President Biden visited fire-ravaged Maui today, and was greeted by angry residents with boos and catcalls. Meanwhile, Hawaii’s governor confirmed that more than a thousand residents of Maui are still missing after the fires.
In other news, Donald Trump’s bond was set at $200,000 in Fulton County, Georgia, after he was indicted on thirteen counts.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Daniel Greenfield, Dean, DV, JW, LP, MM, Reader from Chicago, 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.
Shane, from South Australia, has been living in a broken-down vehicle in North Adelaide with his wife since the end of last year.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
1 in 4 Maui Children ‘Likely’ Missing From School as Classes Resume
As classes resume in Maui, it is likely that 1 in 4 children will be missing as a result of the Lahaina fire that devastated the area. 3,357 students will be relocated to different schools due to damage to the schools they were attending.
However, only 400 students from the area that burned have been reenrolled in other public schools. Reuters reports that about 200 students have been signed up for distance learning. The schools in Lahaina, elementary through high school, were home to more than 3,000 students, and it is unclear how many of those students have been relocated, enrolled elsewhere, or are deceased.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
13 Women Use Firearms in Self-Defense Against Exes, Criminals Over 2-Week Period Across US
At least 13 women across the country used a firearm to fend off assailants between the waning days of July and Aug. 12, local news reports show.
“Can we take a minute to appreciate how many women have protected themselves and others with firearms in the last two or so weeks? It’s basically a highlight [reel] of just how important the right to keep and bear arms is for us, too,” Heritage Foundation senior legal fellow Amy Swearer posted on X, previously known as Twitter, detailing the cases.
Local news reports from Arizona to Pennsylvania show that between July 29 and Aug. 12 there were at least 13 instances of women fending off assailants, most notably their own exes.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
3 Killed, 6 Wounded in Mass Shooting at Hookah Lounge in Seattle
Three people are dead and six others wounded after a shooting Sunday at a hookah lounge in south Seattle, authorities said.
City police didn’t immediately release any information about a possible suspect or suspects in the Sunday’s early morning shooting in the Mount Baker neighborhood.
Officers responded to the scene around 4:30 a.m. Sunday after receiving multiple 911 calls, police said.
A 22-year-old man and a 33-year-old man died at the scene, and a 30-year-old woman died at Harborview Medical Center, officials said. The names of the victims weren’t immediately released.
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
8 People, Including 5 Teenage Boys, Injured in South Minneapolis Mass Shooting
MINNEAPOLIS — Five teenage boys and three adults were injured Sunday in a shooting in south Minneapolis, the neighborhood’s second mass shooting in just nine days. Now, Minneapolis police are asking for the public’s help in apprehending the shooters.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara says it happened just before 6 p.m. near the intersection of East Franklin and Chicago avenues in the Ventura Village neighborhood of the Phillips community.
O’Hara says Metro Transit police officers heard gunfire and responded to the scene, followed by Minneapolis police officers. They found three teenage boys suffering from leg wounds in front of Minneapolis Market.
| — Hat tip: MM | [Return to headlines] |
Angry Maui Residents Slam Biden, Hold ‘No Comment’ Signs During President’s Fire Tour
LAHAINA, Hawaii — President Biden was greeted with middle fingers, chants of protest and signs that said “no comment” Monday as he arrived in Maui to tour wildfire damage after repeatedly declining to comment last week on the tragedy that killed at least 114 people.
A group of several dozen residents of scorched western Maui heckled Biden’s motorcade shortly after noon local time as it left tiny Kapalua Airport en route to the hardest hit areas of historic Lahaina, which was destroyed on Aug. 8.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Appeals Court Overrules Sentence for Low-Level Jan 6 Offense, Ruling Could Impact Hundreds of Cases
A federal appeals court has overruled the severe sentence handed down to a Jan. 6 prisoner who pleaded guilty to a low-level offense related to the Capitol Hill protests.
The Washington D.C. court ordered a new sentence for a North Carolina man who pleaded guilty to a petty offense during the events on January 6, 2021.
The ruling could impact dozens of low-level cases in the massive Jan. 6 prosecution.
The D.C. appeals court said James Little was wrongly sentenced for his conviction on a misdemeanor offense.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
FIRST ON FOX: The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) threw down the gauntlet on critical race theory in public schools, demanding superintendents turn over materials for the recently pulled, controversial Advanced Placement African American Studies pilot program.
This month, Arkansas became the latest state to pull the controversial College Board AP African American Studies pilot program from its schools.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Austin Police Chief Abruptly Retires Amid Staffing Shortages, Lack of Police Union Contract
The Austin, Texas, chief of police abruptly retired from his post on Monday in the wake of major staffing shortages, the absence of a police union contract and years of issues with the city council and mayors.
Austin Police Department Chief Joseph Chacon announced his retirement “with a heavy heart” on Monday in a post on X, formerly Twitter, saying he came to the decision after a lot of thought.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Morris Brown College has reintroduced a mask mandate for both students and staff while on campus, just a week after the commencement of classes.
The Atlanta-based private institution conveyed this new mask mandate through an official communication on Sunday, addressed to faculty, staff, and students. As part of a comprehensive set of COVID-19 safety measures, including the mask requirement, these protocols will remain in effect for a span of two weeks. The rationale for this decision is attributed to “reports of positive cases among students in the Atlanta University Center” as stated in the communication.
[Comment: Not this insanity again!]
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Oliver Anthony’s hit song Rich Men North of Richmond has debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart at number one.
