Finland officially became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization today. Russia responded by saying that there would be serious consequences if NATO stationed any military assets on Finland’s border with Russia.
In other news, at his arraignment in New York, Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Dean, DV, JW, LP, Reader from Chicago, Roger, SS, 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.
After NPR’s Major Layoff, Employees Accuse CEO of Racism
In 2023, there are few pleasures like watching leftist media platforms suffer from declining revenue, then painful layoffs and, finally, a delightful crescendo of knee-jerk accusations of racism.
That’s exactly what’s been playing out at NPR. Last week, looking down the barrel of a $30 million budget shortfall, NPR slashed 10% of its staff across all its departments.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Customers of failed home builder Porter Davis were further enraged after they could not log into an information session about their unfinished properties where many learnt they would lose their deposits.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
JPMorgan CEO Warns Banking Crisis ‘Not Over Yet’: ‘There Will be Repercussions for Years to Come’
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has warned that America is facing “unprecedented” risks from the current economic climate and cautioned that the banking crisis “is not over yet.”
In last year’s letter to investors, Dimon correctly forecasted the risks from the combination of inflation, war, and Covid fallout.
In his latest letter, Dimon offers a grim prediction moving forward.
Fearing an “overreaction” by regulators, Dimon says the banking crisis “is not over yet” and warns that “there will be repercussions from it for years to come.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Foreign students who flock back into Australia are greeted by one of the toughest rental markets in decades, with housing in short supply and prices through the roof.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
“Scum of the Earth”: Alex Stein Confronts CNN Outside Trump Tower
Conservative activist Alex Stein welcomed CNN to Trump Tower in preparation for Donald Trump’s arraignment by calling them “scum of the earth”.
The BlazeTV host joined the circus in New York where Trump arrived before he heads to a Manhattan courthouse later today after being indicted by Democrat DA Alvin Bragg.
“You guys won’t even cover the real truth, you guys are a bunch of liars and a bunch of frauds,” Stein told the journalists gathered to cover the story.
“You guys are the real scum of the earth,” he added, while repeatedly informing them that “Hunter Biden is a crackhead” and that his laptop was real.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Authored by Samantha Flom and Eva Fu via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours)
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) joined supporters of former President Donald Trump in New York on April 4 to protest his indictment.
“I came to your state to peacefully protest against the persecution of an innocent man,” Greene told a crowd of protesters at Collect Pond Park just hours before Trump was scheduled to be arraigned across the street. “Not just any man—this is the former president of the United States of America, and the government has been weaponized against him.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
2 Georgia Men Killed After Electrocution, Explosion During Robbery at Power Substation, Police Say
The two men were attempting to steal copper wire and other electrical components, police said.
GAINESVILLE, Ga. — Two Georgia men are dead after attempting to steal copper wire from a power substation, Gainesville police told CBS News.
The men have been identified as Shane Joseph Long, 45, and Christopher Blair Wood, 44.
Police responded to the power station after getting a call from someone at a nearby business saying there was an explosion, CBS News reported. Both firefighters and police made their way to the explosion where they found the two men dead.
An investigation revealed the two men were thieves attempting to steal copper wire and other electrical components, police said.
Lieutenant Kevin Holbrook told CBS News that one of the men was killed by electrocution and the other man could have been killed by the transformer explosion.
Autopsies are still being conducted to determine the cause of death.
| — Hat tip: Roger | [Return to headlines] |
Accomplished Prosecutor: ‘Silent Majority’ of New York Lawyers Oppose Trump Charges, Alvin Bragg
Joseph diGenova, an accomplished federal prosecutor who led investigations of major political figures, said Tuesday evening he believes a majority of lawyers and judges in New York oppose Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his effort to indict former President Donald Trump.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Legal scholar Alan Dershowitz has put Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his get-Trump allies on notice with a warning about the case against the 45th president.
Dershowitz warned that if Trump gets hit with a gag order, he would personally step in and defend him.
The Harvard Law School professor said he’s prepared to take the case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court if Bragg and his team attempt to prevent Trump from publicly defending himself.
He also warned Bragg that the leaker in his office may have committed a felony.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
During Trump’s arraignment on Tuesday, Judge Juan Merchan told Trump’s defense team that their client should cease making “statements that are likely to incite violence and civil unrest.”
Morgan McKay, a reporter for Fox 5, was present in the courtroom during Trump’s arraignment and spoke about the statement made by the judge.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Roy McGrath, the fugitive ex-chief of staff for former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, died of a gunshot wound at a Tennessee hospital Monday night after a confrontation with FBI agents.
