One person was killed and dozens more injured in an explosion that took place on the grounds of a Russian factory that makes night-vision goggles. The blast reportedly occurred in a warehouse that stored fireworks. There were reports that the explosion was caused by a Ukrainian drone, but the Russian government dismissed such claims.
Meanwhile, a Latvian border guard chief said that soldiers from the Wagner Group may have tried to enter the country from Belarus.
In other news, FBI agents shot and killed an elderly armed Trump supporter when they attempted to serve an arrest and search warrant at his home.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Dean, LP, Reader from Chicago, Roger, SS, Vlad Tepes, 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.
Australian Banks Restricting Cash Raises CBDC Fears
Headlines across the globe see Australia making aggressive moves towards a cashless society, a move that gravely threatens the last bastions of economic privacy and individual autonomy. Are Australia’s major banks merely championing the cutting edge of financial convenience, or is there a more pernicious hidden agenda seeping into our digital economy? It certainly appears that Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), the potential beneficiaries of a cashless society, could become the shackles of a future technocratic authoritarian world.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hollowing Out in Slow Motion: Germany’s Middle Class Contracts
Size-wise, the middle class in recession-hit Germany, until recently Europe’s economic powerhouse, is putting in a middling performance.
While it still made up 65% of the population in 2007, in 2019 it was only 63%. Those are the findings of a study by the Munich-based Ifo Institute.
The cause, as identified by the study, published on Monday, August 7th, is two-fold: the edges of the center have shrunk, both “through social advancement and social decline.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Cash-strapped businesses are buckling under pressure from the Australian Taxation Office and other creditors as the insolvency trickle turns into a ‘surge’.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
16-Year-Old Female Charged After Video of Assault on Asian Tourists on NYC Subway Goes Viral
A 16-year-old girl has turned herself in to police after a video of her allegedly assaulting an elderly Asian tourist from Nevada on the subway in New York City went viral. The incident took place on Thursday night, but it wasn’t until Tuesday that the girl voluntarily surrendered to authorities, and was subsequently charged with two counts of assault.
The New York Police Department originally considered the possibility that the attack had been motivated by hate, but no such charges were handed down and even the victims said they believed their race had nothing to do with being targeted.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
75 More Catholic Schools Nationwide Say They Are Shutting Down
Authored by Alice Giordano via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours)
At least 75 more Catholic schools across the nation have announced they are closing their doors for good, with many breaking the news to families in the past few weeks.
Most of the closures have been in major cities such as Philadelphia, Boston, and Cincinnati.
In New York City alone, the Catholic Archdiocese of New York closed 12 schools as of the end of the academic year, laying the blame on “shifting demographics and lower enrollment, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Admin Concedes No Evidence Behind Recommendation for 6 Annual COVID Booster Shots
Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours)
President Joe Biden’s administration concedes that there is no scientific evidence to support an apparent recommendation to receive as many as six COVID-19 booster shots in a year.
After Health Secretary Xavier Becerra, a Biden appointee, wrote in a social media post on Nov. 29, 2022, that people should get vaccinated “if it’s been over 2 months since your last dose,” the Functional Government Initiative (FGI) filed a Freedom of Information Act request for documents supporting the statements.
The watchdog organization then sued after the administration didn’t comply with timelines laid out in the law.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Reporter for The Post Millennial Katie Daviscourt had just finished a grueling stint in Portland covering the civil trial of Andy Ngo v. alleged Antifa attackers, when she returned to her car to find it smashed up.
“After I left the courthouse where I was reporting on @MrAndyNgo’s trial against Antifa, I found that my car was broken into by my hotel. The windows were busted out, items were stolen, and personal identification documents were taken—I’m obviously upset” Daviscourt tweeted.
Of concern is the fact that personal identification documents were stolen from the vehicle. Earlier in the day, Antifa militants harassed Daviscourt, urging her to get in a courthouse elevator with them.
[Comment: The jury’s decision in Andy Ngo’s case basically says: we have no problem with left-wing violence. Antifa thus acting without fear of punishment.]
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Two employees of a Stockton, California 7-Eleven store were confirmed by the District Attorney’s office on Tuesday to not be under investigation by authorities after a viral video showed them fighting off robbers.
“The events surrounding the viral video from the 7-11 on Center St. are under active investigation by Stockton PD. Once completed, Stockton PD will forward the case to the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office,” Mayor Kevin Lincoln said in a statement.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: Trump Leads Biden 41% to 34% in National Premise Poll
A new national poll conducted by Premise Data revealed that voters prefer Trump over Biden in a hypothetical 2024 general election matchup.
Other national surveys have shown Trump and his successor neck and neck in a potential rematch, however recent events appear to have propelled the former president above his Democratic rival.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Canceled: Washington & Lee University Removes Plaque Honoring Robert E. Lee’s Horse
Traveller, the horse which served Confederate General Robert E. Lee, has long been a fixture of campus culture at Washington and Lee University, as the famous steed, known for his courage and stamina, is buried on campus.
But Traveller’s Confederate connections recently led university officials to remove two markers erected in his honor, his gravestone as well as a plaque honoring the beloved companion.
The decision prompted anger and concern from some alumni and students. Traveller served Lee both during the Civil War and afterwards, when the ex-general became president of the then-Washington College. Lee was president from 1865 until his death in 1871. Traveller died a few months later.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Chicago Professor Dismisses Meritocracy as Myth, Advocates for CRT: ‘False Reality’
A University of Illinois-Chicago assistant professor believes critical race theory [CRT] can be integrated into chemistry lessons.
Terrel R. Morton, an “Identity and Justice in STEM Education” scholar, wrote an article in Nature to highlight the racial disparities in the chemistry and science fields and offer ways to practice CRT in order to address the underrepresentation.
Critical race theory is a controversial philosophy and progressive idea that proponents say can increase racial equity and which critics describe as Marxist, anti-American, and neo-racist. Morton defines critical race theory as a compilation of provocative writings that challenges us to consider the relationship between race, the legal system, and society at large, which is the definition from the book “Critical Race Theory: The Key Writings that Formed the Movement.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-KY) has just released bank records of Democrat President Joe Biden and his family, exposing millions of dollars in payments from shady foreign nationals.
The documents detail new information obtained in the Committee’s investigation into the Biden family’s influence-peddling schemes.
The bank records show the Bidens and their business associates receiving millions from oligarchs in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.
The payments were received during Joe Biden’s vice presidency.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Court Cuts Down Hawaii Knife Ban in Controversial Second Amendment Case
A panel of federal judges ruled a Hawaii law banning butterfly knives violates the Second Amendment under the Supreme Court’s new history-and-tradition standard.