According to Billboard, Anthony is the first artist to launch at the top of the list with no prior chart history, and the 69th artist overall to debut a song at number one.
The song, which was officially released on August 11, saw 17.5 million streams and sold 147,000 downloads during the week ending in August 17.
The single has also debuted at number one on the Digital Song Sales chart and number four on Streaming Songs.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The court ruled in favor of Post Millennial senior editor Andy Ngo on Monday in his civil trial against the remaining three alleged Antifa defendants that had physically attacked him in June 2019 in Portland, Oregon.
Defendants Corbyn “Katherine” Belyea, Madison “Denny” Lee Allen, and Sammich Overkill Schott-Deputy were found liable by Judge Sinaplasai for assault, battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The California-based film studio Lionsgate has reimplemented a mask mandate for some employees at its Santa Monica flagship office after several employees tested positive for Covid.
According to Deadline, Lionsgate/Starz Response Manager Sommer McElroy sent an email to staff announcing that masks would be mandatory for the 3rd and 5th floors of its five-story building.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Democrats Would Choose Michelle Obama Over Biden in 2024 Primary, Poll Shows
Democrat voters say they would choose former First Lady Michelle Obama over President Joe Biden in a hypothetical 2024 primary matchup, a new poll has revealed.
According to the results of the survey, conducted in conjunction with Noble Predictive Insights and published by The Center Square, Obama would be the clear winner, beating Biden by a wide margin.
In a hypothetical matchup, the poll found that 48 percent of Democrats would pick Michelle Obama.
Just 36 percent said they would prefer to stick with Biden.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman slammed his fellow Paypal Mafia member Elon Musk in a new exposé on Musk’s relationship with the US government.
Hoffman told The New Yorker Musk “bought what Putin was selling, hook, line, and sinker,” regarding Russian President Vladimir Putin’s account of the war in Ukraine.
Hoffman and Musk worked together to build PayPal at the turn of the millennium.
“He was onstage, and he said, ‘We should be negotiating. Putin wants peace—we should be negotiating peace with Putin,’“ Hoffman told The New Yorker, referencing Musk’s comments at a September 2022 conference in Aspen.
In October, Musk tweeted his idea for restoring peace in Ukraine, which parroted Kremlin talking points and suggested Ukraine cede territory to Russia. Nearly 60% of respondents voted “no” to Musk’s plan.
After he was taken to task for the idea, Musk clarified he supported Ukraine.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
Epstein Victim Claims Pal Was Forced Into Sex With Prince Andrew: ‘Traumatic’
Prince Andrew’s friendship with convicted financier and pedophile Jeffrey Epstein has always been the subject of intrigue and mystery.
A new A&E documentary titled “Secrets of Prince Andrew” has done a deep dive into their allyship, including allegations against the disgraced royal made by Epstein accusers, Lisa Phillips and Virginia Roberts Giuffre.
The Duke of York, 63, met the now-dead felon in 1999, having been introduced by British heiress Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s girlfriend at the time.
“[Andrew and Epstein] became extremely close,” royal biographer Andrew Lownie claimed in the documentary. “You know, real best buddies. There were seven different numbers for Andrew in Epstein’s little black book.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Exclusive: FBI Received Tip About Cop-Killing Syrian Gunman Mohamad Barakat in 2021
The FBI received a tip about the cop-killing, Syrian gunman plotting a mass casualty attack in Fargo in 2021, DailyMail.com can reveal.
The gunman, Mohamad Barakat, 37, was shot dead by Fargo police officer Zach Robinson on July 14.
Before finally being brought down, Barakat shot and killed rookie cop and Afghanistan veteran Jake Wallin, 23.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Exclusive: Coverup of Massive Maui Death Toll Confirmed by Reporters on Ground
Jason Jones joins Alex Jones to deliver critical updates concerning the Maui local government’s coverup of the fire death toll.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Gates Foundation Pushes National Digital ID Tech
The digital era, with its myriad of innovations, has ushered in a wave of conveniences — but at what cost? The recent advocacy by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for the Modular Open-Source Identification Platform (MOSIP) will now be under scrutiny by privacy advocates, questioning the broader implications of such a global digital identification system.
The Seattle-based Gates Foundation, guided by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, has actively endorsed MOSIP’s undertakings with a sizable $10 million pledge.
The Foundation’s aim seems to focus on propelling a universal digital identification framework, especially targeting low to middle-income economies. But as history has shown, with such advancements often come potential pitfalls, particularly regarding personal privacy.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Giant Murder Wave’: Trump Blasts Fani Willis Over Atlanta Crime Surge, Calls for Impeachment
2024 GOP frontrunner Donald Trump called out Fulton County DA Fani Willis on Monday, stating that she should be focusing on the crime wave Georgia is experiencing rather than the “Witch Hunt” against him and his allies.
“Governor Kemp of Georgia is fighting hard against the impeachment of the crooked, incompetent, & highly partisan DA of Fulton County, Fani Willis, who has allowed murder and other violent crime to MASSIVELY ESCALATE,” Trump wrote.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Gruesome Scene After 7 Struck by Car in Midtown Manhattan Crosswalk: Police
A car struck at least seven people in a Manhattan crosswalk, leaving a gruesome and bloody scene behind as the hit-and-run driver took off before getting caught at the scene of another crash in Queens, police said.
