According to the United Nations, half of the population of Gaza is starving. Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the West of barbarism and Islamophobia over its support of Israel.
In other news, according to the latest polls in Germany, AfD leader Alice Weidel is now more popular than Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Dean, Dora, DV, JW, LP, McN, 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.
California Suffers ‘Severe Revenue Decline’ as Mass Exodus Continues
California is suffering from the major financial impact of people and businesses fleeing the Democrat-led state.
As the mass exodus to red states continues, California is now faced with a devastating budget crisis caused by the “severe revenue decline.”
Under Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom’s watch, California now has a record $68 billion budget deficit.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“Beyond Shocking”: ACLU Will Represent NRA in Free Speech Supreme Court Case
The American Civil Liberties Union, a left-wing advocacy group, has returned to their roots in defense of an ideological enemy: the National Rifle Association. This move is part of their ongoing effort to remain relevant and defend Americans against First Amendment violations by an overreaching federal government.
“We’re representing the NRA at the Supreme Court in their case against New York’s Department of Financial Services for abusing its regulatory power to violate the NRA’s First Amendment rights. The government can’t blacklist an advocacy group because of its viewpoint,” the ACLU announced on ‘free speech’ platform X.
ACLU made it very clear that they “don’t support the NRA’s mission or its viewpoints on gun rights, and we don’t agree with their goals, strategies, or tactics. But we both know that government officials can’t punish organizations because they disapprove of their views.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
America is witnessing a seismic shift in its demographic landscape. Recent data from Idaho reveals an unprecedented trend: people are migrating not just for jobs, schools, or lifestyle, but for political alignment. The movement is reshaping the country, according to the Seattle Times’ Danny Westneat.
The call to “Escape liberal hell,” as echoed by a Boise, Idaho real estate agent, is not just a catchy sales pitch but a sign of the times. Idaho’s voter database sheds light on this great political migration. Approximately 119,000 voters have moved to Idaho in recent years, with a staggering 65% registering as Republicans—a figure that overshadows the state’s already GOP-leaning demographic of 58%.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Attorney George Gascon Will Prosecute Suspected Child Molester as Juvenile
Rudy Paz is a 25-year-old Los Angeles man who prosecutors accuse of molesting children as young as 4 for years, but they don’t have any evidence of him continuing the abuse after his 18th birthday.
So, he might face juvenile punishment despite being an adult.
That’s what happened to Hannah Tubbs, a 26-year-old child molester and convicted killer whose light sentence sought under Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon’s direction didn’t include the requirement he register as a sex offender.
Paz’s victims had been “groomed” for years, according to an attorney for two of their families, Kathleen Cady, and they came forward only recently, leading to his arrest as an adult.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Announces Presence of 80,000 American Troops in Europe
US President Joe Biden confirmed the presence of 80,000 American troops in NATO-affiliated European countries. He highlighted that this contingent is necessary to ensure the security of allies and to contain Russia, as reported by The White House.
This number is slightly less than last year when there were around 90,000 American servicemen in Europe, according to Biden’s previous message in December 2022.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Flubs Spending Boast, Invents New Number in Latest Gaffe
President Biden appeared to invent a vast new number as he tried to boast about his administration’s massive infrastructure spending — a brain-twisting bungle that the White House sought to downplay in its official transcript.
“On my watch, instead of Infrastructure Week, America is having Infrastructure Decade,” the president told a crowd of union members in Las Vegas on Friday, in a speech touting federally funded railroad projects.
“Over a billion three hundred million trillion three hundred million dollars!” Biden exclaimed. “Trump just talks the talk, we walk the walk.”
The jab was meant as a swipe at Biden’s predecessor, former president Donald Trump, who did not pass such spending bills through Congress during his tenure — but it drew mockery online.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Elon Musk asked that Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky explain why American citizen and journalist Gonzalo Lira has been imprisoned in a Ukrainian jail despite the United States sending the Eastern European nation over $113 billion in military and financial aid.
Musk made the ask in reply to a new episide of Tucker Carlson’s Tucker on X, which offered that Lira was jailed “for the crime of criticizing Zelensky.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: Alex Jones Responds to News Elon Musk is About to Restore His X Account
On Saturday, Alex Jones asked his audience to go to Elon Musk’s X page and vote to reinstate him on the platform and praised the billionaire for “valiantly leading the fight” against the suppression of free speech rights.