“Hawaii has not demonstrated that its ban on butterfly knives is consistent with this Nation’s historical tradition of regulating arms,” Judge Carlos Bea, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, wrote in the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals opinion on Teter v. Lopez, which was released Monday.
“We conclude that section 134-53(a) violates Plaintiffs’ Second Amendment rights. We reverse and remand.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended a Democrat state attorney backed by leftist billionaire George Soros on Wednesday for allegedly failing to prosecute violent crime in her jurisdiction.
“It is my duty as Governor to ensure that the laws enacted by our duly elected Legislature are followed,” DeSantis said. “The people of Central Florida deserve to have a State Attorney who will seek justice in accordance with the law instead of allowing violent criminals to roam the streets and find new victims.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Universities across the country have deployed diversity statement requirements to serve as what critics say is a political litmus test to push left-wing ideology like Critical Race Theory (CRT) in America’s higher education institutions. But, some universities are pushing back on the practice as a condition of hiring, including the Arizona university system, which will no longer require diversity, equity and inclusion statements in its hiring practices, according to the Goldwater Institute.
“This is a huge victory for academic freedom and the First Amendment,” Goldwater Institute President and CEO Victor Riches said. “The Goldwater Institute is continuing to show the nation how to defeat the destructive ideologies that are crippling colleges and universities.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Fauci Referred to Top D.C Prosecutor for Criminal Charges Over Lab Leak Cover-Up
Dr. Anthony Fauci has been referred to a top Washington D.C. prosecutor for criminal perjury charges over his alleged false statements while under oath during testimony before Congress.
Republican Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is demanding that D.C. U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves launches a criminal investigation into Fauci.
On Tuesday, Paul sent a letter to Graves, informing him that Fauci allegedly committed perjury during a congressional hearing in 2021.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
FBI Agents Kill Man in Utah Who Allegedly Threatened Biden
FBI agents have killed a man who allegedly made threats against President Biden on social media.
Federal law enforcement sources told Fox News that Craig Robertson was killed while FBI agents attempted to serve an arrest and search warrant at a house in Provo, Utah, on Wednesday at around 6:15 a.m.
Prosecutors allege that Robertson posted the following on social media on Monday: “I hear Biden is coming to Utah. Digging out my old ghille suit and cleaning the dust off the m24 sniper rifle. welcom, [sic] buffoon-in-chief!”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
FBI Takes Down International Child Abuse Network, 100 Suspects Arrested, 13 Children Rescued
Authorities in the United States and Australia have conducted sweeping raids in a joint operation to take down an international child abuse network.
The FBI announced the arrest of nearly 100 suspects allegedly involved in the massive child sex abuse network.
The operation was related to the deaths of two FBI agents, according to an announcement Tuesday.
The investigation by U.S. and Australian officials also led to the rescue of 13 children who were being held captive by the pedophile ring.
FBI legal attaché Nitiana Mann said in a media briefing that 79 people had been arrested by U.S. authorities.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hawaii Wildfires: Six Deaths Confirmed as Blazes Engulf Maui
Six people have died and more have been injured by wildfires sweeping the Hawaiian island of Maui, officials say.
Thousands are without power or cell phone service due to fires that are being fuelled by winds from a nearby hurricane in the Pacific Ocean.
Several blazes are also burning on the Big Island, also known as Hawaii island, a neighbouring island to Maui.
Officials say search and rescue efforts are still ongoing. But they warn that the death toll may rise.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Jim Jordan Catches Biden Engaging in Illegal Quid Pro Quo, Threatening American Companies
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) has caught Democrat President Joe Biden engaging in an illegal quid pro quo.
Jordan also revealed evidence that Biden has been threatening American companies, in direct violation of the Constitution.
The evidence was released by Jordan in the latest installment of his “Facebook Files” based on internal communications files that were handed over to Congress by Mark Zuckerberg’s Big Tech company.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
LA Times Claims Making People Go to Work is Racist as Companies Ask Workers to Go Back to the Office
A new report from the LA Times said black employees are taking remote work options over physical job locations, even at a pay cut, to avoid “racism they faced on the job.”
LeRon Barton, who worked as a network engineer in a San Francisco hospital, took a $5000 pay cut in order to not return to an in-person work environment. The LA Times cited a “reprieve from racism” for his and others’ decision to not go back into the office.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Las Vegas Police: Mom Stabs Another Parent Outside Elementary School in Road Rage
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) — A Las Vegas mother was arrested during the first day of school on Monday after she allegedly stabbed the parent of another student outside of a school during a fit of road rage, according to authorities.
Akira Mays, 30, has since been released without bond on the condition she stays out of trouble and has no weapons and makes no contact with the alleged victim.
According to the LVMPD report, officers responded to Steele Elementary School at around 4 p.m. near Warm Springs Road and South Rainbow Boulevard for a reported stabbing.
They found a man suffering a stab wound to the upper left abdomen and he was taken by medical responders to UMC Trauma for surgery.
Before surgery, the man was able to say he was picking up his kids from school when he got into a “road rage incident with a Black female driving a red vehicle” and they began to argue outside of their cars when he realized he was stabbed, the report reads.
The school then received a call from Mays, who spoke to an officer and was told she needed to come back to the school.
“While on the phone, Mays did state that she stabbed the man. She returned to the school with her two children,” and was then put into custody, police stated.
Mays said in an interview that while she was leaving the parking lot she was trying to merge into a single lane and a car being driven by the alleged victim raced ahead of her.
An argument ensued and eventually Mays’ son punched the man, who pushed the son back, and then Mays took out a knife and stabbed the man, police reported.
| — Hat tip: Roger | [Return to headlines] |
Multiple Florida school districts have decided to replace Advanced Placement Psychology with alternate courses just ahead of the upcoming school year after state officials warned schools that elements of the psych class violate Florida law.
Eight Florida school districts with the largest enrollments in AP Psychology have dropped the course and two others are still deciding, according to a Washington Post report.
The course, which has been taught by Florida high schools for 30 years, includes lessons on “how sex and gender influence socialization and other aspects of development,” a course description read.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Fox News Peter Doocy grilled President Joe Biden about the ever-changing story of the Biden family business and Joe’s role in it today. Biden who never talks to the press in an unscripted environment did not handle it well.
Biden needs to come up with one plausible answer for his behavior that does not insult the citizens of this country. We all know how the swamp works. Lying is an insult. You don’t see Trump lying for Kushner.