The crash occurred late Sunday night at West 36th Street and Sixth Avenue in midtown, according to police. The driver, identified as 29-year-old Imani Lucas, was heading east on 36th Street in a Honda Accord and was turning onto Sixth Avenue when she plowed into seven people in the crosswalk, police said.
One of the victims suffered critical injuries in the chaos and was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, police said. Five others were also taken to area hospitals, though their conditions were not immediately clear. No ages or descriptions of the victims were given. One person refused medical treatment, according to authorities.
Video showed paramedics tending to some of the victims on the street, treating significant injuries as clothing items were scattered across the ground.
The woman behind the wheel of the Honda continued driving after the crash, according to police, making it all the way to Queens before officers caught up with her on the Long Island Expressway. That’s where she was involved in another crash, police said, this time with two other vehicles near Fresh Meadows. She was arrested at Horace Harding Expressway and 188” Street, according to police.
Lucas was taken into custody at the scene of the second crash. It was not clear if anyone was injured in the Queens incident, nor was it clear what charges the driver was facing.
| — Hat tip: DV | [Return to headlines] |
Hawaii Governor Confirms More Than 1,000 Maui Residents Still Missing After Wildfires
Hawaii’s Democrat Governor Josh Greene confirmed this weekend that over 1,000 people are still missing in the aftermath of the deadly wildfires on the island of Maui.
During an interview with Face The Nation on CBS Green said, “More than 1000 are unaccounted for, about 1050.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
House Panels Subpoena IRS, FBI Officials in Key Meeting With Hunter Biden Prosecutor
House Republicans have subpoenaed four senior Internal Revenue Service officials and FBI agents who reportedly overheard Delaware US Attorney David Weiss say last year he would not be able to charge first son Hunter Biden outside the First State.
The House Ways and Means Committee and Judiciary Committee are compelling testimony from IRS Director of Field Operations Michael Batdorf, IRS Special Agent in Charge Darrell Waldon, Baltimore FBI Special Agent in Charge Tom Sobocinski and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryeshia Holley on whether Weiss claimed he would not be given special counsel authority over the case and was blocked from bringing charges.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
How the DOJ Outsourced Trump’s Indictment to House Dems
by Daniel Greenfield
When former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saw the indictment of Trump, she observed that, “it’s interesting to see how similar they are to some of the charges recommended by the January 6 committee and I commend, again, the committee.”
Soumya Dayananda, a senior investigator for the House Democrat committee claimed that, “the committee’s work provided this path.”
A New York Times article described the indictment as having a “narrative that was nearly identical”.
The Democrat prosecutor’s team admitted its dependence on the Democrat congressional committee by citing its work in its demand that the former president’s trial take place in early January 2024 so that it can overshadow the election and any potential inauguration.
The document filed by the Smith team claimed that it would produce materials to the Trump team including “unredacted materials obtained from other governmental entities, including the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol”. The filing also argued for the relevance of the “report written by the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol.”
Smith’s team was arguing that much of the evidence that it would introduce at trial had already been produced and made public by the House Democrat J6 committee. Trump’s team would receive the unredacted version of the materials and could then expect to be ready for trial.
It was a more official admission that the J6 indictment was just the J6 committee operating within the Justice Department and empowered to abuse the law by bringing criminal charges…
| — Hat tip: Daniel Greenfield | [Return to headlines] |
IRS Whistleblower’s Attorney: ‘David Weiss Has to Go’ Over Beau Biden Connections, Bombshell Reports
U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware David Weiss, the special counsel in the Hunter Biden case, must step down amid a pile of new bombshell reports, including a past connection to President Biden’s deceased son Beau, an attorney for one of the IRS whistleblowers told Fox News.
Mark Lytle, who represents IRS investigator Gary Shapley, told “The Story” that Weiss — nominated by then-President Donald Trump, but held over by Joe Biden — must go, and a truly independent special counsel must be named in the Hunter Biden case.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Julian Assange Supporters Demand Charges be Dropped in Vigil Outside Merrick Garland’s Home
Supporters of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange gathered outside Attorney General Merrick Garland’s home in Maryland on Sunday for a vigil urging him to drop the charges filed against the Australian journalist for publishing classified U.S. military documents leaked by a whistleblower.
Garland was spotted leaving his residence in a motorcade shortly before 4 p.m. on Sunday, riding by the Assange supporters who set up posters demanding an end to the prosecution. Some at the vigil gave speeches arguing the charges against the journalist are an attack on press freedom.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Liberal Bay Area Town Rages Against Proposed Homeless Shelter, ‘We Don’t Want to See That’
Residents in the liberal Bay Area town of Millbrae are trying to block a proposal to transform a hotel located near a school into housing for the homeless.
The tiny liberal town located 15 miles south of San Francisco — where the average home price is $1.9 million — is slated to approve the Project Homekey plan to turn a La Quinta hotel into a 99-unit apartment complex for unhoused people.
But hundreds of angry residents opposed to the project packed a community room on Friday to voice their concerns.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Matt Gaetz Introduces Legislation to Shut Down Domestic Surveillance Program
In a bid to halt domestic surveillance operations on internet speech, Matt Gaetz, a Republican Representative from Florida, has kick-started a second attempt to pass the “USPIS Surveillance Protection Act.” The proposed act is Gaetz’s resolute answer to the contentious issue of Internet Covert Operations Program’s jurisdictional overreach.
