Gates of Vienna News Feed 5/22/2023

Images of an alleged explosion near the Pentagon that went viral turned out to be a hoax, and were said to be deep fakes generated by artificial intelligence. The Arlington Fire Department quickly issued a statement saying that no such explosion had occurred, but some media outlets were fooled, and published the images.

In other news, the Irish government ordered all distilleries and breweries to put labels on their products warning consumers that they may cause cancer.

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

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

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

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

Financial Crisis
» Greek Stocks and Bonds Jump as New Election Result is ‘Credit Positive’
 
USA
» Arizona GOP Overrules Dem Governor, Bans Electronic Voting Machines Unless They Comply With US DoD Standards
» Attorney for Marine Vet in Chokehold Death Says ‘Multitude’ of Onlookers Witnessed ‘Terrifying’ Situation
» Back-to-Office Trend Fades, Worsening Potential ‘Doom Loop’ for Big Downtowns Like Chicago’s
» Bitter Alec Baldwin Calls Waitress ‘A Peasant’ in Disgraceful Display: Report
» Charges Dropped Against Former College Student Who Handed Out Constitution on Campus
» Chicago Suburb Cancels Armed Forces Carnival After ‘Flash Mob’ of 400 Teens Devolves Into Fights, Chaos
» Chicagoans Alarmed After 9 Robberies Reported in 1-Hour Span on City’s Northwest Side
» Devin Nunes Reveals Full Scope of Durham Report: Hillary Clinton’s Russia Hoax ‘Represents Total Collapse of the Justice System’
» Dominion CEO Predicts ‘Business Ultimately Goes to Zero’ Because of 2020 Election Lies
» Fetterman Wearing ‘Hoodies and Gym Shorts’ in Senate Shows ‘Robust Recovery, ‘ AP Report Claims
» Five People Shot at Illegal Street Racing Event in Seattle Area
» Florida Sued Over Law Blocking Chinese Citizens, Other Foreigners From Buying Property
» Hillary Clinton Throws Joe Biden Under the Bus Over His Age: “His Age is an Issue and People Have Every Right to Consider it”
» IRS Whistleblower Alleges Sweeping Retaliation Over Concerns About Hunter Biden Investigation
» Jim Jordan Issues Warning to Hillary Clinton About New Investigation: “Nothing is Off the Table, We’re Going to Give That a Good Hard Look”
» Michigan State Professor Forced Students to Pay $99 for Left-Wing Causes: Lawsuit
» Rap Artist ‘Cries in Jail Cell’ After Taunting NYPD Officers Saying ‘He Will Never be Caught’
» Reparations Fight Roars as Some Cities Push Million-Dollar Payments to Black Americans: ‘Our Civic Obligation’
» Republican Senators Want to Bring Transparency to Big-Tech Government Collusion
» Senate Issues at Least 50 Satellite Phones as Security Measure
» South Carolina Suspect in Alleged Drunken Crash That Killed Bride Seeks Release on Bail: Jailhouse Calls
» Tucker Carlson Appears to Confirm Explosive Allegation About Fox News
» UFO Mania Sweeps Academia: A Fifth of Scholars and Scientists Say They’ve Seen Unidentified Flying Objects in the Sky, Study Shows
» ‘We Are Considering All Options’: Assange Supporters Open to a Plea Deal With US
 
Canada
» Calgary Cancels Canada Day Fireworks
» Feds Clean Electricity Standard an “Absolute Infringement” on Saskatchewan’s Rights
» Guilbeault Threatens Provinces That Refuse to Comply With New Environment Rules
 
Europe and the EU
» After Hungary Blocks €500 Million in Ukrainian Military Aid, the EU is Expected to Ramp Up Pressure to Release the Funds
» Dutch Conservative Geert Wilders Received More Death Threats Last Year Than All Other Dutch Politicians Combined
» EU Fines Meta a Record $1.3 Billion for Violating EU Privacy Law
» Experts Demand Investigation as ‘Unexpected’ Deaths Soar to ‘Catastrophic’ Highs
» Finland: Climate Activists Block Access to UPM Pulp Plant, Demand End to Greenwashing
» German Chancellor Calls Some Climate Activists’ Protests ‘Nutty’
» Irish Government Introduces Stark Health Warning on Alcohol Claiming Links to Cancer
» Italy: Rome’s Mayor Blasts ‘Absurd’ Climate Protest at Trevi Fountain
» Main Threat to Europe is a Resurgence in Islamic Terror Attacks, Warns French Interior Minister Ahead of Hosting Olympics Next Year
» Russia May Have Put Sleeper Explosives on Britain’s Offshore Wind Farms to Knock Out Power in a Conflict, Ex-Head of Royal Navy Warns
» Scotland: Five Animal Rising Activists Arrested After Occupying Glasgow’s Cail Bruich
» Stella Assange Shares Harrowing Reality Her Husband Julian Faces in Prison
» The World Economic Forum Calls for AI and “Deepfake” Regulation, Has Already Partnered With UK Government
» Ukraine is Shifting Away From Poland and Now Looking Towards Germany and France for Its Future Reconstruction, Says Polish Business Leader
» Ukrainian Ambassador Slams Polish Calls for Zelensky to Apologize for the WWII-Era Volhynia Massacre
 
North Africa
» Countries With the Fattest Under-5s Revealed: New Who League Table Sees Britain Ranked 22nd… and the US Isn’t Even in the Top 50!
 
Israel and the Palestinians
» Poles Outraged by Israeli Eurovision Singer’s Remarks on the Holocaust
 
Russia
» Poland Only Exists Thanks to the Soviet Union and Should Show More Gratitude, Claims Russian Parliament Chair
» Putin Congratulates Wagner by Name for 1st Time as Ukraine Seeks to Reframe Bakhmut Narrative
» Russia Warns of ‘Enormous Risks’ if Ukraine is Supplied With F-16s
» Seymour Hersh: ‘Something Else is Cooking’ in Ukraine
» Ukraine Lacks Equipment for Counterattack, According to Retired General
» Ukraine Does Not Meet NATO Membership Requirements, Says German Chancellor Scholz
» Ukraine War: Saboteurs Cross Into Russia’s Belgorod, Governor Says
 
South Asia
» Indian Media Fall for Hoax Post Claiming Explosion at Pentagon
» India: A Hindu Girl From Hamirpur Told Her Ordeal of How She Was Trapped, Raped, Blackmailed, and Tried Converted by a Muslim Youth
 
Far East
» Malaysian Comedian Uncle Roger Banned on Weibo for Jokes About Chinese Communist Party
 
Australia — Pacific
» Exclusive: How an Officer ‘Three Times Her Size’ Has Been Stood Down for Tasering 95-Year-Old Great Grandmother Now Fighting for Her Life — as Top Cop and Security Guard Her Ward
» Haunting Footage Shows Two Schoolboys Chasing a 16-Year-Old With Machetes Before He Was Stabbed to Death in Broad Daylight
» Horror as Woman is Allegedly Threatened With a Machete During Terrifying Carjacking
» Mother Whose Daughter Was Murdered and Dumped in a Shallow Grave After Rejecting a Man’s Advances ‘Hundreds of Times’ Stares Down the Killer and Sends Him a Powerful Message Inside Court
» Peter Dutton Goes Nuclear on the Aboriginal Voice Warning it Will Lead ‘Some Australians to be More Equal Than Others’ in Scathing Attack
» When ‘Super El Nino’ is Set to Fry Australia — and What to Expect From the Weather Phenomenon
 