Doocy said: “There’s this testimony now where one of your son’s former business associates is claiming that you were on speaker phone a lot talking business.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Progressive California DA Facing Recall Effort Drops Enhancement Charges Against Murder Suspects
A progressive California prosecutor facing a recall effort has dropped enhancement charges against two men accused of killing a 75-year-old man.
Teaunte Bailey, 28, and Demetrius Britton, 59, were charged with killing Pak Ho, who was shoved to the ground while on his morning walk in March 2021 during an attempted robbery in Oakland, FOX San Francisco reported.
Bailey shoved Ho while Britton was the getaway driver, authorities said. He died several days later. Britton and Bailey still face sentences of life with the possibility of parole.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Public School Teacher Behind Bars After Allegedly Shooting Into a Vehicle With 4 People Inside
MOBILE, Alabama (WALA) — A MCPSS teacher is facing serious charges.
Police say 25-year-old Kenishia Gilmore is accused of shooting into a vehicle with four people inside.
According to a MCPSS spokesperson, Gilmore is a seventh-grade science teacher at Scarborough Middle School. She has been placed on administrative leave.
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
RFK Jr. Exposes ‘The Wuhan Cover Up’
Authored by Robert Malone via The Brownstone Institute
The title of US Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new book, The Wuhan Cover Up, does not really represent the scope and nature of this seminal work.
This book is the most comprehensive historic summary and indictment of the history of the United States’ biowarfare/biodefense program ever written.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Rumble Secures Live Stream Rights to First Two Republican Primary Debates
In an announcement from the Republican National Committee (RNC), Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel declared the addition of select pertinent partners for their forthcoming Republican presidential primary debate. The principals involved in this event highlight the RNC’s continued dedication to communal dialogue, free-speech, and zero censorship.
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, Univision, Rumble, and FOX Business will be allied with the RNC pertinently for their second Republican presidential primary debate on September 27, 2023. The eminent Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley will act as the venue endorsing this event.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sen Dianne Feinstein Briefly Hospitalized After Fall in San Francisco
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif, was briefly hospitalized in California after suffering a fall in her San Francisco home, Fox News has confirmed.
“Senator Feinstein briefly went to the hospital yesterday afternoon as a precaution after a minor fall in her home. All of her scans were clear and she returned home,” a spokesperson for the senator said in a statement.
The 90-year-old has suffered from extensive health issues for more than a year, leading many to wonder about her fitness for office.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Surprise! the FBI Lied About ‘White Supremacist’ Memo Targeting Catholics, New Document Reveals
When the FBI was busted targeting Catholics in a now-retracted leaked document which said Roman Catholics were ‘at risk of committing acts of extremist violence,’ the agency downplayed it as the work of a ‘rogue field office.’
Now, thanks to a less-redacted internal FBI document released Wednesday by the House Judiciary Committee, we learn that the effort was far more widespread than the agency acknowledged.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Teen Collapses and Dies Suddenly in Front of His Family After Making Big Announcement
A teenager has collapsed and died suddenly in front of his entire family after making a big announcement about his future during a large gathering.
19-year-old Liam Mildenstein expressed his excitement about his mission assignment as he told his family he is planning to travel to Japan as a missionary on behalf of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
After making the announcement last week in Provo, Utah, Mildenstein died suddenly in front of his family.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Hill: ‘Generation Z Will be the Last Generation of Americans With a White Majority’
The demographic transformation of America the media used to denounce as a “conspiracy theory” they now celebrate as a fact.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Rages After Jan 6th Committee ‘Illegally Destroyed Records and Documents’
Former President Trump took to social media on Tuesday to blast the “January 5th Committee of Political Hacks and Thugs,” who “illegally destroyed their Records and Documents,” following comments by Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), who told Fox News that the January 6th committee failed to adequately preserve documents, data and video depositions.
The committee also failed to provide any evidence that it investigated Capitol Hill security failures on the day of the riot, Loudermilk added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tyson Foods Closes Multiple Chicken Processing Plants as Costs Soar
Tyson Foods Inc. is closing multiple chicken processing plants as the company scrambles to downsize amid soaring costs.
The company said Monday that four plants are being closed.
The closing plants are located in North Little Rock, Arkansas; Corydon, Indiana; Dexter, Missouri; and Noel, Missouri.
In a statement about the closures, Tyson said that it will shift production to other facilities and halt operations at the four plants in the first two quarters of fiscal 2024.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has been hit with a federal civil rights complaint over a race-exclusive residency program for film students.
On Monday, the Equal Protection Project (EPP) of the Legal Insurrection Foundation filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education over the University of Nebraska’s Black Public Media residency program.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Utah Man Suspected of Threatening President Joe Biden Shot and Killed as FBI Served Warrant
PROVO, Utah (AP) — An armed Utah man accused of making violent threats against President Joe Biden was shot and killed by FBI agents hours before the president landed in the state Wednesday, authorities said.
Special agents were trying to serve a warrant on the home of Craig Deleeuw Robertson in Provo, south of Salt Lake City, when the shooting happened at 6:15 a.m., the FBI said in a statement.
Robertson was armed at the time of the shooting, according to two law enforcement sources who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to discuss details of an ongoing investigation.
Robertson posted online Monday that he had heard Biden was coming to Utah and he was planning to dig out a camouflage suit and begin “cleaning the dust off the M24 sniper rifle,” a post that came after months of graphic online threats against several public figures, according to court documents. Robertson referred to himself as a “MAGA Trumper,” a reference to former President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan, and also posted threats against top law enforcement officials overseeing court cases against Trump.
| — Hat tip: Vlad Tepes | [Return to headlines] |
Video Released of Rand Paul Staffer Being Stabbed in Washington D.C
Video footage of Republican Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-KY) staffer being stabbed in broad daylight in Washington, D.C. has been released.
The Washington Post published footage of the staffer, Phillip Todd, being attacked by Glynn Neal.
Neal, who has a long rap sheet filled with serious crimes, had just been released from federal prison before stabbing Todd in March.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Video: Biden’s Handlers Allow Him to Walk Along Edge of Grand Canyon Cliff
Joe Biden spent Tuesday bumbling around the Grand Canyon.
His handlers are now letting Biden, who stumbles on steps and falls over sandbags, walk on the edge of a huge precipice.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Washington Approves First Abrams Tank Delivery to Kiev
Kiev will receive its first batch of US-made Abrams tanks by early autumn, a senior Pentagon official told journalists on Monday. President Joe Biden initially promised the heavy equipment to Ukraine in January.