This program, currently in operation, scrutinizes internet content, providing analytical assistance for digital investigations. Gaetz argues that the role of the Postal Service is not to manage a clandestine cyber surveillance operation, but rather to concentrate its efforts on efficient mail delivery within budget constraints.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Must Watch: CNN Admits Trump Can Win the General Election in 2024
Former President Donald Trump’s chance of winning the US 2024 presidential election can no longer be ignored. On Monday, CNN admitted that Trump can defeat both Republicans during the primary and Democrat opponents in the general election, including President Biden.
While discussing current poll numbers for the 2024 presidential election, a CNN analyst explained that Trump is a serious contender despite his most recent indictments by Biden’s weaponized Justice Department.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New York, California Each Lost $1T in Assets as Financial Firms Fled South
The steady exodus of Wall Street banks and big tech firms from California and New York over the past several years has cost the states nearly $1 trillion apiece in managed assets, according to a new analysis by Bloomberg News.
The departure of companies like Elliott Management, AllianceBernstein and Charles Schwab has drained the two states of thousands of high-paying jobs, further burdening city and state finances by sapping tax revenue.
Commercial property markets have also buckled under the weight of the sudden exit of the finance industry, at the same time they are struggling to find new tenants amid the surge in remote work.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A prolific offender who has been accused of causing a massive fire at a notorious homeless encampment near Google offices in downtown Seattle was released on Thursday with no charges filed.
According to court documents, witnesses saw Paris Alcantara, the man accused of starting the fire, running away from the scene at the Mercer Street ramp in South Lake Union.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has warned the American people that Democrat President Joe Biden is not actually “running the country.”
Ramaswamy, a rising star in the GOP primary, says Biden is being used as a “puppet” by unelected bureaucrats.
The Republican, who is now polling in second place behind President Donald Trump, issued the warning at a conservative conference while speaking with radio host Erick Erickson.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
RFK Jr. Blasts Biden’s Approving F-16s for Ukraine “A Disaster for Humanity”
Democrat presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has blasted President Biden for issuing formal approval for European nations to export US-made F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, calling it a “disaster” in the making for Ukraine and the world.
RFK Jr. said somewhat sarcastically on X (formerly Twitter) that it’s a “great decision for the defense industry, but a disaster for Ukraine and humanity.” He emphasized that “F-16s won’t stop the collapse of the Ukrainian military (which some experts say is imminent). These planes require a lot of training and maintenance. This isn’t the movies.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
San Francisco Roman Catholic Archdiocese Files for Bankruptcy Amid Sex Abuse Lawsuits
Facing hundreds of lawsuits accusing the Catholic Church of enabling child sexual abuse, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco filed for bankruptcy Monday in an effort to facilitate any potential settlements.
The filing of Chapter 11 in a San Francisco court will allow the diocese to halt the lawsuits while it develops a plan to hold settlements talks, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone said in a statement.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A suspect has been identified in connection with the burning of a “Trump won” flag in Raleigh, North Carolina. After a reward was offered for information on the arsonist by John Kane on Twitter, which was then raised by Tim Pool, and again by Benny Johnson, Kane reported that he had reported the suspect to police.
“A gentleman from Lodi, California who does not want his name made public first identified the arsonist,” Kane reported, stating that the identification was made using Strava, an app that records bike rides, and gps, which was timestamped and “correspond with the time stamps on the videos.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Texas County Official Dumps Democrat Party, Switches to Republican
A Democrat county official in Texas announced that she has dumped the Democratic Party and is switching to join the Republicans.
Kleberg County Attorney Kira Talip Sanchez cited the GOP’s support for law enforcement and border security policy as key reasons for switching parties.
Sanchez confirmed the political party switch in a Saturday press release.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Bond Set at $200,000 After Georgia Indictment; He Will be Processed Thursday
A Georgia court set bond for former President Trump at $200,000, after he was charged by Fulton County prosecutors with 13 counts last week related to its investigation into his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Trump will be processed Thursday in Fulton County, a source familiar told Fox News Digital. The source said this will take place Thursday afternoon, but the exact timing is unclear at this point.
The source said Trump will have his arraignment and first court appearance in September.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Video: MSNBC Talking Head Delights at Thought of Trump in a “Really Dirty, Dangerous, Scary” Jail
An MSNBC talking head daydreamed about Donald Trump visiting a dirty, scary and dangerous jail, delighting in the idea that Trump could be “really freaked out” by it.
Host Alicia Menendez asked guest Jill Wine-Banks how the process of Trump visiting Fulton County jail in Georgia will be different from the previous indictments he has faced.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Video: Ramaswamy “Not Interested” in Becoming Vice President
GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has said that he is only focused on the top office, and is “not interested” in being anyone else’s Vice President.
During a Fox News interview last week, Ramaswamy said “Donald Trump and I share something in common and that is that neither of us does well in a number two position,”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Woman Catches Sex Offender Breaking Into Her Home, Turns Tables and Shoots Him Dead
An Arizona woman turned the tables on a registered sex offender when he made the fatal mistake of trying to break into her home.
42-year-old sex criminal Jayson Magrum was shot dead while attempting to force his way into the victim’s home, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed.
Around 2 p.m. near Garvey and Pyle Roads, investigators say Magrum tried to break into a 54-year-old woman’s home.
The woman was home alone and caught him in the act.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trudeau Blames Meta for ‘Not Paying Their Fair Share, ‘ Causing Canadian News Ban
On Monday, Justin Trudeau doubled down on his contention that Meta, not his government, was responsible for the fact that Canadians can no longer access news on social media and certain websites.
