Tafari Campbell, the personal chef for former President Barack Obama who drowned while paddle boarding on Martha’s Vineyard, was not wearing a life vest, according to police. Despite his documented competency in swimming, no foul play is suspected in his death.
In other news, Algeria has applied to join the BRICS group, and submitted a request to become a shareholder member of the BRICS New Development Bank.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Daniel Greenfield, Dean, LP, MM, 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.
Aaron Hernandez’s Brother Arrested, Accused of Planning Shootings at UCONN, Brown University
BRISTOL, Conn. — Dennis “DJ” Hernandez, the brother of deceased former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez, was recently arrested in Connecticut after being accused of planning shootings at two prominent New England universities.
An incident report obtained from the Bristol Police Department on Tuesday indicates a 35-year-old woman contacted officers because of text messages that Hernandez, 37, had sent. The woman also told police that “Dennis is extremely sick and that his mental health is continuing to deteriorate.”
She told officers that Hernandez traveled to both the University of Connecticut campus in Storrs and Brown University in Providence in her car to “map the schools out” and surmised he was planning a “school shooting.” The woman told police she loaned the vehicle to Hernandez on July 7 so he could go to a court hearing but said he admitted to driving to the universities instead.
The police report indicates that the UCONN police department confirmed that the vehicle was on campus that day.
Police also noted “numerous social media posts that contained threatening and concerning language” that were posted by Hernandez on July 19.
“Based on the information contained within these text messages, it became readily apparent that Dennis was gravely disabled and a danger to society,” police wrote in the report.
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo was escorted out of a D.C. event that was interrupted by rowdy climate change protestors on Tuesday.
Raimondo was speaking at a Wilson Center event entitled “A Conversation on the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework” on Tuesday afternoon. She was onstage with economist Sadek Wahba when protestors barged in.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
President Biden was shredded on social media Tuesday after saying his administration has effectively “ended cancer as we know it.”
Biden made the eyebrow-raising comment during a speech about expanding access to mental health care at the White House, where he discussed his commitment to tackling the nation’s mental health crisis as part of his “unity agenda.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden’s State Department Ignores Deadline for Handing Over Censorship Documents
The US State Department had missed the June 21 deadline to provide Congress with documents that Republicans in the House of Representatives believe could help clarify the role the government had in silencing conservatives online.
The documents in question were requested in June from the Global Engagement Center (GEC), which is operated by the State Department. The Center’s “claim to fame” is that one of its grants — amounting to $100,000 — went to the Global Disinformation Index (GDI) in 2021.
This is by no means the only significant donation GDI has received — $860,000 came its way from the National Endowment for Democracy, a nonprofit that is also funded by the US government. This money was paid to GDI between 2020 and 2022 — but this organization has in the meantime cut ties with GDI, at least as far as openly financing the controversial group.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: Ice Cube Challenges Official COVID, BLM Narratives in Brand New Tucker Carlson Interview
Recently appearing as the guest on the most recent episode of Tucker on Twitter, world-famous rapper Ice Cube joined show host Tucker Carlson to discuss a myriad of topics that are considered controversial in today’s mainstream culture.
Numerous subjects were covered, ranging from the societal pressures and compulsion surrounding the Covid-19 outbreak to whether forces such as BLM and corporate America are practicing the virtues they claim to hold.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: Ron DeSantis in Car Accident in Tennessee
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was reportedly involved in a car accident in Tennessee as his team was on the campaign trail.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Bryan Kohberger Might Claim ‘Alibi’ in Idaho Murders Case, Court Filing Reveals
Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger “might rely on an alibi” during his upcoming trial, according to a recent court filing and criminal defense attorney John Henry Browne, who represented serial killer Ted Bundy.
Kohberger, 29, who is “standing silent” in the case accusing him of fatally stabbing four University of Idaho students in November 2022, reiterated his right to silence in a Monday filing responding to the state’s demand to present an alibi.
The suspect’s defense team said it “continues investigating and preparing his case.” His lawyers also said they have “[e]vidence corroborating” the suspect being at a location other than the crime scene at 1122 King Road in Moscow — an off-campus house where three of the four victims lived — when the murders occurred on Nov. 13, 2022.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Chase Bank Shuts Accounts of Natural Health Advocate Dr. Joesph Mercola, Refuses to Say Why
In a recent wave of unexpected closures, JP Morgan Chase has terminated a number of bank accounts associated with Florida-based health retailer, Mercola Market, along with the personal accounts of its employees and their families. The firm’s owner, Dr. Joseph Mercola, is known for his criticism of COVID-19 vaccines and promotion of natural health.
The exact reasons behind these abrupt terminations remain undisclosed. However, numerous employees speculate that these moves may be politically-driven, triggered by Dr. Mercola’s overtly dissenting stance on the public health narrative around COVID-19.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Corporate Media Calls for ‘Blackouts’ to ‘Solve Climate Change’
Green agenda alarmists in the corporate media are now calling for widespread electrical grid blackouts for “the greater good” of “solving the climate crisis.”
In an article from the Los Angeles Times, the establishment media outlet argues that it would be “easier and less expensive to fight climate change” if the public would “be willing to live with” blackouts.
In the LA Times piece, writer Sammy Roth questioned what is more critical, “Keeping the lights on 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, or solving the climate crisis?”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Delaware US Attorney Who Misrepresented Hunter Biden Probe Will Testify Before Congress
David Weiss, the US Attorney for Delaware who oversaw the federal probe into Hunter Biden’s alleged tax and gun crimes, has been granted permission by the Justice Department to testify before Congress regarding an alleged cover-up in the investigation following explosive whistleblower testimony.
On Friday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Oversight Chairman James Comer (R-KY) and Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) demanded that Weiss, along with multiple officials within the Justice Department, testify before Congress in regard to the alleged federal interference that occurred during Hunter Biden’s criminal investigation.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Elderly Man Charged With Setting Yosemite Park Fire After Dems Blamed it on ‘Climate Change’
An elderly California man has been arrested in connection with a massive forest fire that swept through Yosemite National Park in July 2022. Edward Fredrick Wackerman, 71, was taken into custody on June 16 following an investigation that lasted nearly a year.
The blaze, known as the Oak Fire, was originally attributed to climate change by many Democrats, including California Sen. Alex Padilla, who used the incident as an opportunity to push his environmental agenda.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
ESPN Soccer Analyst Collapses Suddenly During Live Broadcast
Viewers were left stunned when ESPN soccer analyst Shaka Hislop collapsed suddenly during a live broadcast on Sunday night.
Hislop is said to be recovering after the unsettling moment.
The former goalie fell toward co-host Dan Thomas while discussing AC Milan’s friendly with Real Madrid on the field at the Rose Bowl.
“Shak! Shak! We need some help,” an unnerved Thomas was heard yelling on the broadcast.
“We need medical!”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
GOP Bill Lets Americans Sue ‘Malicious’ Federal Workers Who Conspire to Censor Social Media Posts
FIRST ON FOX: House Republicans are pushing to let U.S. citizens sue individual federal employees who help orchestrate the censorship of free speech on social media.