His attorney Joseph Murtha said in a statement, “It is a tragic ending to the past three weeks of uncertainty. I think it is important for me to stress that Roy never waivered about his innocence.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: Nashville Police Find Trans School Shooter’s Suicide Note — Refuse to Release Details
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department reportedly found a suicide note left by trans-identifying school shooter Audrey Hale during their search of the now deceased assailant’s home.
While authorities have confirmed that the note exists, its contents have not disclosed what it contains.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: Biden Sends Ukraine $500 Million More in Arms
The US Department of Defense (DoD) recently announced that it will be providing Ukraine with “critical new security assistance,” including “the authorization of a Presidential Drawdown of security assistance with more ammunition for US-provided HIMARS, air defense interceptors, and artillery rounds” that Ukraine is apparently using to defend itself against Russia.
The DoD is also equipping Kyiv with “anti-armor systems, small arms, heavy equipment transport vehicles, and maintenance support,” all of which is reportedly valued at up to $500 million, per a report.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s website has deleted its “Meet Our Team” page, including the profile of chief assistant district attorney Meg Reiss, ahead of the arraignment.
The bio for Chief Assistant District Attorney Reiss was removed.
Reiss was brought into Bragg’s office in January 2022, subscribes to Critical Race Theory ideas, and believes in soft-on-crime reforms to the criminal justice system
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Daughter of Judge Overseeing Trump Case Works With Biden-Harris Campaign
The judge overseeing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s politically motivated case against President Donald Trump has some questionable ties to the Democrat White House.
New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan is presiding over Bragg’s get-Trump case.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Independent Journalist Attacked by CBS Crew Member Outside Trump Arraignment in NYC
Independent journalist Oren Levy was attacked by a sound man for CBS News outside Donald Trump’s arraignment in New York City Tuesday.
Levy is a photojournalist who often tweets viral clips under the handle @ViralNewsNYC
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
JPMorgan Execs Joked About Jeffrey Epstein’s Pedophilia: USVI
Emails obtained by the US Virgin Islands reveal that JPMorgan executives joked about Jeffrey Epstein’s pedophilia while the disgraced financier was a client of the bank, according to claims made in a new court filing.
In an amended complaint filed in New York on Monday, the US Virgin Islands said that Epstein’s behavior “was so widely known at JPMorgan that senior executives joked about Epstein’s interest in young girls,” the Financial Times reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Kari Lake Suit Shows That Maricopa County Ballot Shenanigans Abound
There have been two smashing revelations in the Maricopa County, Ariz., 2022 election clown show that you won’t hear about on the commie news network (CNN).
Kari Lake, the GOP candidate in the 2022 gubernatorial race, was granted the right by a court to prove there were ballot signatures that did not match, but the court wouldn’t let her verify them. She succeeded anyway.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
LA County Jails Are Overcrowded. “Let’s Just Cut Them Loose”
There are more than a few stories about problems with law enforcement in California making the rounds lately. This one is a tale of something that didn’t wind up happening, but it was close. Despite the number of criminals who are ignored or quickly released in Los Angeles County, the police there have still managed to arrest enough suspects to lead to some crowded conditions in the county’s jails. But rather than funding the construction of new jails or shifting some prisoners around to other facilities, Los Angeles County Supervisors Lindsey Horvarth and Hilda Solis came up with a different idea. They wanted the county to “declare the state of mental health services and overcrowding in the Los Angeles County jails a humanitarian crisis.” Their solution? To “depopulate” the jails, of course. But when word of the plan went public, the ensuing outrage caused them to scrap the idea. (CBS Los Angeles)
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Lawmakers Will Meet With California CEOs to Discuss Their Complicated Relationship With China
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is heading to California this week to meet with tech and entertainment CEOs to talk about China policy. A delegation from the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party under the leadership of Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.), is set to talk with Disney CEO Bob Iger, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and others about the complicated relationship that U.S. corporations have with China.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Leaked FBI Chat Logs Confirm Agents Spied on Proud Boys Defendant’s Communications With Attorney
Leaked chat logs from FBI Special Agent Nicole Miller obtained by the New York Times confirm the FBI spied on communications between a Proud Boy defendant and his lawyer, worked on a “never-filed conspiracy indictment” targeting Nick Fuentes and Baked Alaska, laughed at a defendant’s personal misfortunes and bragged about “dismantling things” at the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A Seattle man has been arrested for making over 20 “swatting” calls across the United States and Canada, which prompted real emergency responses to fake reports of shootings, bombs or other threats.
Using VOIP to conceal his identity, 20-year-old Ashton Connor Garcia of Bremerton broadcast his calls over Discord for entertainment, according to federal prosecutors, which have slapped him with 10 felony counts filed in the US District Court in Tacoma, Washington.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Millennial CEO Accused of Tricking JPMorgan Into $175 Million Purchase Charged With Fraud
The 30-year-old founder of a college financial planning website accused of fabricating nearly 4 million user accounts before selling it to JPMorgan for $175 million has been charged with fraud.