The prime minister accused the tech giant of “not paying their fair share,” and claimed that its actions, which came about as a direct result of the Liberals’ Bill C-18, were “bad for democracy.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Belgium: Riots Erupt in Liège Following Police Shooting
Low-level clashes occurred in Wallonia following the shooting death of a man by police in the French-speaking town of Liège over the past weekend. The unrest spread to the nearby city of Herstal Saturday and Sunday night.
The shooting occurred in the migrant suburb of Oupeye near Liège city centre late Friday afternoon, August 18th, when a man on a quad bike failed to comply with an order to stop and instead proceeded to run a police officer over. The officer, who was subsequently hospitalised, opened fire on the man who was pronounced dead at the scene.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Confirmed: Tenerife Wildfire Was Started Deliberately
The wildfire still raging on the island of Tenerife, one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, is man-made and was started deliberately, Canary Islands regional President Fernando Clavijo confirmed to the Associated Press on Sunday, August 20th, based on the conclusions of the ongoing police investigation.
The perpetrators “put the lives of thousands of people and property at risk,” Clavijo said, adding that he hopes they will be found soon. The president stated that the police have opened three separate lines of investigation to locate the suspects behind the arson, but it’s unknown whether any arrests have been made so far.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Could Mocking Islam Soon be Banned in Denmark?
A new bill proposed by the Danish government to prevent further burnings of the Quran, which have sparked outrage across the Islamic world, could have wider implications for free speech in the country and lead to the banning of religious satire, a leading conservative news site in neighboring Sweden has warned.
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s administration, spearheaded by her center-left Socialist Democratic Party (SDP), announced its intention to explore options to defuse tensions with the number of nations aggrieved by recent burnings of the Islamic holy book, considered a blasphemous and insulting act by Muslims.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU Commissioner Eyeing Finnish Presidential Run
Finnish political parties are in the process of deciding on candidates for the largely ceremonial role of president, as social democratic leader and former prime minister Sanna Marin surprised the country by voicing support for current EU International Partnerships Commissioner, Jutta Urpilainen.
The former leader of the social democrats between 2008 and 2014, Urpilainen served as finance minister in a coalition government with the centre right National Coalition Party. Urpilainen assumed her current role in the Commission in 2019 and is responsible for running the EU’s foreign aid budget.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Female Russian Journalists Suffer Suspected Poisonings in Europe
Russian journalist Elena Kostyuchenko was most likely poisoned in Munich in October 2022. That is the conclusion of a joint investigation carried out by Latvia-based Russian publication The Insider and the investigative journalism group Bellingcat, reports Novaya Gazeta, a Russian opposition newspaper that moved its offices to Latvia last year following a crackdown by Russian authorities.
Kostyuchenko shared her story for the first time in Russian outlet Meduza—also based in Latvia—and U.S. publication n+1 on Tuesday, August 15th.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Fico Denounces “Police Coup” Before Slovak Elections
The Slovakian Parliament will hold an extraordinary session today, Monday August 21st, to discuss the latest scandal surrounding the Central European country’s security services. Former Prime Minister Robert Fico, whose party leads opinion polls, has suggested that the Slovak police’s latest actions are a covert attempt to influence the upcoming elections.
Police chief Istvan Hamran announced on Thursday, August 17th, that high-ranking officials in the security community have been charged with forming a criminal group and conspiring to abuse power, among them the current and previous chief of the Slovak Information Service (SIS), and the director of the National Security Authority (NBU).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany Funneled Billions to Bill Gates for ‘Population Control’ Programs
An official parliamentary inquiry has found that Germany has funneled billions of dollars in taxpayer money to Bill Gates’s foundation to fund “population control” programs and other anti-humanity schemes.
The German government was forced to reveal the funding after being compelled to hand over records by investigating politicians from the parliamentary group DIE LINKE.
The response to the inquiry revealed that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has received around 3.8 billion euros ($4.15 billion) in funding from the German government.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Global Oil and Gas Prices Rise Amid Supply Concerns
The economic sanctions imposed by the US and its allies against Russia over the escalation of the Ukrainian conflict last year, as well as hostile actions by certain Western states such as the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines, have effectively cut off many European countries from the supply of cheap Russian natural gas.
The prospects of a workers’ strike at offshore platforms in Australia apparently led to an uptick in gas futures prices in Europe today.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungary Circumvents Ukraine to Safeguard Energy Supply
Hungary is intent on diversifying its energy supplies as the war rages on in Ukraine, with European sanctions against Russia making it difficult for the Central European country to maintain a stable energy flow. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban made use of the World Athletics Championship in Budapest to welcome a myriad of Middle Eastern and Central Asian leaders in his bid to guarantee new routes of energy to Hungary.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Netherlands, Denmark Pledge F-16s to Ukraine
U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, much-coveted by the government in Kyiv, are one step closer to flying over Ukrainian lands.
In an August 20th joint statement, Denmark and the Netherlands declared they had agreed to
transfer F-16 aircrafts to Ukraine and the Ukrainian Air Force in close cooperation with the U.S. [the approval of which nations that possess F-16s require] and other partners, when the conditions for such a transfer are met. Conditions include, but are not limited to, successfully selected, tested and trained Ukrainian F-16 personnel as well as necessary authorizations, infrastructure and logistics.
The joint statement by Denmark and the Netherlands came on the same day that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a quick visit to Eindhoven, the Netherlands, to inspect the promised F-16s.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of the conservative Law and Justice party (PiS), has revealed that Poland’s ruling party’s slogan in the coming election will be: “Secure future for Poles.”