The tanks are ready for delivery, US Army Acquisition Chief Doug Bush told a news briefing. The equipment pieces still have to first “get to Europe, and then to Ukraine, along with all of the things that go with them,” he added, as cited by CNN.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
X is Fined $350,000 for Pushing Back Against Secret Warrant for Tump’s Twitter Account
The legal battle between Twitter and the federal judiciary over Special Counsel Jack Smith’s search warrant for former President Donald Trump’s Twitter account, @realdonaldtrump, was thrust into the public eye today. The controversy had previously been shrouded in secrecy, with the federal court of appeals upholding a $350,000 fine against the social media giant for refusing initial compliance — a new opinion, published here for the first time, shows.
Twitter’s refusal to cooperate immediately with the warrant issued on January 17, 2023, showcased the company’s commitment to user privacy and, it argued, free speech. A nondisclosure order that accompanied the warrant was the heart of the disagreement. Twitter asserted that this order infringed upon First Amendment rights and called for US District Court Judge Beryl Howell to halt the enforcement of the search warrant until their objection was addressed.
However, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the federal government.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Bill Gates Colluded With Who for Pandemic-Related Insider Trading
A renowned economist has testified that Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates colluded with the head of the World Health Organization to massively profit from insider trading linked to major pandemic-related announcements.
Professor Michel Chossudovsky is a Canadian economist and author of 13 books and more than 2,000 articles.
While giving testimony at a citizen’s inquiry in Canada, Chossudovsky, a professor emeritus of economics at the University of Ottawa, testified that Bill Gates and others were informed about major Covid announcements before they were made public.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trudeau Liberals Move to Ban Plastic Wrapping for Meat, Bags for Produce at Grocery Stores
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault has given grocery stores in Canada until the end of August to address the Trudeau government’s proposed ban on single-use plastics on meat, fruit and vegetables.
In documents first discovered by Blacklock’s Reporter and reported by The Western Standard, the federal government did not provide an estimate as to how much the changes are going to cost consumers, but the environment department has previously said the figure could be as high as $205 million annually.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Finland: Kingmaker Party Ponders Pulling Plug on Scandal-Ridden Coalition
Less than two months after a multi-party coalition government took power in Helsinki between the centrist National Coalition Party and the populist Finns Party, there are signs that more junior elements in the government are attempting to force fresh elections on the back of a string of embarrassing revelations.
The Swedish People’s Party (RFK), which represents the interests of Finland’s Swedish-speaking population and is aligned with the federalist Renew movement in Brussels, won 9 out of 200 seats in April’s election and plays a kingmaker role in the four-party coalition that governs Finland led by the National Coalition Party.
In an interview with Finnish media earlier this week, Finns Party leader Riikka Purra, who serves as the nation’s finance minister, decried the efforts of the Swedish People’s Party, in particular, to destabilise the coalition government.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Members of the far-left Antifa activist group have published the private addresses of candidates standing for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the German state of Hesse and encouraged protesters to “challenge” them in places where they feel safe.
The self-proclaimed anti-fascist group launched a website specifically for the campaign with an interactive map detailing the private residences of 40 AfD politicians, as well as providing the locations of event rooms and restaurants where the party’s representatives convene.
“The site is intended to encourage Antifas in Hesse to stop the AfD, which is currently becoming stronger again,” the far-left activist group said in a statement as it encouraged its members to “use the information” they have been given.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
German Bundeswehr Experiencing Severe Shortage of Personnel, Defense Minister Says
The Bundeswehr, according to German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, is experiencing a severe shortage of personnel
According to the German Ministry of Defense, by the end of May 2023, only 23,414 people had applied for service in the German army — 7% less than in the same period last year.
In the context of the urgent need for new military personnel, the problem of personnel shortages, according to Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, comes to the fore.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
German Restaurants Could Lose Big as Preferential VAT Rates Expire
The planned withdrawal of reduced VAT at the end of the year is threatening a serious crisis in the German hospitality industry.
The trade association is concerned that 12,000 businesses could go out of business if parliament does not leave the tax relief in place during the epidemic. In Austria, the lobby has already missed the mark, business daily Napi Gazdasag writes.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
German Federal Official Arrested on Suspicion of Being a Russian Spy
A German federal government official has been arrested on suspicion of espionage on behalf of Russian intelligence, German newspaper Der Spiegel reported.
The male suspect was detained on Wednesday by officers from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) in the Western German city of Koblenz after authorities acquired sufficient evidence to show he had offered to spy for the Russians.
According to German media, the suspect was an employee of the Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and Use of the Bundeswehr, an agency that equips the German military with material and weapons, and develops, tests, and procures defense technology.
His personal residence and workplace were both searched at the time of the arrest.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
An exclusive interview with Miklós Szanthó, lawyer, political analyst, director general of Hungary’s Center for Fundamental Rights, and president of CPAC Hungary
We are here at the MCC Feszt in Esztergom, and it is quite unique. Tens of thousands of young people, most of them students, have come here to attend concerts, drink beer, and party most of the night, and then during the day many of them attend discussion panels and lectures on very serious cultural, economic, and political topics. Is this Hungary’s answer to the left’s culture war?
First, I would say that we are not in a culture war but a war for culture. Although I do not admire (Italian Marxist) Antonio Gramsci as a politician or as a political philosopher, I think the right should learn from him. He was the one who, a century ago, declared for the left, for the socialist movement, that culture is the priority. His idea was that if the socialists dominated and controlled culture, then they would win the political fight as a natural consequence.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Meloni Defends Windfall Tax on Banks After Market Turmoil
(ANSA) — ROME, AUG 9 — Premier Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday defended the 40% windfall tax that the government has decided to impose on banks’ surplus profits, a surprise move that led to market turmoil on Tuesday.
“At the last cabinet meeting (on Monday) we approved many important measures,” Meloni said in a video message.
“The most important regards taxation of the unjust (profit) margins of the banks.
“The money will be used to finance measures to support families and businesses as they go through a difficult time due to the high cost of money”.
The Italian banks lost close to nine billion euros in stock-market capitalization on Tuesday after the government’s surprise announcement of the windfall tax.
They recouped around four billion euros in early trading on Wednesday after the economy and finance ministry said that the new tax it would be capped to 0.1% of the institutes’ assets
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Netherlands: Fifteen Arrested at New Protest Against Nuclear Weapons at Volkel Air Base
Fifteen protesters were arrested Wednesday morning after trying to enter the grounds of Volkel Air Base in the province of Noord-Brabant, Omroep Brabant reported. They wanted to dig a hole under the fence there with shovels. All morning employees of the airbase and military police, among others, have been on standby to stop the protesters.