The Censorship Accountability Act, being introduced Tuesday by Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., would authorize lawsuits against executive branch employees when they direct a social media company to censor or “shadow ban” posts.
“Freedom of speech is the bedrock principle of our nation. Unfortunately, many malicious actors, especially federal bureaucrats, are bent on undermining the First Amendment and censoring Americans at every turn,” Bishop told Fox News Digital.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Government Censorship Leads to “Atrocity,” RFK Jr. Warns After Being Attacked by House Democrats
Renowned advocate of free speech Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. has recently raised alarm over the potential perils of government censorship, indicating that it could serve as a precursor for “atrocity.”
His statement comes in the wake of a heated exchange with House Democrats at a censorship hearing last week. Kennedy emphasized free expression as an indispensable mainstay of democracy, warning that any attempts to restrict it by governmental authorities could lead to crippling ramifications.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hillary Clinton Shredded for Tweet Blaming ‘MAGA Republicans’ for Heat Wave: ‘She’s Broken’
Hillary Clinton’s widely derided remarks blaming Republicans for the heat wave gripping the United States were indicative of a “broken” politician and “sore loser,” “Outnumbered” panelists said on Tuesday.
Clinton went viral after blaming record temperatures in the U.S. on Republicans, tweeting, “Hot enough for you? Thank a MAGA Republican. Or better yet, vote them out of office.” Clinton’s social media post came in response to a tweet from left-wing think tank Center for American Progress which stated “MAGA Republicans are pouring fuel on the climate crisis fire.”
“Outnumbered” guest Lee Zeldin, the Republican who narrowly lost last year’s New York gubernatorial race, said Clinton was seeking to further divide with the incendiary remark.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Home Invader Shot by Both Homeowners When They Returned Fire During Burglary Attempt
McDonald County, Missouri is in the extreme southwest part of the state, hard on the borders of Oklahoma and Arkansas. It’s an Ozark county populated by people who declared their independence from the state in 1961. In short, they’re not people you want to mess with.
If only a would-be burglar knew a little more about McDonald County before he let himself into a local home last week.
Two homeowners came home at about 9:30pm to find 62-year-old James Garrett skulking around their Tiff City house. Both were armed when the intruder took a shot at them. They then returned fire and both hit their target.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hunter Biden’s Lawyer Faces Possible Sanctions After Accusations of Lying in Criminal Tax Case
The judge presiding over the Hunter Biden case threatened Biden’s legal team with sanctions over allegations about lying in his criminal case.
Hunter Biden’s legal team is accused of misrepresenting themselves to get information about IRS whistleblowers removed from the docket. Delaware Judge Maryellen Noreika gave Biden’s legal time until 9 p.m. on Tuesday to explain their side.
A lawyer from Hunter’s legal team is accused of misrepresenting who she was when asking to remove amicus materials. They allegedly called to ask the clerk to have the information sealed.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Jesse Watters Crushes Competition in 1st Week, Beats CNN and MSNBC Combined in New Time Slot
Fox News star Jesse Watters scored a huge win in his first week hosting his show in his new primetime spot beating his competition combined. Fox News’ entire new primetime lineup delivered good ratings after seeing a massive drop since firing Tucker Carlson.
Jesse Watters Primetime drew 2.3 million viewers and 198,000 in the 18-54 demo. He beat CNN’s Anderson Cooper, 666,000 viewers, and MSNBC’s Chris Hayes,1,306,000, combined.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Lebron James’ Son Rushed to Hospital After Suffering Cardiac Arrest During Basketball Practice
LeBron James’ son, Bronny James, has been rushed to hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest while practicing with the USC basketball team.
After being rushed to the hospital, the 18-year-old was admitted to the ICU.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A longtime friend and ally of Hunter Biden and the Biden family served as a prosecutor in the Delaware U.S. Attorney’s office when that office led the federal investigation into Hunter Biden and has visited the White House at least five times during the Biden administration, a Fox News Digital investigation has found.
Alexander Snyder-Mackler, a former legal counsel to Joe Biden when he was vice president and a press secretary for then-Sen. Biden between 2007 and 2008, served as an assistant United States attorney in the Delaware U.S. Attorney’s office under David Weiss from August 2016 to May 2019. During that time, Weiss was leading the federal investigation into Hunter Biden for tax fraud and illegal foreign business dealings.
According to emails from Hunter’s abandoned laptop, which were reviewed and verified by Fox News Digital, Mackler and Hunter Biden remained in close contact, with Mackler once signing off an email saying, “Love you brother.”
It’s unclear what, if any, role Mackler played in the probe. Even if Mackler played no role in the Hunter Biden investigation, his professional closeness with Weiss’ team is sure to lead to conflict of interest questions from Republicans on Capitol Hill. Fox News Digital has reached out to Weiss and Mackler for comment.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Mark Zuckerberg Could Face a Year in Jail as GOP Moves to Hold Him in Contempt of Congress
Fox News correspondent Hillary Vaughn confirmed that House Republicans plan to move forward with holding Mark Zuckerberg in contempt of Congress.
“Fox News has confirmed the House will move forward to cite Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for contempt of Congress. House Republicans say the social media giant has not turned over enough documents that would shine a light on the company’s censorship bans,” Sandra Smith said before introducing Vaughn.
Vaughn said: “Sandra, this is all a part of the House Judiciary Committee’s investigation into whether or not media coordinated with the White House and the executive branch to censor people on their platform and by extension, violating the First Amendment rights of users on their platform.
“But Meta has handed over documents to the committee. The committee, though, says these documents do not suffice.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy predicted Republicans will gather enough evidence soon to mount an impeachment inquiry against President Biden, as the corruption scandal enveloping him and his son Hunter continues to grow.
McCarthy, R-Calif., made reference to a relatively new revelation from the House Oversight Committee that — while Joe was vice president — Hunter Biden “capitalized” on a financial relationship with a Romanian national later convicted on corruption charges.
According to prepared remarks from House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., in June, the Bidens received more than $1 million in 17 increments.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) announced his new plan to stop former President Donald Trump from securing the Republican nomination for president. Mitt said:
“Despite Donald Trump’s apparent inevitability, a baker’s dozen Republicans are hoping to become the party’s 2024 nominee for president. That is possible for any of them if the field narrows to a two-person race before Mr. Trump has the nomination sewn up.
“For that to happen, Republican megadonors and influencers—large and small—are going to have to do something they didn’t do in 2016: get candidates they support to agree to withdraw if and when their paths to the nomination are effectively closed.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NCLA Amicus Brief Challenges Supreme Court to Deep-Six Chevron Deference and at-Sea Monitor Rule
Washington, DC (July 24, 2023) — Today, the New Civil Liberties Alliance filed an amicus curiae brief calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn its destructive Chevron precedent in Loper Bright Enterprises, et al. v. Gina Raimondo, et al. The brief also asks the Court to set aside a rule promulgated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries).