He said that his party is doing everything that can be done, and doing it effectively, to ensure the security of the country is enhanced.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Spain: Partial Catalan Amnesty May Pave Way for Socialist Government
A return to socialist rule in Spain looks likely after Catalan separatists gave their strongest indication yet that they would back PSOE leader Pedro Sanchez—in exchange for reduced charges for their exiled leadership.
The odds of a socialist-led coalition with separatists greatly increased last Thursday as the support of Catalan nationalist parties Junts and ERC was sufficient to secure the installation of a PSOE speaker of the house .
Despite earlier expectations of a right-wing coalition government between the conservative Partido Popular and the populist VOX, the Right did not make up the numbers to govern after July’s snap election. Incumbent Spanish PM Sanchez is now seeking to build a risky alliance with regionalists to return to power.
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Marc Thiessen, the American journalist who routinely appears on Fox News and writes for The Washington Post, suggested on social media to withdraw American troops from Germany and place U.S. soldiers on permanent bases in Poland.
The journalist’s post is a response to a tweet by American foreign policy expert, Ian Brzezinski, the brother of the U.S. ambassador to Warsaw, Mark Brzezinski. In Ian Brzezinski’s comment, he criticized the decision of the German government, which abandoned its commitment to NATO, to spend no less than 2 percent of GDP annually on defense.
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Timed to coincide with both Hungary’s August 20 national day, St. Stephen’s Day, and the World Athletics Championships hosted by Budapest, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, with their agenda including the topic of the ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership.
Hungary and Turkey have already had a strategic partnership, and the parties have already agreed to upgrade this to a key strategic partnership, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjartó told national news agency MTI.
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UK Scientists Say COVID Vaccines Should be Available for Private Purchase
Just after reports began drawing attention to fears of a new COVID variant, British scientists have pushed for vaccines to be bought privately.
Those aged 65 and above, as well as some younger vulnerable groups, will be eligible for free booster shots this month. But some think the vaccine should be available for all those who want it, even if the virus poses no threat to them.
Adam Finn, professor at the University of Bristol and a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, said the vaccines should be available commercially and could even be offered by employers to their staff.
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Russia Makes Strides in Countering Europe’s Most Advanced Stealth Missile
The capture in July of at least one Storm Shadow cruise missile, produced by France and Britain, has allowed Russia to upgrade its latest anti-aircraft systems to better counter the missiles, daily Magyar Nemzet reports.
Europe’s arguably most modern air-launched missile, the Storm Shadow, has been used by Ukraine since May, but having now had the opportunity to study an intact one, Russian technology will be able to devise both more effective counter-measures and perhaps even produce its own version of the missile.
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Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin posted a new video on Telegram Monday proclaiming that the Russian mercenary force would make Russia “greater” and Africa “freer.”
The video was posted on a Telegram channel from, what Prigozhin claims, is somewhere in Africa.
In the video, Prigozhin says the Wagner Group is conducting reconnaissance and search activities, and “making Russia even greater on all continents, and Africa even freer.”
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Exel Infragroup Pty Ltd, a company that until recently was the lead contractor of a multimillion dollar government project, entered liquidation on July 14 according to a notice published by ASIC.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
The advertisement describes the work as an ‘exciting opportunity to be a part of progress related to First Peoples cultural rights, land justice, self-determination, treaty and truth’.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Meta Pays Supposedly Independent Australian “Fact-Checkers” 800 Dollars Per Fact-Check
Those who doubt that “fact-checking” is an industry created around the push for internet censorship that’s been going on these last years might be persuaded otherwise by information that emerged from a lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed by Australia-based reporter and commentator Avi Yemini, and it reveals the amount of money changing hands between Facebook (Meta) and its notorious “fact-checkers” whose purpose is supposed to be weeding out “misinformation.” And who are supposed to be “independent.”
However, these efforts disturbingly often end up in plain censorship of “disfavored” opinion on political and social issues.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Dominican Republic Offers Economic Aid to Families of 32 Killed in Explosion as Probe Continues
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — The Dominican government announced Monday that the families of the 32 people killed in an explosion last week will each receive a one-time payment of nearly $900 in economic aid and monthly payments of $350 until December.
The Aug. 14 explosion occurred at a plastics factory in the city of San Cristobal, which lies just west of the capital of Santo Domingo. More than 50 people were injured, according to authorities.
The average monthly salary last year in San Cristobal was around $440, the second highest in the country, according to the Ministry of Economy.
An investigation is underway to determine what caused the blast in a busy commercial center. It took firefighters three days to extinguish the blaze.
| — Hat tip: JW | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Male Teen ‘Raped for Hours’ on Subway Platform by Afghan Migrant
A male teenager was ‘raped for hours’ and robbed on a subway platform in Germany by a suspect from Afghanistan, according to reports.
The shocking incident unfolded at around 1 a.m. on Saturday in Munich.
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German Village of 500 Residents Forced to Accept Container Camp for Migrants as Protests Mount
As the immigration crisis worsens in Germany, many rural areas of the country, including smaller villages, are being transformed against the wishes of residents. The latest case comes from Uphal, a village of 500 residents in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, where a container village for up to 400 migrants is being constructed amid ongoing protests.
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German Opposition’s Call for ‘Asylum Pause’ Slammed by Hardline AfD as Not Enough
Germany needs a temporary pause on new asylum seekers arriving into the country, a leading member of the opposition CDU party has claimed.