Immigration
» 2 Algerian Illegal Migrants Arrested for Rape of 83-Year-Old Disabled Woman in France
» 9th Circuit Court Shoots Down ‘Anti-Racist’ Push to Nix Immigration Law
» Europeans Don’t Realize ‘One Day They Will Become a Minority in Their Own Countries, ‘ Warns Best-Selling South African Writer Ernst Roets in Interview With Hungarian Media
» Migrants Turn German City of Plauen Into No-Go Zone
» NYC Mayor Eric Adams Calls for Migrants to be Sent to Every U.S. City as Big Apple Becomes Overwhelmed With Thousands of New Arrivals Daily and Looks to Ease Burden
» Record Low: 25% of German 4th Graders Can’t Read Properly, Growing Diversity a Major Factor
» We Have ‘No Choice’ But to Vote for the ‘Far Right’ — French TV Reports on Growing Anti-Immigration Sentiment in Germany
 
Culture Wars
» Australia’s Oldest University is Now Offering Tampons and Sanitary Products in the Men’s Bathrooms
» Bud Light Buying Back Unsold, Expired Beer From Wholesalers as Sales Continue to Suffer: Report
» Democrats Create a Transgender Child Kidnapping Network
» Fox News is Going Full Bud Light, Leaked Internal Documents Show
» Josh Hawley Introduces Legislation That Holds Big Tech Liable for Child Pornography
» Professor Hurls Students’ Pro-Life Display After Profanity-Laced Tirade: ‘Triggering My Students’
» Pro-Life Activist Describes FBI’s ‘Coordinated Onslaught’ of the Movement: We Are ‘Actively Targeted’
» Shocking Moment Woke NYC College Professor Hurls Foul-Mouthed Abuse at Students Over Pro-Life Stand and Accuses Them of ‘Triggering’ Others, Before Angrily Destroying Their Display
» Tampa Pride Festival Canceled After Florida Cuts Off Access to Children
» Uber Puts Asian Diversity Chief on Leave Over ‘Don’t Call Me Karen’ Sessions Exploring ‘White Women’s Experience’
» UK: Plot to Drive Out Equality Chief Who’s Standing Up for Women: Whistleblowers at Human Rights Commission Say Boss is Facing ‘Witch Hunt’ From Trans Lobby
 

Greek Stocks and Bonds Jump as New Election Result is ‘Credit Positive’

Greece’s government bonds and stocks gained Monday as market-friendly Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis received a strong vote from the people compared to his opposition in Sunday’s national election.

Mitsotakis’ center-right New Democracy received 41% of the vote versus 20% for the leftist Syriza party of former premier Alexis Tsipras. However, Mitsotakis was short of achieving a majority in parliament, but political analysts expect he will secure a single-party government in the next elections in about a month, according to Bloomberg.

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

Arizona GOP Overrules Dem Governor, Bans Electronic Voting Machines Unless They Comply With US DoD Standards

Arizona state senate majority leader, Sonny Borrelli, overruled Dem Governor Katie Hobbs and notified all county boards of supervisors in the state of Arizona not to use electronic voting systems.

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

Attorney for Marine Vet in Chokehold Death Says ‘Multitude’ of Onlookers Witnessed ‘Terrifying’ Situation

The attorney representing Marine veteran Daniel Penny in his second-degree manslaughter case following the death of a disturbed homeless man on a New York City subway said his client is not a racist and that there are a “multitude” of witnesses

Jordan Neely, who was mentally ill and reportedly acting erratically and harassing passengers on the train earlier this month, died shortly after Penny had placed him in and later released him from a chokehold.

Penny initially self-reported to police, but was released without charges — until New York County Democratic District Attorney Alvin Bragg decided to launch the criminal investigation.

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

Back-to-Office Trend Fades, Worsening Potential ‘Doom Loop’ for Big Downtowns Like Chicago’s

Authored by Mark Glennon via Wirepoints.org

Reversal of the work-from-home trend arguably provides the best hope for breaking what’s now often called the “doom loop” for downtown areas like Chicago’s.

Unfortunately, the numbers aren’t cooperating.

Actual occupancy plummeted when the pandemic started then gradually began to recover in spring of 2000. But that recovery stalled around the first of this year. Office usage has flatlined since then at about 50% of pre-pandemic levels in Chicago. Same for other big cities on average.

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

Bitter Alec Baldwin Calls Waitress ‘A Peasant’ in Disgraceful Display: Report

Alec Baldwin threw a temper tantrum at the 2023 PEN America Spring Literary Gala last week and berated a waitress calling the shocked woman a “peasant” as she walked away. The woman spilled the beans on Alec’s disgraceful behavior to the New York Post but wishes to remain anonymous.

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

Charges Dropped Against Former College Student Who Handed Out Constitution on Campus

Authorities have dropped all charges against an Arizona State University student who was arrested last year on trespassing charges after he set up a table to distribute copies of the Constitution without permission.

Attorneys representing Tim Tizon, a senior at the time of the incident last spring, announced this week that state prosecutors had agreed to drop all charges. That came in response to an appeal Mr. Tizon filed in January via the Liberty Justice Center, a Chicago-based nonprofit law firm.

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

Chicago Suburb Cancels Armed Forces Carnival After ‘Flash Mob’ of 400 Teens Devolves Into Fights, Chaos

A “flash mob” of about 400 teenagers descended on a suburb outside of Chicago during the Armed Forces Carnival on Saturday and began fighting with each other, forcing the event’s cancelation, officials said.

The mayhem broke out in suburban Tinley Park after the hundreds of teenagers responded to a call on social media to gather at the carnival at the 80th Avenue train station and began running around the parking lot fighting with each other to “cause chaos and disrupt the event,” town officials said. A Facebook post from the village on Sunday said the last day of the event was “cancelled due to safety concerns stemming from a flash mob incident at Saturday’s event.”

Video posted to social media shows the mob of teenagers jumping on cars, running through parking lots and brawling as police attempt to break up the fights.

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

Chicagoans Alarmed After 9 Robberies Reported in 1-Hour Span on City’s Northwest Side

Chicago police are investigating after a number of armed robberies occurred in just over a one-hour span Sunday morning.

A total of nine attacks happened in the Bucktown, West Town, Logan Square and Avondale neighborhoods. In one instance, a victim was hit on the head with an offender’s gun. Police are asking residents to be vigilant as the suspects still haven’t been caught.

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

Devin Nunes Reveals Full Scope of Durham Report: Hillary Clinton’s Russia Hoax ‘Represents Total Collapse of the Justice System’

Former Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) has warned that the revelations from Special Counsel John Durham’s explosive final report have marked a “sad day for America.”

During an appearance on Maria Bartiromo’s show on Sunday, Nunes discussed what the report highlights about what America lost as a nation due to Hillary Clinton’s actions.

Nunes discussed John Durham’s bombshell final report and explained that the support Clinton’s anti-Trump Russia Hoax received from the upper echelons of the federal government and law enforcement “represents[…] the total collapse of the justice system.”

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

Dominion CEO Predicts ‘Business Ultimately Goes to Zero’ Because of 2020 Election Lies

Amonth ago, Dominion Voting Systems seemed like a dragon slayer. The conservative news behemoth Fox News had just agreed to pay Dominion $787.5 million to settle a defamation suit that was hours away from going to trial. It was the largest such settlement ever announced by a media company.

And yet, to Dominion CEO John Poulos, even that payday likely won’t be enough to save his company. The reputational damage Dominion has endured is just too severe, he tells TIME in a strikingly pessimistic interview about the company’s future.

“It’s just easier for our customers to use something that’s not Dominion,” Poulos says. “We just know that our business ultimately goes to zero.”