Dozens of activists have been camped near the air base since Monday, protesting against the presence of nuclear weapons and CO2 emissions from aircraft. The group previously announced it planned to enter the base using shovels to dig under the fence. On Wednesday morning, airbase staff, the Koninklijke Marechaussee, and enforcement personnel were present to prevent this.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poland Continues to Aggressively Buy Gold
The National Bank of Poland (NBP) increased its gold reserves for the fourth consecutive month in July as the country continues to aggressively stockpile the precious metal.
According to calculations by the DGP newspaper, 720,000 ounces of gold were bought last month, valued at about $1.4 billion. This is more than in any of the previous three months. The paper estimated that the total gold reserves held by the Polish central bank have increased to 9.6 million ounces, or nearly 300 tons.
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Lawmakers in Poland’s governing party are refusing to discuss the electoral chances of the conservative Alternative for Germany (AfD) party next year, insisting it is not their place to comment on Germany’s domestic politics.
Asked by dorzeczy.pl portal, if AfD has a chance to become the second political force in Germany, the Law and Justice (PiS) MEP Ryszard Czarnecki replied that a substantial parliamentary group in the Bundestag and good election results in a state parliament indicate that this party already has a stable position in the German political scene.
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Spain: Vox Spokesman Resigns in Major Party Shakeup
VOX, the Spanish conservative-populist party which has grown substantially in recent years, saw a disappointing election result last month in the snap Spanish general election and may face even more turmoil as its spokesman Ivan Espinosa de los Monteros has announced he will be resigning from politics.
Espinosa de los Monteros, well known for his speeches in the Spanish parliament, has been one of the most high-profile figures in VOX and was considered second only to the party’s leader Santiago Abascal.
According to a report from the newspaper El Mundo, Espinosa de los Monteros resigned on the night of Monday, August 7th during a two-hour meeting with Santiago Abascal in what was described as a cordial meeting between the pair.
Following his resignation, Espinosa de los Monteros is expected to go back to the private sector but will remain a supporter of VOX and a member of the party.
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The European Union is a ‘Failed Project’ Declares German Populist AfD Party
The populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has officially condemned the European Union as a “failed project” in a text adopted at the party’s conference over the weekend.
The AfD, which has surged to one of the most popular parties in Germany, overtaking leftist Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats, has said that the globalist institution of the European Union is ultimately at fault for many of the ills befalling the continent, particularly on issues of mass migration.
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Tragic Fire in French Disabled Facility: 11 Missing, 17 Evacuated
A devastating fire erupted in a holiday home for individuals with disabilities in eastern France. Leading to 11 adults being unaccounted for, while 17 others were promptly evacuated, French authorities reported.
The incident occurred early on Wednesday in the town of Wintzenheim, located near the German border. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin shared the news on Twitter, stating that a blaze ignited in the facility for people with disabilities early in the morning. He commended the swift and brave efforts of the firefighters but acknowledged the unfortunate casualties. The rescue endeavors are still in progress.
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UK Civil Servants Wangle Their Way to Six Figures
Civil servants have used promotions to get around pay constraints set by the government, new analysis suggests. Over 2,000 of these officials earn more than £100,000 (€116,000) a year, an increase of 88% from 2016. 195 are also on an annual salary of over £150,000 (€175,000).
At the same time as this increase, the number of civil servants, also known in Britain as ‘mandarins,’ in the bottom wage brackets has decreased, according to the figures cited in The Daily Telegraph. These usually include frontline workers, like prison officers.
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UK Parents Group Says PayPal is Refusing to Provide Info on Debanking, Demands Probe by Regulators
UK parent group UsForThem has come out with accusations against PayPal, claiming that the giant is not compliant with its legal obligations, specifically around transparency and its role in the scandalous “debanking” practice, the UK press is reporting.
And if the payments company is not ready to meet those obligations, say UsForThem — whose account had been shut down they believe for political reasons — then it should not be allowed to do business in their country.
At issue is the way in which PayPal handles account closures, and the respect or rather, as the group alleges, lack thereof of necessary transparency around this, and particularly where issues of free speech are involved.
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UK Water Companies Face $1B Lawsuits Over Pollution Misreporting
A prominent law firm disclosed that six major British water companies are currently in the crosshairs of lawsuits totaling over £800 million (equivalent to $1 billion) initiated on behalf of millions of customers. The lawsuits contend that the companies have been overcharging customers due to alleged underreporting of sewage discharges, according to Reuters.
Environmental and water expert Carolyn Roberts, the driving force behind the claims, posits that these companies would have faced penalties had they accurately reported pollution incidents as required. She asserts that the companies’ alleged failure to disclose such incidents has resulted in unjustified overcharging for their services.
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Ukraine’s Ethnic Hungarian Ambassador Gets Budapest’s Approval
Sandor Fegyir, perhaps the best-known ethnic Hungarian from Ukraine, has received Hungarian President Katalin Novak’s official approval to become his country’s ambassador.
“In answer to your question, we can confirm that the president has today signed the approval necessary for the appointment of the new extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador of Ukraine to Hungary,” Novak’s office told the Magyar Nemzet newspaper.
Somewhat unusually for this type of diplomatic procedure, Fegyir was appointed by Ukraine five months ago, and it took that long for the Hungarian president to issue the acceptance document necessary for his investiture.
Magyar Nemzet wrote that the signature of the president can be interpreted as a gesture of sorts, as Katalin Novak signed the declaration despite the fact that, in a very unusual and impolite move in international diplomacy, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was “unavailable” for a long period of time.
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Wagner Group Soldiers May Have Tried to Enter Latvia, Claims Border Guard Chief
Mercenaries from the Wagner Group might have already tried to cross the border with Latvia, the head of the Latvian State Border Guard, Guntis Pujatas, told the Latvian portal Delfi.
Border guards have recorded several dozen cases of border infrastructure damage since the beginning of the year.
The head of the Latvian Border Guard pointed out that recently, many migrants from African countries started arriving at the Belarusian-Latvian border. He believes this is a significant change.
Earlier, migrants mainly from Iraq tried to cross the border. Meanwhile, the Wagner mercenaries recruit people, among others, in Africa. In Guntis Pujatas’ opinion, it cannot be ruled out that among these migrants, there might be individuals recruited by the mercenaries.
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World leaders must act as “ringmasters” to transition the global economy away from fossil fuels in order to combat the supposed impending doom of climate change, the United Nation’s top climate scientist has argued.