Jens Spahn, who served as Germany’s federal health minister during the coronavirus pandemic, told the Bild newspaper in an interview published on Sunday that the European Union must stop all newcomers from breaching its external border, insisting migrants and asylum seekers would soon get the message that undertaking the journey to Europe will no longer work.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Luxury’ Migrant Smugglers Arrested in Italy
Italian authorities arrested three Tunisian human traffickers who were operating an elaborate and expensive smuggling route to cross the Mediterranean, the Italian Il Giornale revealed on Thursday, August 17th.
The standard operating principle of most human traffickers in Tunisia and Libya involves packing cheap, old, and small boats (sometimes even rafts) with as many migrants as possible, then shipping them to locations just outside African waters. The smugglers then usually return to Africa in a separate boat, but not before taking the migrants’ engine to reuse in the next run, leaving the poor souls stranded and hoping for rescue. They know they don’t need to take them further—search and rescue NGOs are usually in the area to take the migrants into Europe.
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‘More Than 800 Migrants’ Land in Britain on ‘Busiest Day of Channel Crossings This Year’…
— as smiling asylum seekers make Albania’s controversial eagle hand sign and give ‘V for Victory’ gesture as they arrive
As many as 800 migrants are thought to have landed in Britain today on could have been the busiest day of Channel crossings so far this year.
A total of 16 boats arrived on the south coast of England on Monday as smugglers on the French coast sought to capitalise on fine weather conditions.
Although the final tally won’t be published until tomorrow, sources claimed tonight the number of migrants could be above the current daily record for 2023 of 756 on August 10.
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New York College Evicts 44 Migrants From Campus Dorms, Gets Accused of Discrimination
SUNY Buffalo State University has been accused of discriminating against 44 migrants housed in campus dormitories after the school announced it would evict its visitors before students return to class on Tuesday.
In May, Buffalo State agreed to let migrants stay in their dorms because the nearby Jericho Road Vive Shelter was over capacity and could no longer adequately support the influx.
Jericho Roads’ founder and CEO, Dr. Myron Glick, claimed that school officials recently informed him that Buffalo State had decided against extending the agreement with his organization because of concerns from parents over student safety.
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Number of Migrant Workers in Poland Soared by Almost a Third Last Year
Over 1 million foreign nationals were employed in Poland by the end of last year, accounting for 6.5 percent of the total workforce, according to Statistics Poland (GUS).
Throughout 2022, there was a month-over-month rise in the number of migrant workers living in the country. By the end of December, a total of 1,004,400 foreign nationals were legally registered to work in Poland, up a considerable 27.3 percent from the figure reported in January last year.
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NYC Wants to Shove Migrants in Shuttered Jeffrey Epstein Jail
A New York jail which was shuttered following Jeffrey Epstein’s death, the Manhattan Correctional Center, may wind up housing illegal immigrants.
A proposal mentioned in an Aug. 9 letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul aims to mitigate the impact of some 100,000 migrants estimated to have arrived in the city since last year after crossing the southern US border, AP reports.
Under NYC rules, officials are legally obligated to obtain shelter for anyone needing it. And with homeless shelters packed to the brim, NYC Mayor Eric Adams (D) has been renting out hotels, shoving cots in recreational centers and school gyms, and creating official tent cities.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Open Floodgates at Arizona Border Allow Thousands of Migrants to Walk Into the Country
The door to America is wide open.
Thousands of migrants are flowing across the US border in Arizona every day — literally through open floodgates that have made the Tucson post the busiest point of illegal entry into the country, The Post has learned.
US officials have inexplicably welded open 114 massive gates along the Arizona border to allow water to flow freely during the annual monsoon season and for the migration of an endangered species of antelope, officials said.
But the move is also letting an average of 1,400 migrants from as far away as China casually walk into the country daily — with overwhelmed and outnumbered border agents practically helpless to stop them.
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Poles Overwhelmingly Oppose EU Migration Reforms
An overwhelming majority of Poles are opposed to the controversial EU Migration Pact that would see member states forced to accept new arrivals to the continent or face a financial penalty, new polling has revealed.
According to the latest study commissioned by Poland’s Center for European Policy Research, 81.4 percent of Polish respondents are against the idea of mandatory migrant quotas for member states, compared to just 18.6 percent who back the plan.
Of those in favor, 12.8 percent believe the reforms to be “rather reasonable,” with just 5.8 percent “definitely” in favor of it.
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Saudi Border Guards Accused of Mass Murder of Ethiopian Migrants Fleeing Yemen
Saudi border guards have killed hundreds of Ethiopian migrants who have attempted to or successfully crossed the country’s border with Yemen since March 2022, a bombshell report by Human Rights Watch has claimed.
The U.S.-based research and advocacy group alleged that Saudi border officials have used mortar projectiles and other explosive weapons to murder those attempting to reach the Islamic nation; they have also shot people, including women and children, at close range, reportedly asking victims in which limb of their body they would prefer to be shot.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
— and even denying entry to Marxists
One of Donald Trump’s top advisors has unveiled the tough anti-migrant crackdown the former president will launch if voters award him another stint in the White House in next year’s vote.
Stephen Miller, a senior Trump advisor, says a second Trump administration would construct more wall on the US-Mexico border, extend the floating barrier on the Rio Grande, and deploy a naval blockade against drug traffickers.