In the statement, Jones said, “Elon Musk has come out and said he vehemently disagrees with things I have said in the past about that school shooting, but he is going to leave it up to the viewers and the users of X.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A real estate broker called as an expert witness for President Donald Trump’s defense made a surprising invitation while testifying in the New York courtroom.
Trump has furiously and repeatedly sought to rebut the absurdly low undervaluation of his prized Mar-a-Lago resort in South Florida.
Mar-a-Lago was valued in the pre-trial ruling from the radical judge presiding over Trump’s New York civil “fraud” case brought by the state’s Democrat Attorney General Letitia James.
A Florida real estate broker who testified in Trump’s defense on Tuesday pegged Mar-a-Lago’s actual value far higher than even Trump has claimed.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Four in Ten Democrats Agree With Removing Statues of George Washington
Four in ten Democrats agree with removing statues of George Washington as some leftist cities consider doing so, a Rasmussen Reports survey released Thursday found.
While the survey found 77 percent of Democrats expressing at least a somewhat favorable view of the country’s first president and Revolutionary War hero, 40 percent at least somewhat approve of removing public monuments of the figure. Of those, 21 percent of Democrats “strongly” approve. However, 53 percent at least somewhat disapprove of doing so.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hunter Biden’s Memoir Comes Back to Haunt Him as California Indictment References it Repeatedly
Hunter Biden’s 2021 memoir, “Beautiful Things,” was cited repeatedly in a California indictment detailing tax charges against him this week, outlining how he talked about lavish spending at a time when prosecutors say he should have been paying taxes.
Biden is facing nine charges alleging a “four-year scheme” when he did not pay his federal income taxes from January 2017 to October 2020 while also filing false tax reports.
The charges break down to three felonies and six misdemeanors related to $1.4 million in owed taxes that have since been paid. The special counsel alleged Hunter “spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills,” and that, in 2018, he “stopped paying his outstanding and overdue taxes for tax year 2015.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
IRS Whistleblower’s Attorney Calls for Investigation Into Hunter Biden Special Counsel David Weiss
The attorney for IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley has called for a special counsel to investigate David Weiss, who is leading the investigations into Hunter Biden.
Special Counsel Weiss was appointed by Democrat President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate the allegations into the first son.
Following the indictment of Hunter Biden on multiple tax-related charges earlier this week, many believe that Weiss is acting in the best interest of the White House, rather than seeking justice.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A New York City Jewish man was repeatedly punched and robbed on the first day of Hanukkah outside his home in Brooklyn.
The suspect approached the victim in front of 906 Eastern Parkway just after 7:30 p.m., police said. The victim, a 40-year-old male, was wearing “traditional Jewish attire,” per the NYPD.
The suspect repeatedly punched the victim in the head and stole his cellphone while making an antisemitic statement, police said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Police Search for Driver Who Purposefully Crashed Into Pedestrians in North Seattle
SEATTLE, Wash. — Seattle Police say they are investigating two incidents of vehicular assaults in North Seattle where drivers purposely targeted pedestrians.
Those responsible have not been caught. The images are jarring to watch, but even more alarming, the victims haven’t been identified either.
The first incident was reported just off Aurora Ave. on Nov. 26 just before 2 a.m. Police said a woman was hit when a driver purposely veered in her direction. The car took off, but multiple people scrambled to help her up.
Detectives discovered cell phone video from inside the car. A passenger is heard encouraging the driver to hit someone with the car saying, “Hit this b****”. Once they do, they’re heard laughing.
“The incident repeats itself a few blocks down, where police say a second victim was walking in the bus lane when they were hit from behind.
The person flew over the car. Those responsible were heard laughing.
“Tonight I’m asking anyone with information to please come forward,” Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz said.
The car didn’t stop in either incident. The SPD says they have reviewed 911 call records, hospital admissions and canvassed the area for witnesses. However, they still have not been able to locate the victims.
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
Poll Shows Biden Hitting Record Low Approvals, Falling Behind Against Trump in 2024 Matchup
President Biden’s approval rating has hit an all-time low, and he trails former President Donald Trump in a hypothetical head-to-head 2024 matchup.
Trump leads Biden 47% to 43% in a hypothetical ballot between only those two candidates and trails 37% to 31% in a hypothetical ballot with five independent candidates, according to the results of a Wall Street Journal poll released Saturday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pro-Palestinian Demonstrators Protest Near Star-Studded LA Biden Fundraiser
A mob of pro-Palestinian demonstrators took to the streets near a star-studded Los Angeles fundraiser for President Biden, demanding the US cut aid to its closest ally in the region and chanting, “Come November we’ll remember.”