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

Fetterman Wearing ‘Hoodies and Gym Shorts’ in Senate Shows ‘Robust Recovery, ‘ AP Report Claims

Sources “close” to Sen. John Fetterman, D.-Penn., are claiming that his trademark “hoodies and gym shorts” look is a “sign that the senator is making a robust recovery,” according to a recent AP story.

The story also praised Fetterman for “turning heads” and “redefining fashion in the stuffy Senate.”

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

Five People Shot at Illegal Street Racing Event in Seattle Area

An illegal street racing event led to a mass shooting on Sunday morning as hundreds of Seattle-area delinquents violently abuse the state’s police reform policies, which prevent officers from conducting vehicle pursuits.

According to the Renton Police Department, five people were shot near the intersection of West Valley Highway and South 180th Street in Kent, Washington around 1:15 am Sunday morning.

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

Florida Sued Over Law Blocking Chinese Citizens, Other Foreigners From Buying Property

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A group of Chinese citizens living and working in Florida sued the state Monday over a new law that bans Chinese nationals from purchasing property in large swaths of the state.

The law applies to properties within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of military installations and other “critical infrastructure” and also affects citizens of Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Iran, Russia, and North Korea. But Chinese citizens and those selling property to them face the harshest penalties. The prohibition also applies to agricultural land.

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

Hillary Clinton Throws Joe Biden Under the Bus Over His Age: “His Age is an Issue and People Have Every Right to Consider it”

Hillary Clinton threw President Joe Biden under the bus over growing concerns that he is too old to do the job now let alone run again. Hillary said Biden’s age is a legitimate issue and “people have every right to consider it.”

Clinton was at the Financial Times Weekend Festival in Washington, D.C., when she made the comments.

Financial Times editor Edward Luce said about Biden almost falling down the stairs in Japan: “There was that heart-stopping moment when he almost fell over coming down the stairs a day or two ago. He didn’t use a railing, and Jill wasn’t there with him.

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

IRS Whistleblower Alleges Sweeping Retaliation Over Concerns About Hunter Biden Investigation

An IRS whistleblower who questioned the propriety of Department of Justice officials handling a tax investigation into first son Hunter Biden has alleged that the agency retaliated against him and his subordinates for raising their concerns.

The Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) has filed a formal complaint with the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) contending that he was sidelined from the case over which he made protected disclosures, was passed over for promotion despite being the “clearly most qualified” candidate, and that he was recently formally removed from the same case in an alleged act of retaliation.

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

Jim Jordan Issues Warning to Hillary Clinton About New Investigation: “Nothing is Off the Table, We’re Going to Give That a Good Hard Look”

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan put failed Presidential candidate and the woman behind the biggest dirty trick in American politics, Hillary Clinton on notice about new investigations into her scandalous conduct.

During an interview on Fox News with host Maria Bartiromo, Jordan broke down Special Counsel John Durham’s final report into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe. Jordan said people need to go to jail.

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

Michigan State Professor Forced Students to Pay $99 for Left-Wing Causes: Lawsuit

EXCLUSIVE — A Michigan State University (MSU) professor has been sued for allegedly forcing her students to pay $99 each to her personal political advocacy organization, which ultimately helped fund Planned Parenthood and other left-leaning causes and allegedly violated the students’ free speech rights.

According to a lawsuit filed Thursday, Amy Wisner, professor of marketing at the MSU College of Business compelled each of her 600 students to pay a $99 membership fee to join an outside organization called “The Rebellion Community” as a condition of participation in her course.

The court document says Wisner controlled The Rebellion Community and used the membership fees to finance her own political advocacy and to support external groups like Planned Parenthood and progressive causes dedicated to “dismantling oppressive systems.”

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

Rap Artist ‘Cries in Jail Cell’ After Taunting NYPD Officers Saying ‘He Will Never be Caught’

A Chicago-based rap artist and self-proclaimed gang member reportedly “cried in his jail cell” after he was locked up for attempting to steal New York police officer’s guns out of their holsters, the New York Post reports.

Richard Sharp, who goes by the stage name “Famous Richard”, uploaded numerous videos to TikTok of him personally taunting NYPD officers and then bragging that he “would never get caught.”

Not only did Sharp get arrested on charges that include making a terroristic threat, obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest, menacing and disorderly conduct, he also reportedly “cried in his jail cell”, police sources told the outlet.

Sharp has since been released on his own recognizance after posting bail.

The New York Police Department arrested Sharp on May 12 in Jamaica, Queens, several weeks after issuing a safety alert over Sharp’s brazen anti-police antics which he would post to social media, NY Post reports.

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

Reparations Fight Roars as Some Cities Push Million-Dollar Payments to Black Americans: ‘Our Civic Obligation’

The battle over reparations is growing across the United States, as local, state and federal officials weigh everything up to seven-figure direct payments to Black Americans.

While some advocates call it a long-overdue policy addressing a history of oppression, its foes call it a misguided, divisive and harmful approach that exacerbates issues rather than solving them. Polls show it is broadly unpopular with Americans, but it nevertheless has received serious attention in both Washington and municipalities around the country.

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

Republican Senators Want to Bring Transparency to Big-Tech Government Collusion

Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN) and other Republican senators have re-introduced the bill for the Disclose Government Censorship Act, which aims to crack down on the collusion between the federal government and Big Tech platforms to censor views.

Yes, this is already covered by the First Amendment — but that hasn’t exactly stopped politicians from ignoring a little thing called the Constitution.

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

Senate Issues at Least 50 Satellite Phones as Security Measure

More than 50 senators have accepted satellite phones for emergency communications as part of growing efforts to beef up security for lawmakers in the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

The phones were offered to all senators and at least half of the chamber accepted, according to CBS News, which cited people familiar with the program.

Senate Sergeant at Arms Karen Gibson told appropriators last month the phones would allow senators to maintain communications in case a man-made or natural disaster takes out standard communications in their corner of the country.

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

South Carolina Suspect in Alleged Drunken Crash That Killed Bride Seeks Release on Bail: Jailhouse Calls

The suspect accused of fatally hitting a South Carolina newlywed bride in a drunken driving crash last month has expressed remorse in jailhouse calls with friends and family, according to local news.

Jamie Lee Komoroski, 25, allegedly crashed her red Toyota Camry into Samantha Miller and Aric Hutchinson’s golf cart minutes after they left their wedding reception on Folly Beach, South Carolina, killing the bride and injuring the groom, court records show.

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

Tucker Carlson Appears to Confirm Explosive Allegation About Fox News

Ex-Fox News star Tucker Carlson put his former network on notice with a cryptic post on social media.

Carlson posted a video of his biographer, Chadwick Moore, seeming to confirm the shocking allegation that Dominion Voting Systems demanded Fox News fire Tucker as part of its lawsuit settlement.

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

UFO Mania Sweeps Academia: A Fifth of Scholars and Scientists Say They’ve Seen Unidentified Flying Objects in the Sky, Study Shows

UFO sightings have long been associated with conspiracy theorists, sci-fi fans and people with vivid imaginations.

But scholars see unidentified flying objects too, according to a detailed new study.

The survey reveals that roughly one fifth of academics say that they or someone they know has seen something mysterious in the sky that cannot be explained.

Some of these professors, scholars and scientists offered up personal testimonies of unusual UFO encounters that surprised even the researchers in their candor.

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

‘We Are Considering All Options’: Assange Supporters Open to a Plea Deal With US

Supporters of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange are open to a plea deal with United States authorities that might clear the way for his release from a British prison, with his wife declaring his freedom had to be the priority.

Urging the Australian government to press the case for his release, Stella Assange said her husband was being detained for revealing the truth and must never be extradited to face charges in the US.