The agencies’ Final Rule requires fishing companies to pay for government monitoring of their herring catch, but no statute authorizes the agencies to obtain funding from regulated parties. Nevertheless, in August 2022, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit invoked the Chevron precedent in Loper Bright v. Raimondo, ruling that NOAA Fisheries’ Final Rule was allowable under an expansive reading of the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Chevron requires federal judges to defer to federal agencies’ reasonable interpretations of ambiguous statutes.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Obamas’ personal chef who drowned Sunday while paddleboarding near the former president’s home on Martha’s Vineyard was not wearing a life vest and no foul play is suspected in his death, Massachusetts State Police said.
The body of Tafari Campbell, 45, of Dumfries, Virginia, was recovered Monday morning from Edgartown Great Pond after an extensive search.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Oversight Committee Chair: ‘Cash-Strapped’ Biden Sold Secrets for Decades
House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) has unearthed new information regarding the allegation of influence-peddling leveled against Democrat President Joe Biden.
According to Comer, Biden has been “selling” secrets to America’s “enemies for decades.”
Comer alleges that Biden sold-out his country because he was “cash-strapped.”
“Joe Biden has been selling access to our enemies for decades,” Comer said on the podcast “Verdict” hosted by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poll: 73% of Trump Voters Say Racism Against White Americans is a Problem
Donald Trump voters view racism against whites as a bigger problem than racism against blacks, according to a new YouGov poll.
From Yahoo News, “Poll: Trump voters say racism against white Americans is a bigger problem than racism against Black Americans”.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ron DeSantis Fires More Than 1/3 of Campaign Staff in Bad Sign for Florida Governor
Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign is in trouble as he struggles to gain traction and pull support from former President Donald Trump. DeSantis is slumping in the polls and is in real danger of slipping into third place.
And his campaign is hemorrhaging cash. Multiple media outlets have reported that DeSantis has had to go around and explain his faltering campaign to his big donors over threats of cutting off the spigot.
Now Politico is reporting that Ron’s campaign is firing more than a third of his campaign staff to try to right the ship. Maybe the donors cut him off?
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Seattle Homicides Up 7% in First Half of 2023
A new report revealed that the number of homicides in Seattle continued to increase in 2023 even as they declined in other cities.
According to the Council on Criminal Justice Crime Trend Mid Year Update, homicides in the Emerald City rose by 7 percent in the first half of 2023; it was one of 10 cities to report an increase, with a percent change greater than that of New York at 4.9 percent, even as other cities saw a decline during the same time frame.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Seattle PD Struggles to Keep City Safe During Taylor Swift Concert Weekend Amid Record Staffing Lows
Hundreds of thousands of people came to Seattle for a Taylor Swift concert and several other major events over the weekend, leaving the already understaffed police department stretched past the breaking point.
Crowd counters estimated that over 250,000 people were in the SODO neighborhood Saturday and Sunday for Taylor Swift’s New Era Tour and sold-out Mariners games.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
State Police: Human Foot Found Off I-93 in Dorchester Belonged to Pedestrian Killed Last October
A MassDOT worker found the foot while he was cutting grass near the site where Christian Yemga was fatally hit last fall.
Months after a pedestrian was struck by a car and killed on I-93 in Dorchester, state police recovered his foot near the interstate on Monday.
A MassDOT worker found the foot while cutting grass near the Freeport Street off-ramp around 1:30 p.m. Police confirmed that it belonged to Christian Yemga, 34, who was fatally hit in October 2022 when he was walking along the interstate after his car broke down.
Police determined the foot belonged to Yemga based on its “characteristics” and proximity to the crash site. Troopers had been unable to locate the foot at the time of the crash, despite an “extensive” search.
The two people in the car that hit Yemga were hospitalized with serious injuries after the accident. A third driver that crashed into that car was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence and assaulting an officer. No charges were brought in connection to Yemga’s death, police said, since the driver who hit him was not found to be at fault for the crash.
| — Hat tip: Roger | [Return to headlines] |
‘This Elaborate Censorship Conspiracy’
Former New York Post editor Emma-Jo Morris testified last week to the House Weaponization of Government Committee chaired by Rep. Jim Jordan. The committee has posted the text of her statement here. I have posted video below.
Morris was the deputy politics editor leading national coverage at the Post, where she also reported the Hunter Biden “laptop from hell” series. Her work for the Post is collected here. She has moved on to Breitbart News, also in an editorial capacity.
In her statement Morris recounts her reporting on the laptop, the suppression of her reporting by the FBI, the intelligence community, and social media, all with the cooperation of the media. Morris rightly singles out Politico, which ran the statement of the Deep State 51. She leaves Politico reporter Natasha Bertrand unnamed. Bertrand is the reporter who ran the story that regurgitated the statement straight. She has since moved on to CNN.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In an interview Monday, Senator Rand Paul took aim at several virologists who apparently agreed that pursuing evidence concerning a Coronavirus lab leak in Wuhan would cause a “s**t show” of problems with China, and that it was better to dismiss the notion out of hand.
“This was never about science. This was about the business of science. It was about the money,” Paul urged.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Decade’s Lowest Birth Rate Recorded in Germany Amid Changing Demographic Landscape
Germany experiences the smallest birth rate in ten years, as revealed by the Federal Statistical Office’s recent data. In the past year, a mere 738,819 newborns were recorded, marking a decrease of 56,673, or seven percent, compared to the previous year.
The record birth rate since 1997 was documented in 2021, with 795,492 births, an occurrence many Germans attributed to the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to a surge in what was often referred to as “corona babies.” However, in 2022, the birth rate dropped by eight percent to 1.46 children per woman, the lowest since 2013. This figure had increased significantly in 2021, to 1.58 children per woman.
To prevent a population decrease in developed nations without relying on immigration, the Statistical Office states that an average of 2.1 children should be born per woman. Despite the low birth rate, Germany’s population saw an impressive rise last year to 84.3 million due to record levels of immigration. All 16 German states experienced a fall in birth rates, with particularly pronounced declines in Hamburg and Berlin, both experiencing a ten percent drop.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Did Their Social Media Posts Lead to Their Bank Account Being Shut Down?
The weaponizing of banks against their own clients (aka, debanking) is a phenomenon that doesn’t seem to be losing momentum.
And it makes plans to introduce central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) even more of a suspect proposition, since that would make this sort of activity by financial institutions much easier.
As far as well known cases, after Canadian “Freedom Convoy” civil protesters got a rude awakening by having access to their money in the bank temporarily denied by the government — for daring to criticize said government’s Covid policies, it was the turn of a former member of European Parliament (MEP) and UKIP party leader Nigel Farage to have himself “debanked” in his own country.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France: Macron’s Expected Speech Brings Nothing New
Contrary to tradition, French President Emmanuel Macron did not address the French on the occasion of Bastille Day on July 14th. Instead, during a trip to France’s Pacific possessions, he chose to do an interview from New Caledonia, broadcast at 1 p.m. on Monday, July 24th, in which he spoke about the past few weeks, the crisis in France, and his plans for the new political year in September.