The Friday fundraiser was held at the stately home of former U.S. ambassador to Spain James Costos and designer Michael Smith, whose guests were a who’s who of Democratic power players in the state, including Steven Spielberg, Gov. Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Proton Announces Much-Anticipated Photos Feature on Android
With a move that underscores its growing resemblance to mainstream cloud storage services like Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and Apple’s iCloud, Proton Drive, the Android application that offers end-to-end encrypted cloud storage, is now introducing an automatic photo backup feature. This progression takes Proton Drive a step further, making it increasingly competitive against mainstream options.
However, what sets Proton Drive apart is its stringent commitment to privacy. Unlike conventional cloud storage services, the contents stored in Proton Drive enjoy end-to-end encryption. This security approach not only bars third parties from viewing user content but also restricts Proton’s own access.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Scientists: Unprecedented ‘Dark Hole’ on Sun Emitting ‘Unusually Fast Radiation’ Toward Earth
An unprecedented “enormous dark hole” has opened in the sun’s surface and spewed streams of “unusually fast radiation” directly towards Earth, scientists say.
The giant dark patch, called a coronal hole, is wider than the size of 60 Earths put together, according to Space.com.
It is emitting radiation known as solar wind, and the hole’s size and orientation is “unprecedented at this stage of the solar cycle,” Harry Baker of Live Science wrote.
NASA shared a video loop of the massive patch on its Solar Dynamics Observatory website on Saturday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Social Media Rejoices as KJP Gets Fact-Checked for Touting ‘Bidenomics’ on X: ‘Love Community Notes’
Critics of the Biden administration on social media appeared grateful after the “Community Notes” feature on X, formerly Twitter, hit White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre with a crowdsourced fact-check.
Conservative X users celebrated the feature for attaching context to Jean-Pierre’s statement about President Biden’s economic policies — dubbed “Bidenomics” — being the cause for “good economic news.”
The fact-check asserted that it’s not Biden’s doing that the economy looks better, but rather that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy are continuing to dissolve.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
South American Gangs Target Dozens of Mansions in Detroit
Violent crime is quickly spreading to suburbia. A new report shows gangs from South America have targeted mansions in wealthy neighborhoods across the Detroit metro area. This comes as the Biden administration’s disastrous open border policies have flooded the country with millions of illegal migrants, as well as progressive cities fail to enforce ‘common sense’ law and order.
WXYZ Detroit reported at least 30 to 40 homes in upscale neighborhoods across Detroit have been targeted by “highly functional and well-trained” gangs from South America this fall.
Thieves are using high-tech “jammers” to disable WiFi home security systems. They’re primarily after cash, jewelry, and expensive handbags.
Last week, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said thieves are part of “transnational gangs” operating across the country and are targeting multi-million dollar homes.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Stanford University on Friday issued a statement condemning calls for Jewish genocide after presidents of other Ivy League schools shocked the nation with their Congressional testimony regarding antisemitism on campus.
“In the context of the national discourse, Stanford unequivocally condemns calls for the genocide of Jews or any peoples,” the school posted on X. “That statement would clearly violate Stanford’s Fundamental Standard, the code of conduct for all students at the university.”
The statement comes as the presidents of Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) are reeling from backlash to their remarks before lawmakers earlier this week.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Stefanik Applauds Resignation of UPenn President Liz Magill: ‘One Down. Two to Go’
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., applauded the resignation of University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill on Saturday.
Magill resigned Saturday after days of criticism following her appearance at a Congressional hearing Tuesday, where she failed to give a clear answer to Stefanik’s question asking if calls for the genocide of Jews would violate university conduct.
“One down. Two to go,” Stefanik posted to X Saturday. “This is only the very beginning of addressing the pervasive rot of antisemitism that has destroyed the most “prestigious” higher education institutions in America. This forced resignation of the president of @Penn is the bare minimum of what is required. These universities can anticipate a robust and comprehensive Congressional investigation of all facets of their institutions negligent perpetration of antisemitism including administrative, faculty, funding, and overall leadership and governance.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Stores in Crime-Riddled San Francisco Abandoning Self-Checkout Lanes to Combat Thefts: Report
Retailers in crime-riddled San Francisco are abandoning their self-checkout lanes in a “defensive retailing” move to counter surging thefts in the city.