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

Calgary Cancels Canada Day Fireworks

The City of Calgary is cancelling its massive Canada Day fireworks show and replacing it with a light show due to climate impacts.

The change is a pilot program to address cultural, community, and environmental issues the city claims are experienced with traditional Canada Day fireworks, said Franca Gualtieri, city manager of arts and culture.

The city further claims that the replacement light show will be a “visually stunning display of lights and sounds that will be launched from the main stage at Fort Calgary during the headliner act.”

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

Feds Clean Electricity Standard an “Absolute Infringement” on Saskatchewan’s Rights

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe made it clear in a recent interview that his government would put its foot down on federal plans to require the province to shut down all coal and gas power plants by 2030 and 2035 respectively.

While speaking alongside Justice Minister Brownyn Eyre, Moe told the outlet Pipeline Online that he firmly believes that power regulation is “within the provincial jurisdiction” and the federal government was overreaching.

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

Guilbeault Threatens Provinces That Refuse to Comply With New Environment Rules

Liberal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault issued a veiled threat to provinces as the feds face a showdown over its Clean Electricity Standard, which would ban fossil fuel power generation by 2035.

While speaking on Wednesday, Guilbeault claimed that those not complying with his government’s new regulations would be in violation of the Criminal Code.

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

After Hungary Blocks €500 Million in Ukrainian Military Aid, the EU is Expected to Ramp Up Pressure to Release the Funds

On Monday, there is expected to be a huge debate in the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels about Hungary’s decision to block €500 million in funding to Ukraine from the European Peace Facility (EPF) fund.

Currently, Hungary’s demand is that Ukraine removes Hungary’s biggest bank, OTP Bank, from Ukraine’s sanctions list in exchange for the funding.

In an interview on state broadcaster Kossuth Radió’s Vasarnapi Újsag program on Sunday morning, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjartó called it unacceptable and scandalous that Ukraine had put Hungary’s OTP Bank on the list of international sponsors of the war, and stated that OTP complies with all rules in its operations.

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

Dutch Conservative Geert Wilders Received More Death Threats Last Year Than All Other Dutch Politicians Combined

Geert Wilders, the leader of the right-wing Party for Freedom (PVV) in the Netherlands, received hundreds of substantial threats on his life last year — more than every other Dutch politician combined.

The Public Prosecution Service revealed on Monday that authorities received 1,125 reports last year from politicians regarding death threats, a new record and almost twice more than the previous year.

Of that figure, approximately 600 threats were targeted at Wilders, a Dutch conservative politician who has long been an outspoken critic of Islamic extremism, using his platform to warn of the dangers of mass immigration and failed social and cultural integration.

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

EU Fines Meta a Record $1.3 Billion for Violating EU Privacy Law

In a landmark decision, Meta has been slapped with a colossal €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion) fine by European Union authorities for violating EU privacy laws. The core issue at hand involves the contentious transfer of personal data belonging to Facebook users to servers based in the United States.

The ruling was announced today by the European Data Protection Board, following a comprehensive inquiry into Facebook’s operations, spearheaded by the Irish Data Protection Commission. The commission acts as the chief watchdog regulating Meta’s operations within Europe.

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

Experts Demand Investigation as ‘Unexpected’ Deaths Soar to ‘Catastrophic’ Highs

Experts are demanding that governments around the world launch investigations as “unexpected” deaths are continuing to soar to new highs.

In the past year, excess deaths were far higher than in the pandemic year of 2021.

Among one of the hardest-hit nations is the United Kingdom, where unexpected deaths are thousands higher than average.

In the UK, the past year saw 67,724 unexpected deaths above the pre-pandemic five-year average.

The pandemic year of 2021, however, was 54,770 above average.

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

Finland: Climate Activists Block Access to UPM Pulp Plant, Demand End to Greenwashing

The climate activist group Elokapina — the Finnish branch of Extinction Rebellion — began a blockade at forestry firm UPM’s Kymi pulp mill in Kuusankoski, near Kouvola, on Monday morning to prevent freight traffic from accessing the site.

The protestors have locked themselves to each other, as well as to train tracks and a concrete barrel, blocking freight traffic in two directions — but allowing private cars to pass.

Police in the area said in a press release that there are about 50 demonstrators at two different locations near the site of the mill, blocking road and rail traffic.

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

German Chancellor Calls Some Climate Activists’ Protests ‘Nutty’

BERLIN (AP) — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday sharply criticized climate activists as “nutty” for drastic protests such as blocking streets or gluing themselves to famous paintings in museums.

“I think it’s completely nutty to somehow stick yourself to a painting or on the street,” Scholz said during a visit to an elementary school in the town of Kleinmachnow outside of Berlin, German news agency dpa reported.

The chancellor added that he did not think anybody’s opinion on climate change could be changed by such actions but rather that these protests made people angry.

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

Irish Government Introduces Stark Health Warning on Alcohol Claiming Links to Cancer

The Irish government signed into law on Monday a requirement for drinks manufacturers to slap a stark health label on all alcoholic beverages sold in the country, warning consumers that alcohol consumption can cause cancer and liver disease.

“I welcome that we are the first country in the world to take this step and introduce comprehensive health labeling of alcohol products,” said Health Minister Stephen Donnelly in a written statement, confirming the new rules would come into effect on May 22, 2026.

“I look forward to other countries following our example,” he added.

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

Italy: Rome’s Mayor Blasts ‘Absurd’ Climate Protest at Trevi Fountain

A climate change protest in which a group of activists poured diluted charcoal to turn the water of Rome’s Trevi Fountain black has drawn a sharp rebuke from the Italian city’s mayor, who is calling for an end to such actions.

Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri is speaking out after video showed uniformed police wading into the waters of the popular tourist attraction to remove activists belonging to a group called “Ultima Generazione” — the Last Generation — according to Reuters.

“Enough of these absurd attacks on our artistic heritage. Today smeared the #FontanadiTrevi,” Gualtieri wrote on Twitter Sunday. “Expensive and complex to restore, hoping that there is no permanent damage. I invite activists to compete on a confrontational terrain without putting the monuments at risk.”

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

Main Threat to Europe is a Resurgence in Islamic Terror Attacks, Warns French Interior Minister Ahead of Hosting Olympics Next Year

French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has asked the U.S. government for greater intelligence sharing and warned of a resurgence in Islamic terrorist threats in Europe ahead of France hosting global sporting events in the coming year.

During a two-day trip to Washington and New York this week, the French minister asked for more efficient Franco-American counter-terrorism cooperation and claimed Islamic terrorism remains the biggest threat to national security in Europe.

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

Russia May Have Put Sleeper Explosives on Britain’s Offshore Wind Farms to Knock Out Power in a Conflict, Ex-Head of Royal Navy Warns

Admiral Lord West warned offshore windfarms and undersea cables are at risk of attack as fears grow that Putin could wipe out the UK’s power supply and cut off its telecoms infrastructure.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Scotland: Five Animal Rising Activists Arrested After Occupying Glasgow’s Cail Bruich

Five Animal Rising protestors were arrested in Glasgow on Saturday evening after the group occupied Michelin-star restaurant Cail Bruich.

Seven supporters of the group (formally Animal Rebellion) entered the restaurant, led by head chef Lorna McNee, at 7:30pm and refused to leave.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 7.55pm on Saturday, 20 May, 2023, officers were called to a business address on Great Western Road, Glasgow following reports of a peaceful protest within.

“The group were given advice and asked to leave the premises. When they refused, five people were arrested, cautioned and charged. They are expected to appear at Glasgow Sheriff Court at a later date.”