His address corresponded to the famous “hundred days” that he had announced in April after the vote on the pension reform. The President congratulated himself on his achievements: “The results are there and we are moving forward,” he assured journalists.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France: Paris Plans to Resume Swimming in the River Seine After a Century-Long Ban
In anticipation of the Olympic Games, Paris is actively conducting a historic cleanup of the River Seine, which will soon be open again for swimming and diving.
According to BBC, urban swimming, prohibited for centuries due to the polluted water, will become one of the main achievements of the Olympics thanks to a successful restoration project costing 1.4 billion euros.
Three Olympic and Paralympic events — triathlon, marathon swimming, and paratriathlon — are planned to take place on the Seine in the heart of Paris. By 2025, three open-water swimming zones will be established along the riverbanks.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Saxony’s CDU Prime Minister Says AfD Firewall Isn’t Practical
Saxony’s head of government Michael Kretschmer, a politician of Merz’s CDU, backs a “pragmatic approach” towards cooperation with the AfD and admits a “flawless separation” isn’t practical or maintainable.
In the simmering debate about possible cooperation between the CDU and AfD in municipalities, Saxony’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) pleaded for a “pragmatic approach” to the party. A “flawless separation” cannot be maintained when it comes to factual decisions at the municipal level, Kretschmer told the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” . In cities and communities, it is not enough to say: “We are against it because the AfD is in favor of it.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany to Invest 20 Billion Euros in Chip Production
The German Ministry of Economy has announced plans to invest approximately 20 billion euros in the semiconductor industry in the coming years. This decision comes amid growing concerns about the fragility of supply chains and dependence on South Korea and Taiwan in the chip sector, as reported by Reuters.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany and Poland Agree on Tank Maintenance Hub for Ukraine
Poland and Germany have reached an agreement for the construction of a servicing and maintenance hub to repair Leopard 2 tanks as part of a military aid package for Ukraine.
The hub to service the German-made vehicles will be based in Poland, Mitko Muller, spokesman for the German defense ministry, confirmed in a press conference on Monday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungary Receives First Batch of Airbus Military Helicopters as Part of Armed Forces Upgrade
Hungary has received its first batch of Airbus H225M light utility helicopters in what is a major step in the upgrade of the Hungarian armed forces, Defense Minister Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky announced at the Szolnok Air Base in central Hungary on Monday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poland has reiterated its claim on €1.3 trillion ($1.4tn) in damages caused by Germany’s invasion and occupation of its territory during the Second World War while making comparisons to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that Berlin will likely find uncomfortable and has so far seemingly tried to ignore.
Germany should lead by example on the Ukraine war and settle accounts with neighbouring Poland, which it invaded and occupied between 1939 and 1945, causing terrible harm and subjecting the nation to the Holocaust, Polish Secretary of State for Europe Arkadiusz Mularczyk has said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ireland: Alleged €400k Gold Theft From Right-Wing Party Perplexes Police
The alleged theft of an estimated €400,000 worth of gold bullion from the safety deposit box of a small right-wing nationalist party in Ireland has prompted media intrigue as well as an investigation from Irish police (An Garda Siochana) amid what appears to be a very public schism in the group.
Authorities were first alerted last week when the gold was removed from the Dublin safety deposit box of ‘The National Party’ (An Pairti Naisiúnta). The party’s leader, Justin Barrett, blamed the withdrawal on senior party members, including the party’s deputy leader, James Reynolds, in what appears to be an attempted heave against him.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Negotiations Underway for Spanish Government
With Spain’s conservative and centre-right parties blaming each other for their disappointing election results, the runner-up socialist party and its political associates are ploughing ahead with plans to form a government.
Spanish media relates that on election night, euphoria pervaded the headquarters of the Partido Socialist Obrero Español (PSOE). Though it technically lost, as the centre-right Partido Popular (PP) was most voted for and surpassed the PSOE by 14 seats in parliament, the loss was not as drastic as feared, and given the number of seats won by its political partners, it’s still possible for sitting president Pedro Sanchez to reform his coalition government.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Netherlands: Friend or Foe? an Interview With Thierry Baudet
“Politics,” Bismarck famously said, “is the art of the possible.” But when we’ve lost everything and are only allowed to speak within the little bit of space allotted by the mainstream, then it is time for the Right to re-group and re-think its tactics. Whatever it is we have been doing for the past decades, it simply has not worked. Could it be because conservatives are, in fact, more concerned about being accepted by the mainstream establishment—that is, by our enemies—than building a broad coalition to resist it?
The Left never disavows its own radicals or their ideas; instead, it tries to ‘mainstream’ those radical ideas—precisely because it is aware that radicals are its most effective, most powerful shock troops. In contrast, conservatives routinely push away all those to their right. But why is the fear of being denounced by their opponents—including the mainstream media—so prevalent among conservatives?
Such questions led me recently to sit down with various controversial intellectuals, including the founder and leader of the Forum for Democracy (FVD) party in the Netherlands, Thierry Baudet. After writing his Ph.D. under the supervision of Roger Scruton, he acquired international fame in 2019 when his party topped the polls in senate elections. Since then, his reputation has suffered after making controversial and impolitic statements, while his political fortunes have become uncertain. Despite many warnings, I chose to catch up with him at last year’s FVD Party Congress, as well as afterward, for the following wide-ranging conversation.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Nine EU Countries Have Still Not Received Any Money From the COVID-19 Recovery Fund
As many as nine EU member states have yet to receive a cent from the Recovery Fund created by the European Union to provide financial aid to countries following the coronavirus pandemic.
The Recovery Fund was supposed to be a quick injection of funding for EU economies in the aftermath of the pandemic; however, just €150 billion of the €800 billion aid package has been distributed across the bloc to date, reaching just 18 countries.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poland Will No Longer Sell Energy Drinks to Minors
Starting from January 1, 2024, individuals under the age of 18 will be prohibited from purchasing energy drinks. This decision was approved by the Sejm (the lower house of the Polish Parliament). The bill has now been forwarded to the Senate for consideration.
The approved law entails a complete ban on selling drinks containing taurine and caffeine to individuals under 18 years old. This applies to energy drinks and beverages containing caffeine in excess of 150 mcg/L or taurine, with the exception of substances naturally present in these drinks. The ban on selling energy drinks to teenagers and children received the support of 278 deputies.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Romania and Slovakia have lodged diplomatic protests against Hungary following Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s speech in Tusnadfürdo, Transylvania, on July 22.
This comes freshly on the heels of similar protests from Czechia Prime Minister Petr Fiala, who issued a response to Orban after the Hungarian leader accused Czechia of abandoning the Visegrad Group and getting into bed with the EU federalists.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Seven Years on, Jury to Deliver Verdict on Brussels ISIS Terror Attack That Killed 32
BRUSSELS (AP) — A jury is expected to render its verdict Tuesday over Belgium’s deadliest peacetime attack, suicide bombings at the Brussels airport and a busy subway station in 2016 that killed 32 people in a wave of violence in Europe claimed by the Islamic State group.