Founded in 2016 by CEO Charlie Javice, the company, ‘Frank,’ offered software to help young Americans obtain financial aid in what Javice framed as “an Amazon for higher education,” and had the backing of billionaire Marc Rowan — the company’s lead investor. JPMorgan touted the Sept. 2021 deal as giving it the “fastest-growing college financial planning platform” used by over 5 million students at 6,000 institutions.
The 31-year-old Javice was charged by Manhattan federal prosecutors on Tuesday with one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, one count of wire fraud, one count of wire fraud affecting a financial institution, and one count of bank fraud according to Bloomberg.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Nashville police reportedly release list of 47 items found at Covenant School shooter Audrey Hale’s home
The transgender shooting suspect accused of killing three young children and three adults at a Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee, last week reportedly hoarded a suicide note, weapons and ammunition at home, according to a report Tuesday.
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department recently released a list of 47 items found by officers conducting a search warrant at Audrey Hale’s home, NBC News reported.
Those items reportedly included several journals, a shotgun, cellphones and laptops, as well as folders and journals with notes on firearms courses and school shootings.
According to the outlet, police said officers also found a school photo and five yearbooks from The Covenant School.
| — Hat tip: DV | [Return to headlines] |
Ninth Circuit Orders Stormy Daniels Pay Trump $121,972.56 in Attorney Fees
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday ordered that Stormy Daniels pay an additional $121,972.56 to former President Donald Trump to cover legal fees stemming from her suit against him.
“The court awarded attorneys’ fees to appellee Donald J. Trump under the Texas Citizens Participation Act,” reads the order. “The court referred to the appellate commissioner the determination of an appropriate amount.” Trump had requested the exact amount the court awarded for 183.35 hours of work by Harder LLP and the Dhillon Law Group.
Trump’s son Eric announced the order via Twitter, saying “BREAKING!!! the 9th Circuit just awarded Trump $121,962.56 in attorney fees from Stormy Daniels. Order just released. This in addition to the roughly $500k she already owes him.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Over 100M Americans May Now Have ‘Seriously Damaged’ Hearts, Top Cardiologist Warns
A leading American cardiologist has warned that over 100 million Americans may now have “seriously damaged” hearts after receiving mRNA shots.
According to Dr. Thomas Levy, Covid vaccines are causing heart injury in at least 2.8% of people who receive the injections.
Levy warns that at least 7 million Americans now have hearts that have been “seriously damaged” by the shots.
However, the top cardiologist says he fears over 100 million people in America have some degree of heart damage from the injections. He asserts that the injuries are not myocarditis but heart damage that will be detectable with a troponin test.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Portland is a Schmidt Show’ Advert Angers Antifa
On Monday, advocacy group People for Portland revealed that they had set up a giant billboard in downtown attacking failed District Attorney Mike Schmidt.
After posting about the billboard on Twitter, a number of Antifa accounts threatened to deface or even destroy it.
The billboard, which is nearly the size of a four-story building, was erected at the corner of Washington Street & Southwest 2nd Avenue.
It depicts Schmidt below a list of his “accomplishments,” including record crime, fewer prosecutions, and empty jail beds. The focal point of the advertisement, however, is the catchphrase, “Portland is a Schmidt Show!”
“Welcome to the Schmidt Show,” People for Portland tweeted. “Now we need you to take action.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Prank YouTuber Identified as Dulles Mall Shooting Victim: Reports
A 21-year-old YouTuber was shot in the stomach while recording a prank video on Sunday, according to a report from WUSA9.
LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — A prank YouTuber has been identified as the victim in Sunday’s shooting at the Dulles Town Center mall, according to a report from WUSA9.
The victim, Tanner Cook, is a 21-year-old who creates content for the “Classified Goons” YouTube channel. On Monday, Cook was still receiving treatment in an area intensive care unit. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition after he was shot in the stomach while recording a video.
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office told Patch that they were aware of the victim’s social media presence, but officials could not provide further information due to privacy concerns.
A suspect, 31-year-old Alan Colie of Leesburg, was arrested at the scene. He was charged with aggravated malicious wounding, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and discharging a firearm within a building, according to police.
If convicted of all charges, Colie could face up to 33 years in prison, based on Virginia’s sentencing guidelines.
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
President of Largest Teacher Union Declares Racial, Social Justice a ‘Pillar’ of Educators’ Efforts
The president of the largest teacher union in the country said on a panel last week that racial and social justice are a “pillar” of the union’s efforts.