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

Stella Assange Shares Harrowing Reality Her Husband Julian Faces in Prison

The wife of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has opened up about the harsh reality her husband experiences every day, as the threat of a 175-year prison sentence looms, and how their family manages to spend limited but quality time with him.

“He’s gone through two pairs of sneakers, walking the European continent in his cell,” Stella Assange told the National Press Club, claiming when Mr Assange wakes up in his 3x2m prison cell, he turns to the map of Europe on his wall.

She said he has the distances to his favourite cities mapped out, and although he is isolated and confined, he walks the distance to Brussels, Venice and Lisbon around his cell.

“He reads to keep his mind busy, to fight the crushing sense of isolation and of time wasting away.

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

The World Economic Forum Calls for AI and “Deepfake” Regulation, Has Already Partnered With UK Government

The World Economic Forum (WEF) is unsurprisingly a part of the “deepfakes panic” that has been spread and promoted for some years now by a number of politicians and media outlets around the world.

The notion of deepfake tech is used here as a stand-in for (future) AI in general — and least as far as WEF’s “fears” go, behind them is an attempt to make sure that governments and regulators around the world get working to prevent “harm” from AI.

According to WEF, cyber-criminals are using deepfakes so much these days that the problem has become “worrying” — while when it comes to the news industry, this is “a growing global concern.”

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

Ukraine is Shifting Away From Poland and Now Looking Towards Germany and France for Its Future Reconstruction, Says Polish Business Leader

Talks about the reconstruction of Ukraine are taking place despite the war still being in progress. Polish business views the future reconstruction of Ukraine as a great opportunity and has been assured by both Polish and Ukrainian politicians that it will have a significant share in this process, but despite agreements already being signed, there are concerns that Ukraine is shifting its focus to other EU states.

Cezary Kazmierczak, the head of the Union of Employers and Entrepreneurs, took to social media to comment on the developments that are not being noticed in Poland’s public domain. One of these is the change in the direction of Ukrainian foreign policy, which is now increasingly focused on the two most powerful EU states: Germany and France.

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

Ukrainian Ambassador Slams Polish Calls for Zelensky to Apologize for the WWII-Era Volhynia Massacre

The Ukrainian ambassador to Poland Vasyl Zvarych has deleted a social media post in which he objected to any attempt by Poland to make Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky apologize for the Volhynia massacre, which involved approximately 100,000 civilian Poles being massacred by Ukrainian nationalists.

Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Lukasz Jasina remarked on the Onet.pl news portal that Volhynia was a matter important enough to be resolved at a presidential level, adding that Zelensky should take more responsibility and issue an apology. He recalled that Poland has admitted its wrongs against Ukraine and that reciprocity is missing in this case, although relations with Ukraine have improved markedly.

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

Countries With the Fattest Under-5s Revealed: New Who League Table Sees Britain Ranked 22nd… and the US Isn’t Even in the Top 50!

Neither Britain or the US feature in the top 20 of a new league table based on data published by the World Health Organization (WHO). Instead, Libya takes the top spot.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Poles Outraged by Israeli Eurovision Singer’s Remarks on the Holocaust

Noa Kirel, who represented Israel at Eurovision Song Contest, sparked controversy by suggesting that Poles were responsible for the Holocaust during World War II. Upon learning that she received 12 points from the Polish jury, the singer stated, “To receive 12 points from Poland after almost the entire Kirel family was murdered in the Holocaust — that’s a true victory!”

Poland’s o2.pl news outlet details how terms such as “Polish death camps” are often widely used due to ignorance, lack of knowledge, or even deliberate malice. The publication now questions what reasons could be attributed to the Israeli singer’s statements.

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

Poland Only Exists Thanks to the Soviet Union and Should Show More Gratitude, Claims Russian Parliament Chair

Poland only exists as a state thanks to the Soviet Union, which liberated its lands from fascists, and it should be more grateful to its Russian neighbor, the chairman of Russia’s lower parliamentary chamber Vyacheslav Volodin has claimed.

In remarks that evidence a further decline in Polish-Russian relations, Volodin accused Poland of losing its historical memory and called for the country to be punished for its hostility towards Russia by being made to compensate Moscow for rebuilding the nation in the aftermath of World War II.

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

Putin Congratulates Wagner by Name for 1st Time as Ukraine Seeks to Reframe Bakhmut Narrative

Following Saturday’s Wagner declaration of the capture of Bakhmut, President Vladimir Putin has for the first time since the war began congratulated the mercenary group by name for its battlefield victory, as The New York Times reports:

The state-run Channel 1 newscast cited statements by President Vladimir V. Putin and Russia’s Defense Ministry that gave Wagner partial credit for capturing the city. Channel 1 also featured footage of armed men described as Wagner fighters yelling, “Bakhmut is ours!”

The Russian flag as well as flags of PMC Wagner have been seen across the central part of the strategic city in the Donetsk region. “Vladimir Putin congratulated the assault units of Wagner as well as all servicemen of units of the Russian armed forces who provided them with the necessary support and flank cover, on the completion of the operation to liberate,” TASS wrote, also saying those who fought with distinction would receive military awards.

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

Russia Warns of ‘Enormous Risks’ if Ukraine is Supplied With F-16s

After news broke that the U.S. will allow countries to provide F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, Russian officials are warning that the move would mark a dramatic escalation in the conflict.

Responding to the weapons transfer, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Alexander Grushko, told Russian media outlet TASS: “We see that the Western countries are still adhering to the escalation scenario.

“It involves enormous risks for themselves. In any case, this will be taken into account in all our plans, and we have all the necessary means to achieve the set goals.”

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

Seymour Hersh: ‘Something Else is Cooking’ in Ukraine

Authored by Seymour Hersh, via Scheerpost

This story is a follow up to Seymour Hersh’s original report on the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage.

Sign up at seymourhersh.substack.com so you can support Sy Hersh’s work

Last Saturday the Washington Post published an exposé of classified American intelligence documents showing that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, working behind the back of the Biden White House, pushed hard earlier this year for an expanded series of missile attacks inside Russia. The documents were part of a large cache of classified materials posted online by an Air Force enlisted man now in custody. A senior official of the Biden administration, asked by the Post for comment on the newly revealed intelligence, said that Zelensky has never violated his pledge never to use American weapons to strike inside Russia. In the view of the White House, Zelensky can do no wrong.

Zelensky’s desire to take the war to Russia may not be clear to the president and senior foreign policy aides in the White House, but it is to those in the American intelligence community who have found it difficult to get their intelligence and their assessments a hearing in the Oval Office.

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

Ukraine Lacks Equipment for Counterattack, According to Retired General

Despite the massive amounts of ammunition, artillery pieces, tanks, and fighter aircraft donated by Western Europe and the United States, retired Jordanian Air Force General Mamoun Abu Nowar told Al Jazeera that he does not believe the Ukrainian army is capable of launching a counterattack because they do not have the necessary equipment.

“They lack the air power, they lack the F-16s. It takes at least five to six months of tests and a break-in program to train pilots for this aircraft. Patriots, F-16s and other equipment would not be a strategic change, they would not change the course of the war for the Ukrainians or the Russians,” said Abu Nowar.

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

Ukraine Does Not Meet NATO Membership Requirements, Says German Chancellor Scholz

At the end of the meeting of G7 nations in Japan, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Sunday that Ukraine currently does not meet the requirements to join the NATO alliance.

The expansion of the American-led NATO alliance into Ukraine does not seem to be on the cards any time soon, with Chancellor Olaf Scholz downplaying the idea after meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Hiroshima, Japan over the weekend.