Among the 10 defendants is Salah Abdeslam, who already is serving a life sentence without parole in France over his role in attacks that hit Paris cafes, the Bataclan theater and France’s national stadium in 2015. The suspects in Brussels were tried on charges including murder, attempted murder and participation in the acts of a terrorist group.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sweden Gains Shrine to Mary, Mother of Persecuted Christians
Sweden’s Cardinal Anders Arborelius dedicated the country’s first shrine Saturday specifically for prayer for persecuted Christians.
The Archbishop of Stockholm presided at the ceremony July 22 at the Holy Martyrs Syriac Catholic Church in Kista, a district in northern Stockholm.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Fires in Greece Are More Likely to Have Been Caused by Arsonists Than Global Warming
Ross Clark has written a good piece for the Spectator‘s Coffee House blog pointing out that 2023 has not been an unusually bad year for forest fires in Europe and, according to Nasa satellite date, the number of forest fires globally actually fell by about 25% between 2001 and 2015.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK Ministry of Justice Invests in Social Listening Tool
The UK’s Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has decided to spend taxpayer money in order to be able to use a monitoring tool whose job is to access people’s conversations that might impact the ministry’s “reputation.”
This decision certainly impacts that reputation, but perhaps not in a positive aspect.
And it would be an interesting full circle if the maker of the software, Brandwatch (owned by Cision, a PR outfit) — allowed the MoJ to learn how inking this three-year deal will impact its reputation.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Death of Family: Half of Children Not Living With Both Parents by 14
A study from the Marriage Foundation suggested that nearly half of children in Britain are no longer living with both of their biological parents by the time they reach 14 years of age.
Drawing on a dataset of 4,476 first-born children in the UK conducted by the Millennium Cohort Study and weighing the sample to represent the national population, the Marriage Foundation revealed on Monday that 46 per cent of children in the country are not living with both their natural parents by the age of 14.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Farage Vows to Uncover the Truth About Banking Scandal
Nigel Farage has vowed to uncover the “absolute truth” about how the BBC obtained “dodgy” information about his bank account at the British private bank, Coutts. Speaking to GB News, the former leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP) said British citizens deserve to know the truth about the machinations of the NatWest Group, the holding company which owns Coutts, “not just because NatWest has 19 million customers,” but also “because we bailed them out after their greed and stupidity back in 2008.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Just Stop Oil Hits Back After Criticism From Met Over Policing Cost: ‘We Will Not Die Quietly’
Police say a 13-week campaign by Just Stop Oil has cost them more than £7.7 million, as a senior Met officer decried their actions as more crime than protest.
But the anti-fossil fuel climate action group has hit back — saying his comments were a clear indication legitimate protest was now being treated like a crime.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Meta’s Nick Clegg Brags About Censoring “Election Misinformation”
After the short lull in the US presidential campaign (it never really stops, but happens with varying intensity), campaigning is already starting to pick up speed ahead of the 2024 election, and Facebook looks like it wants to preemptively convince the powers-that-be that it is playing ball, censorship-wise.
(They call it, “fighting misinformation.”)
Former UK politician turned Big Tech exec, Meta (Facebook) Global Affairs President Nick Clegg, last week attended one of those meetings between the White House and Meta, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. The conversation was reportedly about artificial intelligence and how scary that is in terms of “undermining elections” — but Clegg’s statements made afterwards suggest he was eager to address some broader issues here.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Watch: Hundreds of ‘Youths’ Terrorize UK Town Center
A town center in England was plunged into chaos when hundreds of ‘youths’ terrorized pedestrians and businesses on the final day of school last week, according to reports.
The shocking events unfolded on Friday afternoon in Watford, located near the outskirts of Greater London.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Algeria Applies to BRICS Ahead of Planned Summit
After agreeing last week to strengthen cooperation with China in security, national defense, and other areas, Algeria, North Africa’s second-largest economy, has submitted an application to join the BRICS group and a request to become a shareholder member of the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) with $1.5 billion.
The move, which comes roughly a month ahead of the 15th annual BRICS summit set to take place in Johannesburg, South Africa, highlights the North African country’s geopolitical and economic reorientation toward Russia and China as it appears to wish, at least in part, to decouple itself from the collective West.
During a state visit to Moscow last month, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and President Putin agreed to strengthen the “strategic partnership” between their two countries.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Chaos Erupts as Protesters Block Roads, Clash With Police After Judicial Law Passes
Activists raging against the government’s passage of the first part of its plan to remake the judiciary faced off against police for hours in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem Monday night, blocking freeways and promising to ratchet up demonstrations, as lawmakers vowed to push ahead with the rest of the contentious program.
Using mounted police and water cannons, authorities only managed to clear the major Tel Aviv thoroughfare after 1 a.m., though thousands continued to demonstrate at nearby Kaplan junction, where some 15,000 had massed hours earlier in reaction to the government coalition’s contentious “reasonableness” bill being approved on its final two votes.
In Jerusalem, police also used officers on horseback and powerful blasts of skunk water to drive off protesters who rallied first outside the Knesset and later blocked the Begin freeway and demonstrated near the Supreme Court building, an institution that government critics say will be left toothless by the judicial overhaul, rending Israel’s democracy defunct.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hundreds Attempt to Storm Iraqi ‘Green Zone’ After Danish Quran-Burning Protest
Iraq’s capital Baghdad has seen its second major protest against Western interests in just a few days as hundreds of people attempted to storm the Green Zone, an area of the city which houses several embassies, including the Danish embassy, as well as the Iraqi parliament.
The attempted storming, which saw security forces deploy tear gas and batons to repel the few protestors who managed to actually enter the area, took place over the weekend on Saturday, July 22nd, and was in reaction to the burning of a copy of the Islamic holy book, the Quran in Copenhagen, Denmark, the day prior, the Associated Press reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Russia Makes Digital Ruble Official
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Monday that introduces a digital ruble.
According to the document published on the official government portal, the electronic currency will become operational on August 1.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Russian Real Wages Growing in Double Digits — Putin
Russia is expected to demonstrate at least 2% GDP growth this year, alleviating the shrinking it experienced in 2022, President Vladimir Putin has said. Moreover, the real wages of the country’s citizens have recently seen double-digit growth, he said.
The president made the remarks on Tuesday during a meeting with top officials to discuss the country’s economy and issues it has been facing. Sectors such as manufacturing, retail, and construction have been demonstrating steady growth lately, Putin stated.
“Growth in these sectors, as well as a whole range of measures to support the economy, has had a positive effect on the state of the labor market,” he said.
“Unemployment rates are declining — now it is 3.2%. At the same time, real wages grew at double-digit rates for the first time since 2018 — for instance, by more than 10% in April,” he added.
Given the positive trends in Russia’s economy, the country is expected to demonstrate GDP growth of at least 2%, Putin said. The growth will alleviate the losses Russia suffered last year, when its GDP shrank by 2.1%, the president noted.
The shrinking came amid multiple waves of anti-Russian sanctions, rolled out by the collective West in the wake of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev.
In the first five months of this year, Russian GDP already rose by 0.5%. Still, the country’s economy remains in need of additional support, and an increase in state debt is also expected. The government believes additional borrowing is necessary, but it will work to contain the debt level to under 20% of GDP, according to Russian Deputy Finance Minister Irina Okladnikova.