Professor Jim Skea, who was recently installed as the chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the top UN body on climate change science, said that political leaders need to act as the “ringmasters or ringmistresses” of ushering in the globalist green agenda and force people into shifting away from a fossil fuel-based economy.
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Dozens of Grain Ships Blocked on Danube After Russian Drone Attacks
Dozens of ships are stranded on the Danube River in the wake of Russian drone strikes on Ukrainian maritime export infrastructure, navigation data shows.
This comes after Russia embarked on a campaign to destroy ports, grain silos, and other crucial export infrastructure following Moscow’s exit from the Black Sea agreement.
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Exclusive: Majority of Ukrainians Mistrust NATO and EU
A Ukrainian public opinion survey provided exclusively to The European Conservative regarding attitudes toward the ongoing conflict with Russia has revealed that while Ukrainians are hopeful for the future, a majority have a deep mistrust of the motivations of the NATO military alliance and the European Union.
The survey was carried out by phone from July 25-27 in all regions of Ukraine that are currently unoccupied by Russian forces and found that the vast majority of Ukrainians over the age of 18, 84%, were positive and hopeful for the future of their country.
However, regarding the NATO military alliance and the EU, 71% of the respondents said NATO and the EU only follow their own interests and simply use Ukraine for their own purposes.
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One Dead and Dozens Injured in Russia Factory Explosion
One woman has died and more than 50 have been injured following a warehouse explosion near Moscow, officials said.
Moscow’s state governor Andrey Vorobyov said on Telegram that six people were in intensive care.
Videos shared online showed a large plume of smoke billowing from the facility in the city of Sergiyev Posad.
The blast occurred on the grounds of a factory that Russian media has previously said manufactures military equipment like night vision goggles.
The shockwave blew windows from nearby buildings, damaging residential apartments, two schools and a nearby sports complex.
Mr Vorobyov said the explosion occurred in a warehouse storing fireworks which was located on the grounds of the Zagorsk optics manufacturing plant.
Investigators dismissed claims the explosion was caused by a drone attack, despite pro-Kremlin commentators suggesting that was the case.
The explosion came shortly after Russia’s defence ministry said two drones were shot down near Moscow overnight, one near the airport.
Russia blamed Ukraine for those drone attacks. Ukraine has not claimed involvement in either the drone attacks or the warehouse explosion.
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Biden Diplomacy Fail: Japan Welcomes Iranian Foreign Minister
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrived in Japan and denied his country is supplying Russia with drones.
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How MIT Helped Develop Tech for a Chinese Company That Surveils Uyghurs
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology used funding from a twice-sanctioned Chinese company to advance components of facial recognition technology, which its Chinese benefactor has reportedly used to track and imprison Uyghurs, a Washington Free Beacon review found.
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Police are hunting the boyfriend of glamorous bikie widow Jade Heffer after Alan ‘Ahmad’ Alameddine allegedly fled a firearms check at his Sydney southwest home on Thursday morning.
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Australia’s ABC Pulls Back on X Over “Negative Interactions”
Australia’s national broadcaster, ABC, is complaining about what it defines as the “toxicity” on Elon Musk’s platform, X, formerly known as Twitter. Citing the alleged increasingly “abusive” interactions, the state-owned corporation has shut down almost all of its official accounts on X.
Under this withdrawal, only four ABC official accounts will remain active: @abcnews, @abcsport, @abcchinese and @abcaustralia.
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One Nation leader Pauline Hanson erupted during a Senate hearing last Thursday when executives at Pfizer Australia said no one was ‘forced’ to get the Covid vaccine
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Now that snow ski season is finally over in California, everyone will get back to surfing, and will be shooting the curl instead of shredding the bumps while exclaiming “cowabunga!” Which brings me once again to climate change and Hunga-Tonga, the volcano that erupted to spectacularly in the South Pacific last year.
In my latest column for The-Pipeline about the climatista hysteria over summer heat, I referenced several recent studies in the mainstream scientific literature that conclude the massive amount of high altitude water vapor the Hunga-Tonga eruption produced—perhaps 40 trillion gallons tons worth—might warm the northern hemisphere by more than a degree over the coming years. These findings are being completely ignored by the media.
There’s yet another study out just a few days ago by three scientists affiliated with the Climate Change Research Centre and Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes at the University of New South Wales in Australia. The study, “Long-term surface impact of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai-like stratospheric water vapor injection,” is out in pre-print form, which means it awaits publication and is undergoing peer review (pre-print release is an increasing practice in science with fast-moving issues like COVID and short-term climate forcings).
Here is the key highlight:
Volcanic eruptions typically cool the Earth’s surface by releasing aerosols which reflect sunlight. However, a recent eruption released a significant amount of water vapor—a strong greenhouse gas — into the stratosphere with unknown consequences. This study examines the aftermath of the eruption and reveals that surface temperatures across large regions of the world increase by over 1.5 degrees C for several years, although some areas experience cooling close to 1 degree C. Additionally, the research suggests a potential connection between the eruption and sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific, which warrants further investigation. . .
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Another construction company that serviced some of the biggest fast food chains in the world has gone bust with subcontractors left out of pocket by almost $400,000.
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The tech mogul has reacted to news the ABC will keep just four accounts on the social media platform: ABC News, ABC Sport, ABC Chinese and ABC Australia.
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Gina Rinehart Pledges Support for Gold Coast’s Audacious Bid to Revive the 2026 Commonwealth Games
The billionaire businesswoman has joined forces with major sporting bodies to provide support for Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate in his audacious attempt to salvage the Games
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The staunch No vote advocate said she wants an inquiry into ‘the scope of services funded by the Australian government… for Aboriginal organisations’.
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TV presenter Sharri Markson has accused Anthony Albanese of handing control of Australia’s foreign policy to the ‘fringes’ of his party’s ‘radical left’ after a controversial decision.
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Former prime minister Tony Abbott has hit out at constant ‘Welcome to Countrys’ as well as flying the Aboriginal flag as he called the Voice advocates’ version of Australian history ‘crap’.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Yindjibarndi Aboriginal People Are Entitled to Compensation Over WA Mine Run by Fortescue
Australian government argued the claim, under native title legislation, be dismissed and for the Yindjibarndi to make a fresh application under the Mining Act.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Kenya Kicks Eye-Scanning Worldcoin to the Curb — Refuses to Become ‘Data Harvesting Guinea Pigs’
The Kenyan Ministry of the Interior last week suspended the controversial tech firm WorldCoin and any similar entities from operating in the country.