“Here we are. In the aftermath of Jan 6. Here we are. Looking at rights being taken away from union members, educators, workers, students. The right to learn; the freedom to teach. Right here in our country—in Florida and Texas” Becky Pringle, the president of the National Education Association said at the “Summit for Democracy” event on March 28th.
The summit was co-hosted by the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Agency for International Development.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
See it: Chaos as Dueling Protests Rage Outside New York City Courthouse During Trump’s Arraignment
Opposing protests erupted outside the Manhattan courthouse where Donald Trump was arraigned Tuesday afternoon.
“The indictment is just the first step,” said Lisa, who wore a hoodie with the words “arrest Trump.” “We hope it’s also the first step to many more indictments and many more criminal prosecutions.”
But Dennis from Staten Island said that the indictment is just an attempt to silence Trump.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sen. Ron Johnson Calls for Public Pressure to Release Redacted Fauci Emails
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), on March 22, confronted the Biden administration’s Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra about his department’s clear dragging of feet when it comes to uncovering COVID-19’s likely lab origin.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Study Shows How A.I. Can Accurately Predict How People Vote in Elections
A recent experiment from a research team at BYU examined the ways in which artificial intelligence can predict how different demographics will vote in elections.
The study — conducted by a team of political and computer science professors and graduate students at BYU — examined ways in which AI could be used as a substitute for human responders in survey-style research.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tennessee Republicans Looking to Expel 3 Democrats for Demonstrating on House Floor for Gun Control
The Tennessee House of Representatives was in an uproar on Monday night when Republicans sought to expel three Democrats who had interrupted House proceedings last Thursday by marching to the front of the House and leading the gallery in pro-gun control chants.
Speaking without being recognized is a breach of chamber rules, and Reps. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) and Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) along with Rep. Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) were under fire for “disorderly behavior” that some Republicans were referring to as an “insurrection.”
House Speaker Cameron Sexton stripped Reps. Jones and Johnson of their committee assignments before the full House voted for three resolutions to expel the Democrats because they “did knowingly and intentionally bring disorder and dishonor to the House of Representatives through their individual and collective actions.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Calls for Indictment of DA Bragg, Claiming He Leaked Charges Illegally
Former President Donald Trump on Monday accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of illegally leaking the details of the charges Trump will face at his Tuesday arraignment.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Pleads Not Guilty to 34 Counts
Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records and conspiracy related to his alleged role in hush money payments to two women.
Trump, the first former president to ever face criminal charges, is expected to be released on his own recognizance.
Judge Juan Merchan unsealed the indictment in the brief proceeding, according to multiple reports, but details about the charges are still uncertain.
The charges are related to a hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy playmate Karen McDougal ahead of the 2016 election.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Says After Arraignment: ‘This Fake Case Was Brought Only to Interfere’ With My 2024 Campaign
In his first speech since his arraignment on Tuesday, former President Trump said the only crime he’s ever committed is “fearlessly” defending the U.S.
Trump left New York City after the arraignment for his home at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach.
“I never thought anything like this could happen in America,” Trump said. “The only crime I’ve committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it.”
Trump, a 2024 GOP presidential candidate, said the Democrats have been attacking him from day one, naming the Russia collusion probe, two impeachment’s and the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago.
He also said the Democrats and their allies in the media buried the Hunter Biden laptop story during the 2020 election. Trump told the audience that he would have won re-election if the story was not suppressed. He said the FBI knew all along the laptop was legitimate and not Russian disinformation.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump’s Former Aides Must Testify in Jan 6 Probe: Appeals Court
Former President Donald Trump has lost an Appeals Court ruling in DC that will inevitably have consequences in the Jan 6 probe. This happened just moments before he traveled to a Manhattan courthouse to face arrest, per the Daily Mail.
The ruling, determined by a panel of three judges, is sure to have consequences, including requiring former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and other top aides from Trump’s presidency to testify. This is just the latest in a whirlwind of accusations and investigations surrounding the former president.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Video: Former Anti-Trump FBI Agent Claims GOP Criticism of FBI Will Lead to Violence
Peter Strzok, the former FBI agent who was fired after it was revealed he was a virulent anti-Trumper while investigating alleged collusion between Trump’s campaign and Russia, has claimed that criticism of the FBI by Republicans will cause violence.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Walmart Expects 65% of Stores to be Serviced by Automation in 2026
Walmart said on Tuesday it expects around 65% of its stores to be serviced by automation by the fiscal year 2026.
In a press release, the U.S. retail giant said around 55% of packages that it processes through its fulfillment centers will be moved to automated facilities and unit cost average could improve by around 20%.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Women’s College Basketball Star Tells Jill Biden to Pound Sand: ‘a Joke’
LSU star basketball player Angel Reese told Jill Biden to pound sand after the first lady invited the second-place team to the White House alongside the champions.