A Safeway supermarket in San Francisco’s Fillmore District and a Target on Mission Street closed their self-checkout kiosks to customers — a change that other stores across the troubled city may follow, SFGate reported.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Suspect in Attempted Arson of MLK Jr’s Birth Home is Decorated US Navy Veteran
The woman accused of attempted arson at the birth home of Martin Luther King Jr. is a decorated military veteran, according to officials.
Laneisha Shantrice Henderson, 26, is a veteran surface warfare specialist of the U.S. Navy and received multiple awards during her service.
Henderson received a national defense service medal and good conduct medal during her service. She was also given the Navy “E” ribbon among other awards.
Henderson has been charged with attempted arson and interfering with government property after she was seen on camera pouring the flammable liquid out of a large red fuel container and onto the porch of the historic wooden property at around 5:45 p.m. Thursday.
The footage also shows the woman — who was dressed in all-black clothing — dousing plants and emptying the liquid against the windows of the Auburn Avenue house, which is located just blocks from the King Center, King National Historical Park and the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
X CEO Says 10 Million New Users Joined ‘Free Speech’ Platform in December
On Thursday, X CEO Linda Yaccarino revealed, “More than 10 million people have signed up for X so far this December!”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Canada Reports 135% Spike in Deaths From ‘Unspecified Causes’
New Canadian government data has revealed the nation has suffered a staggering 135% spike in listed as “unspecified causes.”
Statistics Canada, an agency of the Canadian government, has just published a new report revealing that the nation smashed records for deaths in 2022.
Aside from soaring numbers of Canadians dying from “unspecified causes,” the nation recorded a record number of Covid deaths, despite high vaccination uptake and the pandemic being over.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Canadian Military to Provide Tampons for Male Soldiers
All Canadian military bases will soon be required to have menstruation products in the men’s restroom to align with the federal government directive issued by Employment and Social Development Canada to promote “inclusivity,” with the initiative expected to kick off on Dec. 15.
Major Soomin Kim from the Department of National Defence confirmed the policy. He told True North, “Starting December 15, 2023, as per the Canada Labour Code, all federally managed washrooms will be required to provide menstrual products to all employees.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Canada Church Burnings: Two Alberta Churches Torched by Suspected Arsonists
On Thursday night, firefighters in Barrhead, Alberta, were called to suspected arson fires at two separate churches about an hour apart from each other.
Police told Global News that damage to both structures was extreme despite fire teams being able to extinguish the flames quickly.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pro-Vax Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante Collapses Suddenly on Stage, Mid-Speech
Montreal’s vocal Covid vaccine advocate Mayor Valérie Plante has collapsed suddenly on stage in the middle of her speech.
Video of the disturbing incident has emerged on social media and quickly gone viral.
Plante dramatically collapsed during a press conference in the middle of answering questions from reporters.
She appeared to freeze mid-sentence and stare blankly into space before falling to the ground.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“Crisis Mode”: Germany Chooses Word of the Year
Amid a somber atmosphere, “crisis mode” has been crowned Germany’s 2023 word of the year by a panel of linguists, reflecting the prevailing sentiment of a populace grappling with a multitude of challenges. This ranges from conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza to concerns about climate change, inflation and a government operating without a budget plan, as reported by Reuters.
The Society for the German Language (GfdS), a state-funded entity, elucidated its selection of “Krisenmodus,” noting that while crises have always existed, the sheer volume of current challenges makes it seem as if living in crisis has become the new normal. The society’s extensive list of stressors includes international conflicts, a real estate downturn in Europe and a decline in the country’s education system.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
25% of Vaxxed Now Have VAIDS, Cambridge Scientists Warn
A bombshell study conducted by top scientists at the world-renowned Cambridge University in England has concluded that 25 percent of all people vaccinated with Covid mRNA shots now have Vaccine-Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (VAIDS).
According to the study, one in four people who received a Covid mRNA injection suffered an “unintended immune response.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Asteroid Will Pass in Front of Bright Star Betelgeuse to Produce a Rare Eclipse Visible to Millions
Astronomers hope to learn more about Betelgeuse and Leona through the eclipse, which is expected to last no more than 15 seconds.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — One of the biggest and brightest stars in the night sky will momentarily vanish as an asteroid passes in front of it to produce a one-of-a-kind eclipse.
The rare and fleeting spectacle, late Monday into early Tuesday, should be visible to millions of people along a narrow path stretching from central Asia’s Tajikistan and Armenia, across Turkey, Greece, Italy and Spain, to Miami and the Florida Keys and finally, to parts of Mexico.