While the trip was successful for the Ukrainian leader in terms of securing additional military aid commitments — with President Joe Biden committing to send another $375 million in American tax dollars to the war zone — as well as getting the go-ahead from Washington for Western allies to supply American-made F-16 fighter jets, it does not appear that Zelensky has come any closer to his long-stated goal of joining NATO — a move that is considered a “red line” for the Kremlin.

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

Ukraine War: Saboteurs Cross Into Russia’s Belgorod, Governor Says

A group of saboteurs has crossed from Ukraine into Russia’s Belgorod region, with resulting clashes injuring several people, the Russian authorities say.

Local governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said Russian forces were searching for the group, which he said had attacked Grayvoronsky district by the border.

Vladimir Putin’s spokesman said the Russian president had been informed.

Ukraine denies responsibility and said Russian citizens from two paramilitary groups were behind the attack.

Mr Gladkov said six people had been injured, including two people admitted to hospital after the village of Glotovo was shelled and three people who had suffered shrapnel wounds in the town of Grayvoron.

Fighting had also damaged three houses and a local administrative building, he said.

The governor later announced a “counter-terrorist operation” had been launched in the region, giving special powers to the authorities including on identity checks and communications surveillance.

           — Hat tip: Dean [Return to headlines]
 

Indian Media Fall for Hoax Post Claiming Explosion at Pentagon

Several Indian media outlets on Monday ran a hoax message claiming that an explosion has occurred near the Pentagon — the headquarters of the United States Department of Defence, after an AI-generated image of an explosion in front of the Pentagon went viral BOOM found no credible reports of any recent explosion near the Pentagon.

Furthermore, the Fire Department of Arlington County, Virginia — where the Pentagon is located — further confirmed that the messages claiming the occurrence of an explosion are false.

           — Hat tip: JW [Return to headlines]
 

India: A Hindu Girl From Hamirpur Told Her Ordeal of How She Was Trapped, Raped, Blackmailed, and Tried Converted by a Muslim Youth

If you don’t leave the Hindu religion, then… Suppressing his Islamic identity, Irfan became Rohit to capture a Hindu girl, made obscene videos of rape, and put pressure to change her religion.

Stages of Love JihadAmrita Yadav | HENB | Hamirpur | May 20, 2023:: In Uttar Pradesh’s Hamirpur district, a case of torturing a Hindu girl student by forcing her to convert to religion has come to light. It is alleged that friendship was established first by hiding religion on Facebook and then the video was made to blackmail the student. On Thursday, the police registered a case under serious sections against the Muslim accused and five people of his family.

This is a case of planned Love Jihad to exploit a Hindu girl as apprehended.

Hiding the Muslim Identity

A young village resident of the Maudaha Kotwali area of Hamirpur district was doing her graduation in Physiotherapy from Kanpur. The girl student alleged that four years ago, Irfan Saudagar, a resident of Haidaria Mohal of Maudaha town, befriended her by creating a Facebook ID in the name of Rohit Hindustani.

The student filed a case

It is alleged that the accused raped the victim and made obscene videos and also took away money and jewelry by threatening to make the video viral. Maudaha Kotwali Police has registered FIR under Section 376 (2), N and 328, 386, 506 IPC. CO Vivek Yadav told that a case has been registered on the complaint of the victim student. A medical examination of the girl student was also done.

Made pressure for conversion by making obscene videos

The victim physiotherapy student told that Irfan hid his religion and did shameful sexual acts with her by posing as Rohit. She also told that the accused and his family members forced her to convert by thrashing him. It was also threatened that if she did not leave the Hindu religion then the obscene videos will be made viral.

No arrests so far

Though the Police are trying to arrest the accused by forming a special team, no arrest so far was reported by any source.

           — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari [Return to headlines]
 

Malaysian Comedian Uncle Roger Banned on Weibo for Jokes About Chinese Communist Party

The Malaysian comedic persona “Uncle Roger,” otherwise known as comic Nigel Ng, has found himself caught in the crosshairs of Chinese censorship, with his account suspended on Weibo, the nation’s equivalent to Twitter. The ban followed the posting of snippets from his live show which incorporated jokes about China’s pervasive surveillance and its President, Xi Jinping.

On Twitter, Ng shared a preview of his upcoming performance, humorously imploring the Chinese Communist Party not to “make him disappear.” Days later, his Weibo account was rendered inactive, the platform citing violations of “relevant laws and regulations” as the cause for the ban.

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

Exclusive: How an Officer ‘Three Times Her Size’ Has Been Stood Down for Tasering 95-Year-Old Great Grandmother Now Fighting for Her Life — as Top Cop and Security Guard Her Ward

Tasered great grandmother Clare Nowland is surrounded by extra ordinary security detail at Cooma District Hospital, resembling protection for accused criminals.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Haunting Footage Shows Two Schoolboys Chasing a 16-Year-Old With Machetes Before He Was Stabbed to Death in Broad Daylight

The terrified teen is seen running for his life from the scene with two other teens allegedly wielding with machetes chasing him shortly before his life came to a tragic end in Melbourne’s west.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Horror as Woman is Allegedly Threatened With a Machete During Terrifying Carjacking

The woman had been removing her belongings from a car on Dickson Street at Sunshine, in Melbourne’s west, at 1am on Monday.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Mother Whose Daughter Was Murdered and Dumped in a Shallow Grave After Rejecting a Man’s Advances ‘Hundreds of Times’ Stares Down the Killer and Sends Him a Powerful Message Inside Court

The mum of a South Australian nursing student who was brutally murdered has travelled from India laid eyes on her daughter’s killer for the first time while her victim impact statement was read.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Peter Dutton Goes Nuclear on the Aboriginal Voice Warning it Will Lead ‘Some Australians to be More Equal Than Others’ in Scathing Attack

The Opposition Leader said the referendum could ‘have an Orwellian effect where all Australians are equal, but some Australians are more equal than others’.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

When ‘Super El Nino’ is Set to Fry Australia — and What to Expect From the Weather Phenomenon

Australia will likely sweat through a ‘super El Nino’ this year, with meteorologists finding the warm climate pattern is ‘very likely’ to hit after three consecutive La Nina events.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

2 Algerian Illegal Migrants Arrested for Rape of 83-Year-Old Disabled Woman in France

Two Algerian immigrants living illegally in France have been indicted for the rape of an 83-year-old disabled woman at her home in the Parisian suburb of La Courneuve earlier this month.

The two males have been named as 29-year-old Aness B. and 38-year-old Benaouda D., both of whom are Algerian nationals who had been issued with a demand to leave French territory (OQTF) in September 2022 and February this year, respectively.

The alleged attack on their elderly victim took place shortly after 5:30 p.m. on May 3.

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

9th Circuit Court Shoots Down ‘Anti-Racist’ Push to Nix Immigration Law

A federal appeals court overturned a lower court ruling that had found a key section of immigration law to be tainted by racism, dealing a blow to “anti-racist” activists who see the case as a major test for cleansing the federal code of bigoted statutes.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Section 1326 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which makes it a felony to try to sneak back into the country after being deported, is not racist on its face, and wasn’t written with racist intent by Congress in the 1950s.

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

Europeans Don’t Realize ‘One Day They Will Become a Minority in Their Own Countries, ‘ Warns Best-Selling South African Writer Ernst Roets in Interview With Hungarian Media

South African writer and filmmaker Ernst Roets said in an interview with Hungarian media that he is surprised by how open Europeans are to mass immigration. He warns that the demographic consequences will be enormous, including Europeans becoming a minority in their own countries.

“From South Africa, we were surprised to look at Europe, at how open the countries are and how some people just accept immigrants, not realizing that one day they will become a minority in their own country,” said Roets to Hungarian newspaper Magyar Nemzet.