Biden wanted the 2nd place Iowa women’s basketball team to be invited to the White House in addition to national title winner LSU.
“I know we’ll have the champions come to the White House; we always do,” the first lady said.
“So, we hope LSU will come.
“But, you know, I’m going to tell Joe I think Iowa should come too because they played such a good game.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
YouTube Suspends Pro-Trump Network on Eve of President Trump’s Arraignment
YouTube has suspended the channel of Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN) for allegedly violating its election misinformation policies. The 7-day ban came a day before Donald Trump’s arraignment in Manhattan, and the network’s coverage of the arraignment.
RSBN is an independent media organization founded in 2015, primarily focused on providing conservative news coverage and commentary in the United States.
The network gained prominence during the 2016 presidential campaign by live-streaming Donald Trump’s rallies and events. Since then, the network has continued to cover conservative political events, speeches, and interviews, while also providing analysis and opinion on relevant topics.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“There Was No Real Emergency,” Court Hears Legal Challenge to Emergencies Act
Civil liberties groups appeared in federal court today to challenge the government’s use of the Emergencies Act to quell the Freedom Convoy protests under lack of evidence of a serious threat or grounds to invoke the Act.
“What threats of violence did they actually make?” said Steven Sofer from the Canadian Civil Liberties Association, whose challenge against the Emergencies Act is being heard alongside the Canadian Constitution Foundation’s. “The presence of jerry cans does not constitute a fire hazard and honking horns is not violence.”
“We had no serious injuries and no serious threats according to CSIS.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Jyoti Gondek Walks Away When Grilled About Voting to Defund Police
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek walked away from the podium after a journalist asked her about supporting the defund the police movement as violent stabbings have prompted growing concerns over public safety.
The Counter Signal’s Keean Bexte questioned Gondek over her past commitments to defunding the police after she announced a new action plan for transit safety after two women were stabbed last week.
In 2021, while still a Ward 3 Councillor, Gondek and eight other members of Calgary City Council voted to defund the Calgary Police Service by $20 million.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Most Provinces Saw Decline in Police Officers Last Year
Statistics Canada data shows that every province except Manitoba and Quebec saw a decline in the number of police officers.
According to the organization’s Police personnel and expenditures in Canada, 2022 data police strength across Canada declined in comparison to last year.
“As of May 15, 2022 there were 70,566 police officers in Canada, 406 more than in 2021. This represents a rate of police strength of 181 officers per 100,000 population, a decrease from 2201.”
Broken down even further, every province saw their police forces decline by up to 3%.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Smith Wants More Police Officers to Stem Rising Crime in Alberta Cities
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has directed officials to hire 100 more street-level police officers over the next 18 months to increase the visible law enforcement presence and tackle rising criminal activity in Edmonton and Calgary.
Between July 2022 and January 2023, Edmonton’s LRT and transit centres experienced a 75% increase in violent criminal incidents. In Calgary, overall criminal occurrences at LRT stations increased 46% between 2021 and 2022.
Smith said the province is addressing root causes like mental health and addiction, but won’t compromise on security for Calgarians and Edmontonians meanwhile.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
€2 Billion Investment in Polish Port of Swinoujscie Will See it Compete With EU-Flavored Hamburg
The planned construction of a new container area and fairway to the Polish port of Swinoujscie will see the port become “serious competition for Hamburg” in a matter of years, according to Poland’s Deputy Minister for Infrastructure Marek Gróbarczyk.
The Polish government expects to spend over 10 billion zloty (€2.14 billion) on the development by 2029; the project includes the construction of infrastructure that will ensure access to the external port in the shape of a new approach channel from the east and a sea bank for the new external port. Resources have also been secured for the purchase of a dredger to maintain the fairways to Swinoujscie and Swinoujscie-Szczecin.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) opposition party has called for the German parliament to retain a veto over any future federal government plans to send arms to conflict zones after expressing their concern that indirect German military intervention is fueling the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The AfD parliamentary group has put forward a proposal that would give MPs the right to stop governments from acting unilaterally should they oppose the supply of arms to any country involved in a conflict.
Specifically, the group is calling for a parliamentary veto if arms exports could trigger or exacerbate existing tensions or conflicts.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Belgium: Widow: AI Chatbot Encouraged Man to Commit Suicide
A Belgian man reportedly committed suicide after speaking with an AI chatbot called Chai, sparking debate on AI’s impact on mental health. The man’s widow blames the AI Chatbot for his death, claiming it encouraged him to kill himself.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Belgium: ‘Woke’ AI Chatbot Successfully Persuades Man to Kill Himself to ‘Stop Climate Change’
A man has committed suicide after allegedly being persuaded to end his life by an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, according to reports.