“Generally, we now have a level of debt … at 22.8 trillion rubles ($251 billion) — this is 14.9% of GDP. This is our safe boundary, although we realize that, in the current situation, we will be forced to raise it. We will have to do it, because our expenditures are growing,” Okladnikova said last week during a meeting of the Federation Council Committee on Budget and Financial Markets.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine Bans Poultry Imports From Poland After First Outbreak of Newcastle Disease in 50 Years
Ukraine has introduced a total ban on the import of poultry from Poland after Newcastle disease was detected in Polish chickens for the first time in 50 years.
The dangerous bird disease is causing legitimate concerns among Polish poultry producers, and although the disease was only identified in the northeastern Podlaskie region, there has been a negative impact on the entire Polish market, especially on exports to neighboring countries.
Ukraine’s ban will have a devastating effect on the country’s poultry market. Kyiv is a very important market for Poland, with Ukraine importing tens of millions of chickens from Poland every year.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukrainian Tanks Are Running on Russian Oil Refined in Hungary and Turkey
Ukraine’s tanks are increasingly running on oil that comes from Russia in what German newspaper Handelsblatt describes as a paradox of war.
According to the Ukrainian customs authority, Kyiv is importing more and more diesel from Hungary and Turkey, both countries that process oil from Russia to a large extent in their refineries.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine Latest: U.S. Military Aid for 1st Time Includes Black Hornet Spy Drone
The U.S. has announced $400 million in additional military aid for Ukraine, including air defense missiles, armored vehicles and small drones. The new aid package will include, for the first time, U.S.-supplied Black Hornet surveillance drones made by Teledyne FLIR Defense, part of Teledyne Technologies. The Norwegian-built mini drone is being used in Ukraine through donations by the British and Norwegian governments. The U.S. will also supply additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems and National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), as well as Stinger anti-aircraft systems.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
We Didn’t Have Enough Men or Equipment and This Gave Russia Time to Dig in, Says Zelensky
The world wondered why the long-discussed Ukrainian Spring offensive didn’t arrive until Summer, and now we know why, as Ukrainian President Zelensky says he simply didn’t have the men or the equipment to launch it any earlier.
The Ukrainian counteroffensive didn’t start when expected because “frankly, we didn’t have enough munitions, armaments, not enough brigades properly trained in these weapons” to do so, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Aspen Security Forum on Friday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Priyanka, 19, splits the monthly rent of $550 with a truckie. During the night the bed is hers, during the day he sleeps in it while she’s at school.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Australia to Buy 20 C-130 Hercules From U.S. for $6.6 Billion
Australia said Monday it will buy 20 new C-130 Hercules from the United States in a 9.8 billion Australian dollar ($6.6 billion) deal.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Three people who were rushed to hospital after being gunned down in their cars are the latest victims in a region that’s become notorious for stabbings and shootings.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Police are investigating whether a man who died in an interstate shipping yard shortly after midnight was searching for drugs from the Albanian mafia.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Key Assange Supporter Says WikiLeaks Founder Could Cut Deal to Secure Freedom
London: One of federal parliament’s leading supporters of Julian Assange says the WikiLeaks founder could cut a deal with prosecutors and plead guilty to “whatever nonsense” necessary to secure his release from prison.
Labor MP Julian Hill, the member for Bruce, tried unsuccessfully to visit Assange in Belmarsh prison, where he has been held since 2019, during a private trip to Europe recently.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has directly lobbied US President Joe Biden for the Queenslander’s release but has so far failed to secure it, and has hinted that Assange may have to accept a plea deal.
“The reality is that Australia cannot force the United States to [release Assange], and if they refuse, then no Australian should judge Mr Assange if he chooses to just cut a deal and end this matter,” said Hill.
“His health is deteriorating and if the US refuses to do the right thing and drop the charges then no one would think less of him for crossing his fingers and toes, pleading guilty to whatever nonsense he has to and getting the hell out of there.”
Hill, a member of a cross-party group of MPs who support Assange’s release, also hit out at supporters who he sees as fixated on having Assange suffer as a martyr and continue to languish in prison as he faces extradition to the United States.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A mother from South Australia fronted court charged with criminal neglect after police allegedly found maggots writhing in her 18-month-old daughter’s overflowing nappy.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Man Shot Outside Home in Broad Daylight in ‘Targeted’ Attack in Sydney’s South West
A? man has been shot in a “targeted” attack outside a south-west Sydney home by an unknown person in broad daylight.
NSW Police said there were reports of gunshots fired just before 10.30am on Wednesday on Narelle Crescent in Greenacre.?
When they got to the scene, a 31-year-old man was found with gunshot wounds.
?”It’s understood the man was outside the home when he was approached by an unknown person and shot,” police said.
The man was treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition.
?Police believe it was a targeted attack.?
| — Hat tip: MM | [Return to headlines] |
Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger Competition That’s Set to Shake Up Australia
The supersized US imports have hit the Australian market by storm and are hitting the streets at rapidly growing rate, sparking debate among motorists.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
The Victorian-based company owes $3.2m to creditors, including $550,000 to the Australian Tax Office
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
The four-bedroom house on Grassmere Street at Guildford, in Sydney’s west, went under the hammer over the weekend, with a large crowd turning out for the auction.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Asylum Applications by Young, Muslim Men Soar in Germany, Surpassing Last Year by 78%
Germany experienced a dramatic rise in asylum applications in the first six months of the year, with a significant increase over the figure recorded for the same period last year.
According to the biannual report from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), a total of 162,271 migrants applied for asylum in Germany from January to June, up 77.5 percent from the 84,583 applications made in the first six months of 2022.
Germany recorded 244,132 asylum applications in all of 2022, and 190,816 in 2021, suggesting this year’s figure will far exceed the figures the country has experienced in the post-pandemic years.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Federal Judge Blocks Key Biden Admin Asylum Rule at Core of Post-Title 42 Strategy
The Biden administration was dealt a major blow in its efforts to control the ongoing border crisis on Tuesday when a federal judge blocked a rule introduced in May that makes migrants ineligible for asylum if they have entered illegally and failed to take advantage of expanded lawful pathways set up by the federal government.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In Germany the Migration Crisis of 2015-2016 May be Repeated
The report for the first half of the year from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) suggests that Germany may face a migration crisis similar to the one experienced in 2015-2016.
During January to June 2023, Germany received 162,271 asylum applications, of which 150,166 were first-time applications. The number of first-time applications has increased by 77.5% compared to the same period in 2022. By the end of 2023, the total number of applications could reach 324,000, approaching the levels seen during the 2015 crisis.
Currently, the majority of new applications come from citizens of Syria (29%), Afghanistan (18.2%), and Turkey (12.8%). Georgia ranks sixth (3.4%), and Russia is seventh (2.8%) in terms of asylum applications. Approximately 71.6% of all applications are filed by men under the age of 30. The majority of refugees aim to settle in the more prosperous federal states of Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia.