“When that happens, it will be too late. That’s why I said before that demographics are key: The diverse culture, the wonderful theaters, the entertainment, the universities and everything else are useless if the demographics are declining. And I think that’s especially true for Europeans and Americans who don’t recognize their importance in this demographic.”

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

Migrants Turn German City of Plauen Into No-Go Zone

Saxony is generally considered to have some of the lowest migrant numbers in Germany, and for years, commentators and newspapers made a point of lambasting the region’s anti-immigrant sentiment when there were few living there. Now, the mayor of Plauen is desperate as crime and violence soar in his city due to migrants dominating the city center, harassing pedestrians and committing serious crimes, including a case of attempted manslaughter.

Mayor Steffen Zenner (CDU) says there are “repeated ugly scenes of violence and physical altercations in the middle of our city center.”

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

NYC Mayor Eric Adams Calls for Migrants to be Sent to Every U.S. City as Big Apple Becomes Overwhelmed With Thousands of New Arrivals Daily and Looks to Ease Burden

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has called for migrants to be sent to every major city in America as he continues to try and solve the Big Apple’s overwhelming immigrant crisis.

The mayor has reopened many of the city’s closed hotels and turned them into migrant shelters to deal with an influx of asylum seekers in the past months and expected arrivals in the coming weeks.

However, on CBS’ Face the Nation Sunday, Adams told host Margaret Brennan that this is ‘not a burden on one city’ and proposed a shared solution.

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

Record Low: 25% of German 4th Graders Can’t Read Properly, Growing Diversity a Major Factor

A quarter of all Germany’s fourth-grade students fail to meet minimum standards in reading comprehension, according to the International Primary School Reading Survey (IGLU), which is equivalent to the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS). German students are performing so poorly that it is beginning to raise alarms from policymakers and academic experts, who point out that the country’s elementary school students are performing far worse than 20 years ago. These same experts indicate that Germany’s economic and social future prospects may be bleak due to the country’s increasingly poor education results.

One of the major factors is Germany’s transformational immigration regime, which has seen the share of ethnic German students fall precipitously. In the previous IGLU survey from 2017, the number of students who failed to meet minimum standards was 19 percent. In 2001, it was 17 percent. Given that much of the German economy depends on cutting-edge manufacturing technology and skilled craftsmen and women, the trend line is dire.

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

We Have ‘No Choice’ But to Vote for the ‘Far Right’ — French TV Reports on Growing Anti-Immigration Sentiment in Germany

Since the beginning of 2023, more than 100,000 asylum applications have been filed in Germany, an increase of 78 percent over the previous year. The massive influx is driving the growth of anti-immigration sentiment across Germany, as French news station Europe 1 reports.

Europe 1’s film crew visited the city of Kehl, close to the French border, where 1,200 asylum seekers currently live, a number that has doubled in just one year. There, locals are growing restless over yet another wave of migrants arriving in the city, which has strained social services and maxed out the building’s reception facilities.

However, one of the key points of contention is Germany’s growing real estate crisis.

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

Australia’s Oldest University is Now Offering Tampons and Sanitary Products in the Men’s Bathrooms

The products are available in wall-hung dispensers, alongside a note endorsed by University of Sydney Union.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Bud Light Buying Back Unsold, Expired Beer From Wholesalers as Sales Continue to Suffer: Report

Bud Light has reportedly informed wholesalers it would buy back unsold beer once it expires as the company continues to face backlash from its polarizing pact with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.

The Wall Street Journal published a lengthy feature on the company’s struggles after conservatives across America have ditched Bud Light over the saga that began in March when Mulvaney publicized that the beer company sent packs of Bud Light featuring the influencer’s face as a way to celebrate a full year of “girlhood.” Backlash was swift, and the promotion is now considered one of the most polarizing in the history of the digital space.

Now it seems parent company Anheuser-Busch is taking steps to help wholesalers who have taken a hit.

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

Democrats Create a Transgender Child Kidnapping Network

by Daniel Greenfield

“Trans Minors Protected from Parents Under Washington Law,” the Associated Press headlined its story. A short time later the story had officially been “withdrawn” by the AP.

Withdrawing the story however didn’t change the facts.

Washington Senate Bill 5599, titled, “Supporting youth and young adults seeking protected health care services”, allows shelters where a child runaway shows up not to notify his or her parents. While normally, unless a child were suffering “abuse or neglect”, the shelter would be obligated to inform the parents between 24 and 72 hours after arrival. The new law adds minors getting abortions and transgender treatments as “compelling reasons” not to notify their parents.

Once a child is listed as transgender, the parents are automatically treated as abusers.

Instead of contacting a child’s parents, the system will contact Washington’s child services department essentially claiming automatic state custody of any children classified as transgender. This measure follows on the heels of school policies where children are encouraged to imagine they’re another gender without telling their parents and shelter systems in the state that have refused to disclose information about minors to their families…

           — Hat tip: Daniel Greenfield [Return to headlines]
 

Fox News is Going Full Bud Light, Leaked Internal Documents Show

Fox News is reportedly pushing aggressively to become a “woke” network, leaked internal documents have revealed.

The Daily Signal’s Mary Margaret Olohan obtained the leaked Fox News docs that may help explain the recent shift at the network.

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

Josh Hawley Introduces Legislation That Holds Big Tech Liable for Child Pornography

United States Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) has sponsored a bill that would hold technology companies legally liable for possession of child pornography on their websites.

Joining Hawley is Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), who is co-sponsoring the bi-partisan proposal.

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

Professor Hurls Students’ Pro-Life Display After Profanity-Laced Tirade: ‘Triggering My Students’

A professor at a New York public college appeared to shout down pro-life students before snagging and throwing items in their display, accusing the students of spreading “propaganda” and “triggering” other students.

Hunter College students were manning a table displaying pro-life literature earlier this month when they were confronted by an angry professor, who shouted profanities at the students before tossing materials off the table, video of the interaction shows.

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

Pro-Life Activist Describes FBI’s ‘Coordinated Onslaught’ of the Movement: We Are ‘Actively Targeted’

Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising member Elise Ketch called out the “coordinated onslaught” of the FBI against the pro-life movement after two agents visited her mother’s house in April.

On Wednesday, the Daily Signal released Ring doorbell footage of two FBI agents arriving at Ketch’s childhood home in Virginia requesting to speak with her. When Ketch’s mother asked for the reason behind the visit, they only stated that it involved “information” sent to them, but that Ketch was “not in any trouble.”

Describing the situation to Fox News Digital, Ketch said there was “a little bit of panic, but it wasn’t surprising.”

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

Shocking Moment Woke NYC College Professor Hurls Foul-Mouthed Abuse at Students Over Pro-Life Stand and Accuses Them of ‘Triggering’ Others, Before Angrily Destroying Their Display

A professor at a New York City art college has drawn the ire of social media after a video showed her hurling obscenities at pro life students over a display at their school that she eventually destroyed.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Tampa Pride Festival Canceled After Florida Cuts Off Access to Children

The Tampa Pride on the River event has been canceled due to the series of anti-groomer bills passed by the Florida legislature and signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), which in part imposes penalties on establishments that expose children to sexually explicit drag shows and similar adult performances.

DeSantis recently signed a series of anti-groomer legislation designed to protect children from the radical left’s woke gender agenda, which includes pushing transgender ideology and gender confusion on minors. One of the pieces of legislation signed is titled the “Protection of Children,” or HB 1438, which imposes fines on establishments that allow children to attend sexually explicit adult shows, such as drag shows.