The Belgian man reportedly ended his life following a six-week-long conversation about the so-called “climate crisis” with an AI chatbot.
According to his widow, her husband was persuaded by the chatbot to kill himself to “stop climate change.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
European Commissioner That Wants to Snoop on Private Messages Has No Idea How the Technology Works
In recent interviews on Swedish media, the European Commissioner in charge of the Chat Control Bill, Ylva Johansson, has shown that she does not understand the bill, the consequences it will have, and technology in general.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Finland Joins NATO Alliance Today After Nordic Nations Pushed West by Russian Aggression
Finland’s President will attend a ceremony at the NATO headquarters in Belgium today to mark the accession of the Nordic nation to the military alliance, the 12th new member this century.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has a new member today in Finland, a northern European state with a considerable land border with Russia. Yet today’s accession is one less than first thought as Sweden, who co-applied with Finland in May 2022 and was ratified as a joining member that July, continues to have its membership blocked by Turkey.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France Plots Unprecedented AI Surveillance for 2024 Olympics
French lawmakers passed legislation allowing the use of new AI technologies to monitor the public using cameras during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. The event will be used as a test for AI-powered mass video surveillance.
The French government insists that it will not use facial recognition to monitor and track the public. Instead, automated systems will analyze the footage for suspicious activity like suspicious items, abandoned bags, and unusual crowd movements.
Proponents of the legislation argue that it is needed to protect the millions of tourists who will visit Paris next summer for the games.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany Considers Banning ChatGPT Over Data Privacy Issues
The decision by Italy’s data protection authority to block access to Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s ChatGPT last Friday, citing alleged privacy violations, may have kicked off a trend of European countries banning the AI chatbot.
Reuters reports a spokesperson for the German Federal Data Protection Commissioner told the German-language business newspaper Handelsblatt that temporarily blocking the use of ChatGPT in Germany due to data security concerns could be possible.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungary Heavily Involved in Reconstruction of Ukraine, Says Foreign Ministry
Hungary is and will continue to be intensively involved in the reconstruction of Ukraine, as greater cooperation between the two nations must be the common path, Levente Magyar, a senior government official, said while briefing media on the latest developments in Kyiv on Monday.
The Hungarian parliamentary state secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, visited the war-torn town of Bucha, near Kyiv, on Monday afternoon with a delegation of the Hungarian Ecumenical Relief Organization.
He discussed plans for a multi-functional municipal service center in Synyak, near Bucha, which is expected to be completed by the autumn with a budget of around €10 million.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Marin, 37, who took office in 2019, conceded defeat in Finland’s general election as the opposition centre-Right National Coalition Party claimed victory in a tightly fought contest.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Criticizes ChatGPT Block
Italy’s deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini described the country’s Data Protection Authority’s decision to temporarily ban chatbot ChatGPT as excessive. The data regulator banned the chatbot over privacy concerns and its refusal to verify that users were above the age of 13.
“I find the decision of the Privacy Watchdog that forced #ChatGPT to prevent access from Italy disproportionate,” Salvini wrote on Instagram.
He added that the regulator’s decision was “hypocritical” and that it needed to apply common sense because “privacy issues concern practically all online services.”
Salvini added that the ban could affect national innovation.
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No Jail Time for Man Who Raped 13-Year-Old Girl Under Scotland’s New Sentencing Guidelines
A Scotland high court has sentenced an 21-year-old man to 270 hours of unpaid work for raping a 13-year-old girl four years ago.
Sean Hogg, 21, will also remain on the sex offender registry for three years and be placed under supervision, the BBC reported. At the time of the incident, Hogg was 17. A jury found him guilty of raping the girl in 2018.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Russia-Ukraine War Live Updates: Finland Becomes 31st NATO Member as Russia Rages
Finland formally joined the NATO military alliance on Tuesday in a historic policy shift brought on by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, drawing a threat from Moscow of “countermeasures”. Finland’s accession roughly doubles the length of the border that NATO shares with Russia and bolsters its eastern flank as the war in Ukraine grinds on with no resolution in sight. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto completed the accession process by handing over an official document to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at NATO headquarters in Brussels.NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, welcoming Finland to its ranks, noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin had cited opposing NATO expansion as one justification for his invasion. “He is getting exactly the opposite…Finland today, and soon also Sweden will become a full fledged member of the alliance,” Stoltenberg said in Brussels. The Kremlin said Russia would be forced to take “counter-measures” to Finland’s accession. Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said the move raised the prospect of the conflict in Ukraine escalating further.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
Shutting Germany’s Remaining Nuclear Power Plants a ‘Strategic Mistake’
Germany’s decision to shut down its remaining nuclear power plants is a “strategic mistake”, the head of one of the coalition ruling parties has said.