Speaking with Axios, Miller unveiled other measures, including an expansion of the so-called ‘Muslim ban’ on arrivals from mostly Middle Eastern and African countries, and screening to prevent Marxists from entering the US.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Dillon Danis’s beef with Logan Paul has turned into a teachable moment about the dangers of hypergamy, promiscuity and body count.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Part of a New Georgia Law That Bans Most Gender Surgeries on Minors
A federal judge on Sunday temporarily blocked a part of a new Georgia law that bans most gender surgeries.
According to the court order, U.S. District Judge Sarah Geraghty ruled that state officials who passed the law restricting transgender surgeries are “enjoined” from enforcing the prohibition on prescribing hormone therapy to minors.
Furthermore, Geraghty’s order found that it is “substantially likely” that the law could permanently be struck as unconstitutional pending a decision on the merits of the case.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Emily Drabinski, the controversial president of the American Library Association (ALA), previously expressed she wants to re-center children’s libraries on “notions of queerness” and prevent what she described as “angry, White mob parents” from trying to block the efforts.
The ALA elected the self-described “Marxist lesbian” to lead the organization in April 2022, sparking outrage from parent advocates who pointed to her history of anti-conservative rhetoric, push for LGBTQ literature in libraries and positions on parental rights.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The UN is Building a “Digital Army” to Fight What it Calls “Deadly Disinformation”
The UN is tripling down on its role as an important global player in the “fight against online misinformation” and amplification of the narrative of a supposedly serious threat this allegedly new phenomenon brings to humankind.
Thus UN peacekeepers are adding another task to the duties the member-states fund when they approve their missions meant to help people and countries devastated by war and other disasters: they are now also “building a digital army.”
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
King,
pretender to the throne,
queen and
fighter aircraft begging guest.
video
https://swebbtube.se/w/wqccngarS29jwM18joQ3AP
+++
Colonel Douglas Macgregor
Tells Tucker Carlson Why the Ukraine War
Must End Now
https://rumble.com/v3a7ud2-colonel-douglas-macgregor-tells-tucker-carlson-why-the-ukraine-war-must-end.html
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The beginning of the end
of the Russia-Ukraine War,
commented by Scott Ritter
https://swebbtube.se/w/4fuodS8CsB3hFaQzRVMTAv
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
PM Mette Frederiksen’s last sigh
22/8-23 / snaphanen.dk
By Lars Hedegaard
At a time when the Danish nation is in decline and is being overpowered by the Muslim nation, we need something to rally around.
No, not about Denmark, but about Ukraine. And yesterday, the Danes had the opportunity to rally around the new rallying point.
None other than the former comedian, Volodymyr Zelensky, was in Copenhagen to receive the cheering tribute of the Danish Parliament and the crowds. The applause at Christiansborg was so persistent that the Speaker of the Danish Parliament had to intervene and point out that the parliament also had other things on the agenda.
However, this did not apply to Her Majesty and her son, who received the Ukrainian freedom hero wearing a green t-shirt and desert boots.
Mette Frederiksen took the opportunity to write herself into history as a fearless champion of all that is good in the world – in the specific case of some F-16 aircraft.
Danish support for Ukraine is “truly a people’s cause, and we have reason to be proud that Denmark, together with the Netherlands, has taken the lead in donating F-16 fighter jets to the Ukrainian freedom struggle”, says the Berlingske’s ever obliging editorial writer.
After that salvo, it’s hard to say anything more bellicose, but Danish politicians are doing their best.
According to Mette Frederiksen, Zelensky is “an extraordinarily brave man. A man I am happy to call my friend”. Minister for Immigration and Integration Kåre Dybvad Bek says that Zelensky’s triumphal procession in Copenhagen is reminiscent of Kennedy’s famous speech in Berlin and of when Montgomery drove around Copenhagen after Denmark’s liberation.
Perhaps he should have added that Montgomery came as a victor and Zelensky comes as the leader in a hopeless war that can only lead to more death and destruction.
The fact is that Ukraine is losing and can look forward to nothing but total destruction if the war does not stop. According to US military analyst Douglas Macgregor, Ukraine has lost 400,000 soldiers on the battlefield against 40,000 Russians. Somewhere between 40,000 and 50,000 Ukrainians have had limbs amputated. 14 million Ukrainians have left the country.
Here in Denmark, we hardly have the opportunity to verify these figures, but what is the authorities’ assessment? What do the defense experts say? Do Mette Frederiksen and her journalists even know what they are talking about?
Let’s forget about moral considerations, because big politics and war are not driven by morality. The fact is, as Colonel Macgregor points out in the interview with Tucker Carlson above , “everything we [in the West] tried to accomplish has failed”. The Western politicians’ and media’s optimistic stories about the mighty Ukrainian army that would soon finish off the demoralized Russians have proven to be false.
So what will Mette Frederiksen accomplish with her planes? Nothing that will change the course of the war. On the other hand, she has positioned Denmark as Russia’s enemy – and in a situation where more people are beginning to ask what the point of this war is.
Yes, Ukraine must be defended, but should it be done by destroying the country, or would all parties be better served by a peace settlement? Unfortunately, Mrs. Frederiksen is not talking about peace, but about more war. God knows how long that will sell tickets.
American Satirist C.J.Hopkins Sentenced In German Speech Case
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/madness-american-satirist-cjhopkins-sentenced-german-speech-case
The UN is Building a “Digital Army” to Fight What it Calls “Deadly Disinformation” — like, Islam is a peaceful religion? Nevermind.