The police union in Germany, according to BILD, stated that these figures indicate a “complete failure” of the current government’s migration policy.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Meloni Conference Advises Aid, Alliances to STEM Migration Flow
A major conference on migration was held in Rome on Sunday, July 23rd at the initiative of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni who, inspired by the recent agreement signed between Tunisia and the European Union, wants to extend the model to other countries around the Mediterranean.
Around twenty leaders from Mediterranean and African countries attended the conference in Italy. They were joined by Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Charles Michel, President of the European Council.
Discussions focused on ways of limiting illegal immigration into Europe and better managing legal immigration based on cooperation between states. The conference was also an opportunity for Meloni to reaffirm Italy’s international stature: “We are a bridge between EU, Africa, and the Middle East”, she explained during the conference.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Lawyers are charging thousands of pounds to submit false asylum and human rights claims for illegal immigrants.
Staff at solicitors’ firms readily agreed to help an undercover Mail reporter posing as an economic migrant get refugee status.
This was despite being told he had no legitimate reason to stay in the UK after arriving on a small boat.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Matt Gaetz Proposes Bill to End Birthright Citizenship for Children of Illegal Immigrants
On Tuesday, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) announced that he would be introducing legislation aimed at preventing children of illegal immigrants from automatically receiving citizenship simply for being born in the United States.
Every year in the United States, nearly 400,000 “anchor babies” are born and automatically declared American.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poll: 83% of Democrats Deny There’s Any Border Crisis
A Gallup poll has revealed that a massive 83 percent of Democratic voters deny that there is any border crisis in the U.S. despite more than 7 million illegal immigrants being encountered since Joe Biden took office.
The poll notes that only 17% of Democrats believe there’s currently a crisis at the southwest border, a huge 20 point drop on figures recorded in 2019.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Smugglers Detained in Hungary Attempting to Transport 29 Illegal Migrants Across the Border
The National Tax and Customs Administration (NAV) reported on the arrest of two foreign citizens who tried to transport 29 illegal migrants to Italy in a truck through the Zala County region in southwestern Hungary. A Romanian and a Greek had hidden four women and 25 men among furniture and boxes, deceiving the inspecting officers by claiming to be carrying their personal belongings.
The situation became critical for the migrants as they were overloaded and suffocating in the overheated cargo compartment. According to NAV, the migrants, who stated they were from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and India, “could not have survived the journey to its end.” After apprehending the smugglers and migrants, they were handed over to the Zala County police.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Number of Illegal Migrants in the US Exceeds the Population of 35 States in Three Years
After the number of illegal immigrants entering the United States in the last three years surpassed the 7 million mark, President Joe Biden’s administration decided to file a lawsuit against Governor Greg Abbott of Texas, accusing him of insufficiently securing the country’s southern border with Mexico. Under the watch of Joe Biden, more than 7 million illegal immigrants entered the USA.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Lawyers helping conjure up fake asylum claims are telling migrants to find themselves a wife as a loophole around immigration controls, the Mail investigation uncovered.
Solicitors told an undercover reporter posing as an economic migrant to apply for asylum and then ‘find a girl, arrange a marriage’ to ‘anyone who has permanent residence here’.
One even offered to play matchmaker, mentioning a client who had two daughters that could be prospective spouses.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Affirmative Action Battle Moves on to the Military
by Daniel Greenfield
One of the Biden administration’s big arguments for racially discriminating against white and Asian students in college admissions was the need for military diversity. More than half of the ‘national interest’ section in its amicus brief argued that the military “depends on a well-qualified and diverse officer corps” which requires that colleges select for diversity over merit.
“It is not possible to achieve that diversity without race-conscious admissions, including at the nation’s service academies,” Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar told the Supreme Court.
The Roberts decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard shot down affirmative action as a legal practice, but punted on the question of racial discrimination within the military and its service branch academies. A footnote briefly stated that, “no military academy is a party to these cases, however, and none of the courts below addressed the propriety of race-based admissions systems in that context. This opinion also does not address the issue, in light of the potentially distinct interests that military academies may present.”
The idea that racial discrimination should be illegal at colleges, but still legal at service branch academies like the Air Force Academy and the Naval Academy, is a loophole. Justice Sotomayor argued that the exception proves that “the Fourteenth Amendment does not categorically prohibit the use of race in college admissions.” And it’s hard to deny her reasoning. Either racially discriminating against students is legal or it’s illegal. National security can only go so far to justify an illegal practice especially when it’s a social element with an indirect effect.
Democrats quickly attacked Justice Roberts for seemingly leaving the carveout on military diversity that the Biden administration had demanded as a matter of national security…
| — Hat tip: Daniel Greenfield | [Return to headlines] |
A 21-year-old Texas woman who detransitioned is suing a medical clinic and its doctors for “gross malpractice” after she was put on puberty blockers at 17 and was pressured into a botched double mastectomy that she says left her “permanently disfigured.”
Soren Aldaco offered an emotional recollection of her traumatic medical transition in an exclusive interview on “The Ingraham Angle” Monday, revealing details of a $1 million lawsuit she filed last week against the doctors and a nurse practitioner who, according to the suit, pushed her to transition, “irreversibly disfiguring and disabling” her with surgical mutilation while ignoring a host of mental health challenges she was struggling with at the time.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Elon Musk Warns Moviegoers About Woke ‘Barbie’ Movie: ‘You Will Pass Out Before it Ends’
Twitter boss Elon Musk has slammed the new “Barbie” movie and warned social media users about the film’s “woke” agenda.
Musk joined the chorus of critics who have panned the “Barbie” movie.
In response to another user’s Twitter post, Musk blasted the movie’s incessant carping about the “patriarchy.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
They’re saying, “Heat is the new COVID.”
Manipulating data and spreading fear to coerce the population into mass compliance.
Yeah, the similarities are uncanny.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Putin Signs Law Banning Gender Reassignment
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a law banning gender reassignment in all cases except when allowed for health reasons.
The relevant document is published at the official legal information portal.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Temple U to Host Philly ‘FatCon’ With Queer Sex Therapist Offering ‘Fat Positive Sexual Healthcare’
Temple University is set to host the first-ever Philly “FatCon” this October, a conference boasting its role as an exclusively judgment-free fat-focused event featuring “fat-friendly” fitness classes, vendors, talks with influencers, a Halloween costume party, and more.
“The Fat Sex Therapist” Sonalee Rashatwar, who uses they/he pronouns according to one of the con’s Instagram posts, is slated to be the conference keynote speaker. Rashatwar commonly focuses on the “White supremacist” ideals behind “fatphobia,” the “social construct” of health, “fat trauma” and the intersection of fat and gender, according to their website.
“Based in Philly, they are a superfat queer bisexual non-binary therapist and co-founder of Radical Therapy Center, specialized in treating sexual trauma, diet trauma, racial or immigrant trauma, and South Asian family abuse, while offering fat positive sexual healthcare,” the post explains, adding that VIP ticket holders to the event will get the chance to meet and greet with Rashatwar.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Anne Coombes, 65, alleged a staff member at the Mercure Hotel spa in Sheffeld had ‘assumed’ that she wanted to use the unisex changing facilities
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
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Across the West, People Are Dying in Greater Numbers.