Bijan Djir-Sarai, the Secretary General of the c0-ruling Free Democratic Party (FDP), has warned that the country’s decision to shut down its last few nuclear power plants this month is a “strategic mistake”.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Top US Diplomat in Budapest Takes Issue With Orban Support for Trump
The U.S. ambassador in Budapest, David Pressman, has publicly criticized Hungarian Foreign Affairs Minister Péter Szijjartó for a tweet by Prime Minister Viktor Orban showing solidarity with former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The spat is the latest installment in the increasingly uneasy relationship between Hungary and the U.S. delegation in Budapest.
“Keep on fighting, Mr. President! We are with you!” Orban wrote ahead of Trump’s historic court appearance in New York on Tuesday. The tweet sparked a reaction from Pressman, appointed to his role by the Biden administration.
The U.S. diplomat quoted Foreign Affairs Minister Péter Szijjartó’s recent remarks in which he stated the Hungarian government respects the integrity of other democracies and does not interfere in the internal politics of other countries.
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Times of Israel Decries ‘Escalating Attacks on Christians’
The Times of Israel has denounced growing anti-Christian violence in the Holy Land, some of which has been blamed on “Jewish extremists.”
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Some 73 percent of Americans worry that fighting will escalate into the use of doomsday weapons — a marked increase on the 67 percent who expressed that concern in January.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Russia-Ukraine War: ‘He’s a War Criminal’: Elite Putin Security Officer Defects
On Oct. 14, a Russian engineer named Gleb Karakulov boarded a flight from Kazakhstan to Turkey with his wife and daughter. He switched off his phone to shut out the crescendo of urgent, enraged messages, said goodbye to his life in Russia and tried to calm his fast-beating heart.
But this was no ordinary Russian defector. Karakulov was an officer in President Vladimir Putin’s secretive elite personal security service — one of the few Russians to flee and go public who have rank, as well as knowledge of intimate details of Putin’s life and potentially classified information.
Karakulov, who was responsible for secure communications, said moral opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and his fear of dying there drove him to speak out, despite the risks to himself and his family. He said he hoped to inspire other Russians to speak out also.
“Our president has become a war criminal,” he said. “It is time to end this war and stop being silent.”
| — Hat tip: JW | [Return to headlines] |
Australia is Latest to Ban TikTok From Government Phones
Australia said Tuesday it will ban TikTok on government devices, joining a growing list of Western nations cracking down on the Chinese-owned app due to national security fears.
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the decision followed advice from the country’s intelligence agencies and would begin “as soon as practicable”.
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Former NZ PM Jacinda Starts New Job… Combatting ‘Online Extremism’
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Jacinda Ardern, who stepped down as New Zealand’s prime minister in January, will begin an unpaid role this month combating online extremism.
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins, who took over as leader from Ardern, announced Tuesday he’d appointed Ardern as Special Envoy for the Christchurch Call. Hipkins said Ardern would begin the part-time role this month, right after she leaves Parliament and that she’d declined to accept any pay. He said the role would be reviewed at the end of the year.
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The pair admitted to assaulting a 35-year-old man who was walking along Lonsdale St in Melbourne about 12.30am on December 17, 2021.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Twitter Bans Sean Plunket, Journalist Who Asked New Zealand’s Prime Minister to Define a “Woman”
Sean Plunket, the founder of news outlet The Platform, has been permanently suspended from Twitter.
News of the ban was shared by The Platform’s Twitter account. The tweet said that Plunket had been permanently banned.
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President Museveni’s Son Says Uganda Will Send Troops to Defend Moscow
Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son of Ugandan strongman President Yoweri Museveni, vowed to send troops to defend Moscow against the West.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Florida Grand Jury Accuses Biden Administration of Abetting ‘Forced Migration, Sale’ of Foreign Kids
A Florida grand jury’s five-month probe into the government’s processing of unaccompanied migrant children is poking a major hole into President Joe Biden’s border narrative, concluding his administration has been “facilitating the forced migration, sale, and abuse of foreign children.”
In an interim report released by Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, the grand jury raised deep concerns about the Homeland Security Department and Department of Health and Human Service’s Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) implementation of the Unaccompanied Alien Child (UAC) program, saying the government’s rhetoric does not match its performance.
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The French government plans to relocate migrants currently living on the streets of Paris to temporary accommodation in the countryside in an attempt to improve the city’s image ahead of hosting the Rugby World Cup later this year and the 2024 Summer Olympics.
In a circular distributed among government officials and seen by French newspaper Le Monde, migrants will be encouraged to head to rural provinces with a guarantee of accommodation and greater access to social services.