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

Uber Puts Asian Diversity Chief on Leave Over ‘Don’t Call Me Karen’ Sessions Exploring ‘White Women’s Experience’

Uber’s Chief Diversity Equity and Inclusion Officer, Bo Young Lee, was recently placed on leave after she moderated an event for employees titled “Don’t Call Me Karen,” which employees complained was “triggering.”

The New York Times reports that Uber’s chief people officer, Nikki Krishnamurthy, and chief executive, Dara Khosrowshahi, sent an email Thursday to staff and announced they had asked Young “to step back and take a leave of absence while we determine next steps.”

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

UK: Plot to Drive Out Equality Chief Who’s Standing Up for Women: Whistleblowers at Human Rights Commission Say Boss is Facing ‘Witch Hunt’ From Trans Lobby

EXCLUSIVE: The employees at the Equality and Human Rights Commission are said to have compiled a dossier, setting out more than 40 complaints aimed at Baroness Falkner.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

5 thoughts on “Gates of Vienna News Feed 5/22/2023

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    Freedom of the Press Act designated as a world heritage

    Publicerad 22 maj 2023 I Fria Tider

    picture
    https://www.friatider.se/sites/default/files/styles/wide/public/skarmbild_2023-05-22_094251.jpg

    CULTURAL NEWS.
    The Swedish Freedom of the Press Act of 1766 has been designated a world heritage site by UNESCO. The ordinance was the first in the world, and included both the right to express oneself freely and to access public documents.

    In 1766, Sweden was the first country in the world to adopt a law regulating the right to free speech – the Freedom of the Press Act.

    It consisted of two parts: the right for everyone to publish thoughts, opinions and feelings in print, and the right for everyone to access the documents of the authorities and governing bodies (such as decisions, minutes and reports), and to print them if they wish. The latter right is known as the principle of public access.

    In the mid-18th century, Sweden had a unique parliamentary system that gave great power to the Riksdag – although it was highly corrupt and its members were often bought by foreign powers – and little power to the King. During the Age of Liberty, 1719-1772, it became important to be able to freely exchange thoughts and ideas, and to be able to stimulate opinion and public debate. This led to the first Freedom of the Press Act.

    The documents have now collectively been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

    A world monument is a document or collection in an archive or library that is considered to be of great value to humanity. There are already seven world monuments in Sweden: Alfred Nobel’s family archive, Astrid Lindgren’s archive, Dag Hammarskjöld’s collection, Emanuel Swedenborg’s archive, Ingmar Bergman’s archive, the Silver Bible and the City of Stockholm’s building plans.

    The Swedish UNESCO Council is a national advisory and expert authority. The UNESCO Council supports Swedish nominations to the World Heritage Program’s international register, following proposals from the Swedish Committee for the World Heritage Program.

    The Freedom of the Press Act was nominated to the UNESCO World Heritage Register in 2021.
    The Freedom of the Press Act designated a world heritage site

    Published on May 22, 2023 in Fria Tider

    CULTURAL NEWS.
    The Swedish Freedom of the Press Act of 1766 has been designated a world heritage site by UNESCO. The ordinance was the first in the world, and included both the right to express oneself freely and to access public documents.

    In 1766, Sweden was the first country in the world to adopt a law regulating the right to free speech – the Freedom of the Press Act.

    It consisted of two parts: the right for everyone to publish thoughts, opinions and feelings in print, and the right for everyone to access the documents of the authorities and governing bodies (such as decisions, minutes and reports), and to print them if they wish. The latter right is known as the principle of public access.

    In the mid-18th century, Sweden had a unique parliamentary system that gave great power to the Riksdag – although it was highly corrupt and its members were often bought by foreign powers – and little power to the King.

    During the Age of Liberty, 1719-1772, it became important to be able to freely exchange thoughts and ideas, and to be able to stimulate opinion and public debate. This led to the first Freedom of the Press Act.

    The documents have now collectively been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

    A world monument is a document or collection in an archive or library that is considered to be of great value to humanity. There are already seven world monuments in Sweden: Alfred Nobel’s family archive, Astrid Lindgren’s archive, Dag Hammarskjöld’s collection, Emanuel Swedenborg’s archive, Ingmar Bergman’s archive, the Silver Bible and the City of Stockholm’s building plans.

    The Swedish UNESCO Council is a national advisory and expert authority. The UNESCO Council supports Swedish nominations to the World Heritage Program’s international register, following proposals from the Swedish Committee for the World Heritage Program.

    The Freedom of the Press Act was nominated to the UNESCO World Heritage Register in 2021.

    ————————————————-

    257 YEARS LATER

    Left-wing journalist reports Ivar Arpi for

    incitement against ethnic groups.

    Published May 22, 2023

    The right-wing commentator Ivar Arpi has been reported to the police for incitement to racial hatred by left-wing journalist Mattias Irving.

    “How did Sweden end up here?” asked Dagens Nyheter in an editorial about the political pressure on the police to stop the burning of the Koran despite the alleged freedom of expression in the country.

    Ivar Arpi answers this question in a Twitter post:

    “Yes, how, DN’s editorial page?
    Could it be because the country has a large minority of Muslims who can explode into violence at the slightest provocation? Incidentally, the words Islam and Muslims are not mentioned in the editorial. The writer seems to have missed the connection.”

    Mattias Irving, editorial director of the left-wing Christian newspaper Dagens Seglora, believes that Ivar Arpi’s tweet constitutes “gross racism”. He states that, after “gathering views from various quarters”, he is reporting Arpi to the police for incitement to racial hatred.

    Ivar Arpi writes that he welcomes the report, saying:

    “Just you run to the missus, little Mattias.”

  2. Left Wing! lmfao. That’s like calling Stalin right wing. I am frustrated with your pitiful attempts to rewrite history by engaging in historical delusion or historical fiction. I am an Adams from Boston, and I am a democratic republican. I believe in open markets and equality. Both of these radical ideologies (Europe needs to remove itself from the extremes and find that good governance will not be assured by n0-name authors who still have the [manly attributes] to call white black and black white. Stop the propaganda and do something to serve your fellow man. Fascism and communism took my family’s Polish title and land because the gentry were too effective and intelligent for the paranoia your extremist tendencies always produce. The results has been brutal hell on earth, and your attempt to lead the lay reader astray from history is a social sin that will not be forgiven by me. I am a Bostonian Adams and I will fight my enemies as the pugilist that I have been since I would fight the fascists in the projects I grew up in. Now I can take many of you at once without a weapon. However, I have a 9mm to protect my home near the Mayflower, where my Adams ancestors came from, and I will not think twice to protect this land against an encroachment. Stay away from The United States, particularly Boston the city that gave the birthing paines that other cowardice people in Europe and the colonies were unable to feel fear and live up to God’s calling for all of us to sacrifice for each other. God and monarchies are antipodal. God bequeathed reason amongst New England men were courage is still more active than any other region of people on earth besides Ukraine. However, I will go to Ukraine soon. It is my duty. It is yours as well, but your spiritually unwell.

    • Hope you stay away from Ukraine and getting yourself maimed or killed to no good effect.

      Even if the war against the Russians is just (it isn’t, but to each their own), throwing one’s life away so the Rat of Keef can buy a few more mansions, Ukrainians can be forced to accept the alphabet lobby, and the country is made safe for Blackrock and anal fisting is a terrible waste of one’s life.

    • Son, you got your labels all confused, the people here are nationalist of the democratic stripe, for if you think we are fascist’s? The school system really failed you and yours.
      As for God, Deo Volente!

  3. “Irish Government Introduces Stark Health Warning on Alcohol Claiming Links to Cancer” Funny they did not bother putting a similar warning on those Covid ” vaccines”.

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