Nobody Wants to Learn Why
JONATHAN COOK
• JULY 18, 2023
• 2,800 WORDS
• 206 COMMENTS
• REPLY
There’s only one plausible explanation for continuing silence on excess deaths: governments, media and regulators are frightened of what the research may uncover During the pandemic, the challenge for each of us was to maintain critical distance: spurning both the tribalism of those insisting Covid was a hoax and the counter-tribalism of those who demanded…
READ MORE
https://www.unz.com/jcook/across-the-west-people-are-dying-in-greater-numbers-nobody-wants-to-learn-why/
.
Police officers with machine guns patrol the streets of Stockholm
Published July 25, 2023 at 2:51 p.m in Fria Tider
Säpo is considering raising the threat level further. At the same time, specially commissioned police officers are ordered to patrol Stockholm’s city center with submachine guns, according to Expressen.
The police’s concern about terrorist acts on Swedish soil has increased in recent days after the Koran burnings and the furious reactions in the Muslim world.
According to information to Aftonbladet, police officers are now being asked to be vigilant in the face of terrorist threats.
Expressen refers to information that police patrols in central Stockholm have been ordered to carry submachine guns of the MP5 type. This is for the purpose of being able to quickly intervene in the event of a terrorist attack.
According to the newspaper’s sources, the police leadership has been informed that Säpo is close to raising the threat level, which is already at an elevated level. The threat level can be raised from the current three to a four on Säpo’s five-point scale.
Neither Säpo nor the police comment on the facts.
.
Greta: “Absurd” that I can be convicted of a crime
Published July 25, 2023 in Fria Tider
Greta Thunberg poses cannot understand it is possible that she can be sentenced for crimes that she committed. After all, she only acts “in accordance with science”, explains the 20-year-old climate prophet.
30 daily fines of SEK 50 were the punishment for Greta Thunberg, who was sentenced on Monday for disobedience to law enforcement.
The crime was committed in connection with a climate campaign in the oil port in Malmö earlier this summer.
However, Greta herself has little understanding that someone like her can be sentenced for crimes she committed.
– It is absurd that those who act in accordance with science have to pay the price for it, reads the 20-year-old’s comment to the media after the verdict – something that was noticed in Reuters and a number of other international media.
Committing crimes may also be necessary to “save the world”, according to the Swedish climate prophet.
– We cannot save the world by following the law, says Greta Thunberg.
Cross-eyed retard Greta Thunberg has been caught faking an abduction. This weirdo shouldn’t be getting so much attention because she is a liar.
“Cross-eyed retard Greta Thunberg”
She’s not a retard, she’s autistic. Those who believe and follow her ARE retards (i.e., infantile Bolsheviks….aka commie-toddlers….aka ‘toddlers).
Paddle Boarding = “Window” in Russian?. Lover’s spat? Tucker Carlson said Obama is gay.
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“We will bring you, WHO, down…”
Trust & Freedom
takes up the fight against
the WHO’s attempt to seize power
over the world’s people
PUBLISHED YESTERDAY 9:46 AM
Dr. Mattias Desmet and EU Member of Parliament Christine Andersson, together with five other Members of Parliament, recently launched a European citizens’ initiative called “Trust & Freedom” which takes a stand against what they consider to be an attempt by the World Health Organization (WHO) to gain too much power.
The initiators believe that the WHO should not
allowed to act as a supranational government, especially since the organization is not elected by the people but is controlled only by extremely wealthy individuals.
The initiators came together to launch a European citizens’ initiative “Trust & Freedom” in the hope of catching the attention of the European Union Commission.
Their goal is to protect democracy, freedom and the rule of law from what they call “globalist misanthropes”, people who they believe ignore the will of the people.
During the initiative’s launch event, Christine Andersson emphasized that democracy is about governing by the people, through the people and for the people. They are convinced that WHO’s actions are contrary to this basic democratic principle.
The group also vowed to hold accountable anyone who disrespects democracy, regardless of whether they are members of governments or parliaments. Before the upcoming elections, they want to make sure that the people know who is responsible for any attempts to undermine democracy.
Trust & Freedom
The group’s message is clear: they will not back down from this fight. They want the WHO to know that millions of people around the world stand by their side. They believe that together they can protect democracy and ensure that decisions are made in the best interest of the people.
The group wants to force the European Commission to address this specific issue and make a public statement on how to proceed with the demands of the citizens’ initiative.
In addition, a hearing will later be held in the European Parliament, where the Commission must also participate. At the end of the process, the group will prepare a legal opinion and a political opinion within three months and will present a new legislative proposal and publicly justify its decision.
So hold on – the fight is on! These brave
people, along with many others, are determined to bring about change and protect the democratic values we hold dear.
video https://youtu.be/xHQ4jPNLQkE
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Text: Reza Nazouri, News Voice
#TrustFreedom #ExitWHO, #ExitTheWHO, #WHOpowergrab, #StopTheTreaty
Referenses
Christine Anderson, MdEP (på Youtube)
https://www.youtube.com/@ChristineAnderson_MdEP
Initiative Trust & Freedom https://euci.info/
It is obvious that any decent swimmer will drown in 8 feet of water if he does not wear a life vest.
Nothing to see here people. Nothing at all.
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MAY SHE HAVE MANY FOLLOWERS
Iraqi blogger burns her Swedish passport – vows never to return
Scroll for video…
https://www.friatider.se/irakisk-bloggerska-branner-sitt-svenska-pass-lovar-att-aldrig-atervanda
Published July 26, 2023
A blogger in Iraq has filmed herself burning her Swedish passport in protest against the Koran burnings, Middle East Eye reports.
In the clip, the woman describes her outrage that Sweden allowed the Iraqi Salwan Momika to burn the Koran.
At the same time, she holds up what is said to be her Swedish passport.
– Today I will burn your passport, and I will never visit your country again, she says.
Then she takes out a lighter and sucks on the document.
– May Allah bring justice to those who allow this discrimination, says the blogger and promises again to never visit Sweden again.
On Twitter, a large number of international comments express joy that the woman is burning her Swedish passport and express the hope that she will keep her promise not to return to the Scandinavian country. However, several note that she will probably get a new Swedish passport again in the future.
“Surprising benefits arise as a result of Koran burnings in Sweden,” writes a user whose post received close to 3,000 “like” marks.
Other expressions of Muslim protests against Sweden are also mocked on social media. Among other things, a group of Pakistanis who have created some kind of third world “toilet” that is decorated with the Swedish flag.
“Tafari Campbell, the personal chef for former President Barack Obama who drowned while paddle boarding on Martha’s Vineyard, was not wearing a life vest, according to police. Despite his documented competency in swimming, no foul play is suspected in his death.”
After the absolutely random deaths regarding the Clintons, does something – also absolutely random – start now with the Obamas?
Just asking for a friend.
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A Scott Ritter Investigation Agent Zelensky – Part 2
https://swebbtube.se/w/vNA16s7Mn8Z52YGjZdJotY
fIND NUMBER !. YOURSELF!