According to the circular, the Ministry of the Interior expects the first places for the scheme to be available later this month, with 500 places eventually being opened across 10 regions.
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Migrants Escape From Another Detention Center in France
Illegal migrants facing deportation escaped from a detention center in France for the second time in a week, according to reports.
The latest incident of its kind unfolded during the overnight hours between Saturday and Sunday in Sète, a commune in the department of Hérault.
Illegal aliens are held at an administrative detention center (CRA) in the town after being released from prison as they await expulsion to their country of origin.
On Monday, authorities revealed that eight detainees had managed to break out of the facility over the weekend and that five were still at large.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sanna Marin Out — Immigration Patriot Finns Party Real Winners in Finnish Elections
In the weeks leading up to Sunday’s General Election in Finland, 37-year-old party girl Social Democrat Prime Minister Sanna Marin declared that she would never join a coalition government with the populist Finns Party because they are “an openly racist party.” This was partly because most Finns Party voters, according to a poll, agreed that “race is real” and 40% of them believed that black people have lower average IQ than white people. One third of Finns Party voters opposed race mixing, double the proportion of the mainstream conservative National Coalition Party [Sanna Marin kutsui perussuomalaisia rasistiseksi puolueeks, by Jari Hanska, Iltalehti, January 21, 2023].
The Finns Party Leader, Riikka Purra, denies her party is “racist” but she is clear that she is opposed to immigration, for economic and cultural reasons [Lapset tenttaavat Riikka Purraa maahanmuutosta—”Me emme ole rasisteja,” by Tatu Partanen, Iltasanomat, March 2, 2023]. Her party argues that immigrants to Finland are a drain on the economy and Finnish culture needs to be preserved.
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Emergency services scrambled to rescue migrants crossing the Channel as people-smugglers took advantage of calm weather conditions to traffic asylum seekers from Europe to Britain.
Photographs taken on Tuesday afternoon captured the moment an RNLI lifeboat carrying a group of some 20 or more people arrived at a beach in Dungeness, Kent.
A HM Coastguard spokesperson said it ‘has been co-ordinating a search and rescue response to an incident involving small boats off Kent, working with Border Force, Kent Police and other partners’.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: Kid Rock Shoots Boxes of Bud Light After Beer Features Dylan Mulvaney as Spokesperson
American singer, songwriter, and rapper Kid Rock posted a video Monday night of him shooting cases of Bud Light in response to Anheuser-Busch featuring trans TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney as the spokesperson for the beer.
In the video, Rock faces the camera and says, “Grandpa is feeling a little frisky today. Let me say something to all of you and be as clear and concise as possible.”
The rapper then turns and opens fire on several cases of Bud Light set up as targets at a distance, pulverizing them.
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New Zealand’s newly elected Prime Minister Chris Hipkins was caught off guard and lost for words after a reporter asked him to ‘define a woman’ at a press conference.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
The transgender movement once again proving how marginalized and oppressed it is… as one of its most prominent advocates announces a sponsorship deal with the biggest brewing company in the world Anheuser-Busch (net worth $115 billion dollars).
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Trans Pastor Compares Nashville Shooter Audrey Hale to Jesus
Micah Louwagie, the transgender pastor of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Fargo, North Dakota, has compared the treatment of trans shooter Audrey Hale to the treatment of Jesus in his passion.
The Jewish leaders were looking for “any excuse — valid or not — to crucify Jesus,” Rev. Louagie said in her April 2 sermon, and “they needed to kill him in order to preserve their good image.”
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It suggests that president Yoweri Museveni will sign the shocking bill, which imposes the death penalty for ‘aggravated homosexuality’, into Ugandan law.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Very Unusual Solar Eruption: Extremely Strong CME Ejected From the Far Side of the Sun
A massive coronal mass ejection (CME) on the far side of the sun on March 13th had a speed of over 3,000 kilometers per second and was so powerful that it was classified as extremely rare (ER), something that only happens once or twice over several decades. It was ejected from the far side of the sun and therefore does not hit Earth, but was so extreme that radio traffic was nevertheless knocked out on Earth for several days. The sun is in an active phase during a low-activity solar cycle, a very dangerous combination for Earth, which has a severely weakened shield. We were reminded of this on March 15th after a weak CME once again created an unexpected geomagnetic storm with spectacular auroras.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
What’s that gun Kid Rock shoots off?
Quite the vid!
H&K MP-5
Very Unusual Solar Eruption: Extremely Strong CME Ejected From the Far Side of the Sun- and so I say that such happenings by the Planet Sun that controls our earth in so many ways, is really the cause of what some scientist’s call Climate Change- but not through those little ants called Man scrambling across the surface of the Earth.