Co-founded by OpenAI’s Sam Altman, WorldCoin offers free crypto tokens worth roughly $50 to people willing to have their eyeballs scanned by a device called the Orb.
“Relevant security, financial services and data protection agencies have commenced inquiries and investigations to establish the authenticity and legality of the aforesaid activities, the safety and protection of the data being harvested, and how the harvesters intend to use the data,” reads a statement from the Ministry issued last week.
Kenyan Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua was enraged over the technology, saying in a statement: “Let us support the stoppage of Kenyans being used as guinea pigs and their data being harvested.
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Gunmen in Ecuador shot dead presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio as he was leaving a rally on Wednesday night, with less than two weeks to go until a bitterly contested election.
Footage shared on social media showed Villavicencio, 59, being escorted out of the rally venue at 6:20pm local time and into a waiting car. He was climbing into the back seat when gunfire rang out. The windows did not appear to be bulletproof.
Last week Villavicencio, a former journalist known for tackling corruption, said he and his team had been threatened by the leader of a gang linked to drug trafficking.
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AfD Boss Accuses CDU District Administrator of Stealing His Talking Points in Illegal Migration
A district administrator of the CDU wants to shake things up with drastic words: illegal migration and criminal gangs of smugglers must be stopped. He writes to Interior Minister Faeser why Görlitz is at the limit. AfD boss Chrupalla accuses Meyer of stealing ideas.
The district administrator of the district of Görlitz, Stephan Meyer (CDU), addressed the Federal Minister of the Interior, Nancy Faeser, with an open letter “of the highest urgency” on Monday. In it he calls on the SPD politician to introduce temporary border controls at the German-Polish border in his district because of illegal migration. “The increasing illegal entry of migrants and the alarming activity of smuggling crime require immediate action on the part of the federal government,” wrote the Saxon district administrator to Faeser.
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President Joe Biden could have built nearly two walls across the U.S.-Mexico border with the money the U.S. has sent to Ukraine.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Most Americans support the buoys Texas Gov Gregg Abbot has deployed along the Rio Grande to deter migrants, despite concerns they’re illegal and lead to drowning deaths, a poll shows.
Fully 51 percent of voters support the 1,000-foot floating barrier at a popular migrant crossing point between Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras, Mexico, a DailyMail.com/TIPP survey reveals.
About a third of the 1,400 adults we asked earlier this month said they were against the wrecking ball-sized buoys. Another 15 percent said they were not sure about the devices.
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France: 14-Year-Old Girl Sexually Assaulted on Bus by Illegal Migrant Under Deportation Orders
An underage girl was sexually assaulted aboard a bus in France last month by an illegal migrant who was already under orders to leave the country, according to reports.
The disturbing incident unfolded on July 31 in La Seyne-sur-Mer, a seaside commune on the French Riviera.
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Germany: Momentum Builds for Left-Wing Anti-Immigration Party
Five to ten MPs from the German Die Linke party have quietly pledged support for a left-wing, anti-mass immigration party rumoured to be formed by disgruntled former party leader Sahra Wagenknecht in a move that could split the German left down the middle.
A current MP for North Rhine-Westphalia, Wagenknecht has earned a reputation in German left-wing politics as a radical outsider with vocal opposition to Berlin’s generous asylum policies and its commitment to NATO in Ukraine. Wagenknecht left Die Linke acrimoniously in March, amid speculation that she was exploring the potential for a new left-wing migration-critical party.
It now appears that Wagenknecht’s plans for a new party are about to come to fruition, as Die Linke leader Dietmar Bartsch warned that a potential split would essentially end Die Linke as both a parliamentary and social force.
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Imported Violence: Eritreans Carry Out Vendettas From Home Causing Chaos in Germany, Sweden, Canada
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Flaming cars, violent clashes, dozens of people detained. As one of the world’s most repressive countries marks 30 years of independence, festivals held by Eritrea’s diaspora in Europe and North America have been attacked by exiles that the regime dismisses as “asylum scum.”
People who fled the Horn of Africa nation say the violence against festivals in Germany, Sweden and Canada are protests against a repressive government that’s been described as the “North Korea of Africa.” Some allege that proceeds from festivals might support the government.
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Majority of Ukrainian Refugees Face Poverty in the Czech Republic
A majority of Ukrainian refugees residing in the Czech Republic find themselves grappling with economic hardships with two-thirds living beneath the income poverty line. The situation is particularly dire for households with children.
The PAQ agency’s study reveals that 68% of the refugees fall below the income poverty threshold. Further, for 45% of these households, their savings would only sustain them for less than a month. On a brighter note, 67% of the economically active refugees have secured employment. However, the nature of this employment is concerning: more than half are engaged in low-skilled jobs, with over 40% employed in roles significantly beneath their actual qualifications.
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Majority of Brits Consider Migrant Barges to be Acceptable Accommodation, Polling Finds
A majority of Brits support the Conservative government’s plans to relocate asylum seekers from hotels across the country onto self-contained migrant barges, new polling revealed.
According to the latest YouGov survey, 59 percent of respondents consider the barges to be an acceptable form of accommodation for migrants who arrived in the country illegally from across the Channel and subsequently claimed asylum.
In contrast, 28 percent of those polled opposed the plans, while 14 percent had no opinion.
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The Department of Home Affairs has revealed approvals for student and skilled migrant visas had doubled in a year. This occurred as Australia grapples with a rental and cost of living crisis.
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New York City Mayor Eric Adams says the city will spend $12billion by 2025 to provide housing and services for the flood of migrants arriving in the cities by buses as the city scrambles to provide shelter.
‘We are facing an unprecedented state of emergency,’ Adams declared, again demanding the feds provide more support. ‘The immigration system in this country is broken, it has been broken for decades.
‘Today, New York City has been left to pick up the pieces,’ Adams said.
The Democratic mayor has been slammed for his lack of response to the migrant crisis currently afflicting New York City, as he has continued to blame the lack of federal support.
Adams said the city spends more than $9million per day to house, feed and support the asylum seekers.
Even more are arriving weekly — with buses seen arriving Wednesday morning at the Roosevelt Hotel to drop off more migrants for processing.
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Poland Bracing for Wave of Weaponised Migration
Poland will send 2,000 troops to its frontier with Belarus, twice the number requested by the Border Guard, to stem illegal crossings and maintain stability, reported Reuters on Wednesday, August 9th. The Polish Government fears that neighbouring Belarus and Russia will make more attempts to destabilise the country in the near future.
