen’s policies. The fact that there are prime ministers or others who are lunatics doesn’t mean that all the inhabitants of that country are evil people.

    Regarding the war in Ukraine, Paludan believes that both sides are to blame for the conflict. He believes that it is due to a failed attempt to hold a multi-ethnic state together.

    – “I think it’s wrong that Russia attacked Ukraine, because you shouldn’t do that. I think it’s wrong that Ukraine behaved badly towards the Russian minority in Donbass, which is why things turned out the way they did,” he says.

    – “I’m an ethno-nationalist, so I think you should have a mono-ethnic state. I know from all of world history that it always goes badly when different ethnic groups live in the same place. This is exactly what you see in the Donbass region. When Ukrainians and Russians live in the same place, things go very badly.

    Does not want to help Ukraine
    Paludan finds the Wagner group “disgusting” and compares the actions of the Russian army to the Stalin era. He also thinks that the unconditional support for Ukraine should be questioned.

    – “To say that Zelenskyj is Mother Teresa and that Ukrainian soldiers never do anything wrong is perhaps a bit too optimistic,” he says.

    Paludan emphasizes, again, that he is not “pro-Russia”, but that he still does not believe in sending weapons to the war.

    – “If you give money to Ukraine or Russia so they can fight more, then you are helping to kill people. So what the West, including Denmark and Sweden, is doing is giving money so that people get killed.

    So you think it’s wrong to help Ukraine?

    – And Russia. I don’t think you should help anyone. It just leads to more killing. I don’t know if people realize that the money goes to killing Russians. That’s the whole point. I think life is important, and helping to kill Russian boys is not good either.

    Isn’t it about helping Ukraine to resist Russian aggression?

    – If it were the case that you always had that rule, that you always helped the victim of aggression. But it is obvious that they do not. On the contrary, they have been aggressors themselves, such as when NATO attacked Serbia in 1999. So there is a double standard here.

    – And there will be no less war if many people get involved in the war. Then there will be more war. I’m a bit cynical, because Russia will never give up and the more weapons you send to Ukraine, the more people will be killed,” says Rasmus Paludan.

    About NAFO
    Nafo (North Atlantic Fellas Organization), which alludes to the name of the NATO military alliance, is an online movement that aims to counter Russian propaganda and disinformation in relation to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The target of the “cyber warfare” is mainly social media users in the Western world.

    The NAFO community often uses memes to spread its own propaganda and disinformation. In August 2022, The Economist described the NAFO movement as a “remarkably successful form of information warfare”.

    READ ALSO: Rasmus Paludan:
    “Malmö police is an Islamized garbage dump”.

    Author of the text
    Mattias Albinsson

  5. US drone had the transponder switched off to avoid detection. Russians say they didn’t touch it, it just fell into sea. Maybe US didn’t want it captured? Maybe Russians have an EMP mounted on their plane to disable enemies in flight. I have seen the EMP “guns” they use in Ukraine to disable drones while in the air. It is like a ray gun and does work. Watch the videos on bitchute.
    Scary if they can make aircraft drop out of the sky.

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