According to Deputy Interior Minister Maciej Wasik, Russia and Belarus are once again actively trying to push migrants into the European Union through the Polish border. “We are talking about an operation organised by Russian and Belarusian special services, which is becoming more and more intense”, Wasik said, noting that the situation is not as chaotic as it was two years ago.
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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Makes Case for Finishing Border Wall
Authored by Brad Jones via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours)
A trip to the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona was all it took for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to change his mind on the need for a border wall pushed by his political rival former President Donald Trump.
“I went down to the border feeling that Trump has made a mistake on the wall, but I feel like people need to be able to recalibrate their worldview when they’re confronted with evidence,” he told a crowd of more than 300 on Aug. 3 at the premiere of his documentary, Midnight at the Border.
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They Just Keep Coming: German Asylum Applications Up 80%
Following a year that saw over 217,000 migrants apply for asylum in Germany for the first time, the most recorded since the 2016 European migrant crisis, official figures have revealed that the number of first-time asylum applications in the first seven months of 2023 has jumped by 78% year-over-year.
The figures, released on Monday, August 7th, by Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), revealed that Germany so far this year has received a total of 188,967 asylum applications, including 175,272 first-time asylum applications, indicating that the migration crisis in Germany continues to worsen, the Berlin-based daily Die Welt reports.
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Left-wing MP Diane Abbott has been accused of politicizing a tragedy in the Mediterranean that saw 41 migrants die in a shipwreck off the Italian island of Lampedusa, claiming they have “f***ed off to the bottom of the sea.”
The remark by the former shadow home secretary under Jeremy Corbyn’s far-left leadership was in response to comments made by Lee Anderson, the governing Conservative party’s deputy chairman, who told illegal migrants arriving in Britain on Tuesday that if they didn’t like the accommodation they were provided with they should “F*** off back to France”.
In a bizarre tweet on Wednesday, Abbott posted a link to a BBC article reporting on the shipwreck off the Italian coast with the caption: “These migrants have indeed f***ed off. To the bottom of the sea.”
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Over Half the World’s Population Will Have a Mental Disorder by Age 75: Study
A cross-national analysis recently published in The Lancet Psychiatry has found that if current trends persist, over half the world’s population will develop a mental illness by the age of 75.
Researchers analyzed data from over 150,000 respondents who participated in 32 WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview surveys across 29 countries from all corners of the globe between 2001 and 2022.
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Target Hit With Shareholder Lawsuit After Pride Backlash Damaged Stock Price
America First Legal (AFL) on Tuesday filed a shareholder lawsuit against Target in response to the retailer’s Pride merchandise that resulted in significant backlash, boycotts and a drop in stock price.
Target locations across the country famously stunned customers in May when massive June Pride Month displays were unveiled featuring everything from female-style swimsuits that can be used to “tuck” male genitalia to mugs that said “gender fluid.” The polarizing Pride merchandise also included onesies and rompers for newborn babies, a variety of adult clothing with slogans such as “Super Queer,” party supplies, home decor, multiple books and a “Grow at Your Own Pace” saucer planter.
Many customers were outraged, and boycotts caused a variety of banks to downgrade Target’s stock. Target’s market value was over $74 billion before the Pride displays made national news, as tracked by Dow Jones Market Data Group. As of Wednesday, Target is valued at $60.3 billion.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Transgender Climate Activist in Germany Faces Potential Time in Male Prison
Penelope Frank, a 32-year-old climate activist, brought Berlin airport to a standstill in November of the previous year by adhering herself to the runway, causing airlines to suffer significant losses and flight delays for nearly 4,000 passengers.
Subsequent to this disruption, an investigation was initiated and Frank was charged. Now, as the “Last Generation” movement participant, there is a likelihood that she might be sentenced to a male prison, as reported by Berliner Zeitung.
Frank points out that, legally, she is still recognized as a male on official documents, which means that authorities might send her to a male prison. She emphasizes that for a transgender woman, being in a male facility could entail more severe repercussions.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
As part of its “2SLGBTQI+ Action Plan,” the Trudeau government has awarded $1.1 million on a “purge fund” that targets “hateful” parents opposing gender ideology and LGBTQ indoctrination.
The contract was given to Cossette Communications on July 26, 2023 “to develop, manage a 2SLGBTQ+ Anti-Stigma awareness and marketing campaign aimed at targeted segments of people.”
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* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Will the USA beat Sweden?
Whites already in the minority among US minors
Published August 9, 2023 in Fria Tider
Among Americans under 18, whites are already in the minority, a new Brookings survey shows.
Generation Z – that is, people born between 1997 and 2012 – will be the last generation in the United States with a white majority.
And even with this group, the majority is very narrow – 50.5 percent.
Among younger age groups under 18, whites are already in the minority, according to the Brookings survey, which uses updated data from the 2020 Census.
The study’s forecast is that non-whites will generally become the majority population in the United States in 2045. However, in practice it may actually happen much earlier, as tens of millions of illegal immigrants are also assumed to be residing in the country.
Whites of European background made up about 85 percent of the population in the United States until 1965, when the so-called Hart-Celler Act was passed and opened up for large-scale Third World immigration.
Historically, major influxes of Third World peoples were prevented, but legislation was gradually loosened during the 20th century following intense and long-lasting lobbying pressure from influential ethnic interest groups.
Image: © Brookings – Racial distribution among different age groups in the United States (2020).
https://www.friatider.se/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/figure-3-2.jpg?itok=mbarRNat
https://www.friatider.se/vita-redan-i-minoritet-bland-usas-minderariga
Generation Z – that is, people born between 1997 and 2012 – will be the last generation in the United States with a white majority.
And even with this group, the majority is very narrow – 50.5 percent.
Among younger age groups under 18, whites are already in the minority, according to the Brookings survey, which uses updated data from the 2020 Census.
The study’s forecast is that non-whites will generally become the majority population in the United States in 2045. However, in practice it may actually happen much earlier, as tens of millions of illegal immigrants are also assumed to be residing in the country.
Whites of European background made up about 85 percent of the population in the United States until 1965, when the so-called Hart-Celler Act was passed and opened up for large-scale Third World immigration.
Historically, major influxes of Third World peoples were prevented, but legislation was gradually loosened during the 20th century following intense and long-lasting lobbying pressure from influential ethnic interest groups.
We used to just call them hedonists.
They are now called 2SLGBTQ+ instead.
And from official government statistics, they are 17 times more likely to rape a child than a heterosexual.
Spotting the pattern?
Well, we all know that is a crime now, in this demonic ruled world…
No, wonder the birth rate is non existent.
Who in their right mind would want to give said community, any more victims
As we all, know thats what the pattern is.