The star is Betelgeuse, a red supergiant in the constellation Orion. The asteroid is Leona, a slowly rotating, oblong space rock in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Astronomers hope to learn more about Betelgeuse and Leona through the eclipse, which is expected to last no more than 15 seconds. By observing an eclipse of a much dimmer star by Leona in September, a Spanish-led team recently estimated the asteroid to be about 34 miles wide and 50 miles long (55 kilometers wide and 80 kilometers long).
| — Hat tip: Dora | [Return to headlines] |
Donald Tusk Pledged That Poland’s New Government Will Ease Tensions in Relations With Ukraine
Donald Tusk, leader of Poland’s opposition Civic Platform party and the anticipated prime minister, has affirmed his commitment to swiftly address the blockade at the Ukrainian-Polish border upon assuming office, as reported by Yahoo News.
Following President Andrzej Duda’s decision to allow PM Mateusz Morawiecki to form a government on November 27, Morawiecki is set to present a speech to parliament on Monday, followed by a vote. Should Morawiecki’s government fail to secure a vote of confidence, the Sejm, Poland’s lower house of parliament, will select a new prime minister candidate. Tusk, nominated by the opposition coalition, held discussions with other ministerial candidates on December 8 to explore potential government roles.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Emmanuel Macron Faces Challenges From Various Directions Amid a Dispute Over Secularism
Emmanuel Macron has been accused of betraying the French Republic after he participated in a Jewish ceremony inside his official residence, the Elysée Palace, reports BBC.
In a country where the separation of religion is itself a religion, the lighting of a Hanukkah candle inside the historic Salle des Fêtes on Thursday was immediately denounced by politicians of both right and left.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU Finance Ministers Fail to Reach Consensus on National Spending Rules Reform
After hours of negotiations in Brussels, EU finance ministers concluded their meeting at about 3 a.m. without reaching an agreement on the reform of the bloc’s national spending rules, POLITICO reports.
Despite months of discussions on overhauling the strict and barely enforceable Stability and Growth Pact, ministers were unable to find common ground, particularly on technical details related to the pace of reducing spending.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU Mulls Resuming WTO Case Against US Over Steel Tariffs, Navigates Delicate Negotiations
The European Union is contemplating the reactivation of a World Trade Organization case against the United States concerning the steel and aluminum dispute, where both parties imposed tariffs exceeding $10 billion on each other’s goods, Bloomberg reports.
Despite this, insiders suggest that the EU is showing restraint by not immediately reinstating retaliatory tariffs, a concession to Washington in ongoing negotiations.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France: Macron Faces Backlash Over Élysée Palace Hanukkah Ceremony
On the evening of Thursday, December 7th, President Emmanuel Macron lit the first Hanukkah candle at the Élysée Palace, prompting widespread disapproval of a gesture seen as a breach of the secularism normally expected from the French head of state.
The gesture, made in the company of the chief rabbi of France, Haim Korsia, took place on the sidelines of the presentation to President Macron of the Lord Jacobovits Prize, awarded to European statesmen who fight antisemitism. For the Élysée, the ‘context’ of this evening is important, to understand that it was “in no way” a celebration of the Jewish holiday by the president.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Two “African type” teenagers have been arrested after a pregnant woman was assaulted and robbed at gunpoint in her home in Paris for being “Jewish and therefore rich”.
Last month, two 16-year-olds were accused of having broken into the home of a 26-year-old Jewish woman in Paris to allegedly “commit extortion with a weapon”. The two suspects were arrested this week in the Val-d’Oise suburb area outside the French capital.
According to police sources speaking to the Le Figaro newspaper, the two suspects were both born in France, however, one is described as being “of the African type” while the other is characterised as being “of the North African type”. The pair were also described as previously being “unfavourably known to the police services.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
French Farmers Dump Manure on Govt Buildings to Protest Climate Hysteria
Authored by Paul Joseph Watson via Modernity.news
French farmers are dumping vast quantities of manure on government buildings to protest against excessive environmental regulations that threaten their way of life.
The farmers are protesting against excessive regulations and climate hysteria technocracy that threatens to ruin their livelihoods, as well as an EU ban on glyphosate.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Shocking Rise in Left-Wing Antisemitic Acts
A survey published this week by the German Central Council of Jews reports that a third of Jews in Germany have experienced some type of antisemitic attack since October 7th. The attacks have ranged from antisemitic graffiti to personal insults, and almost all communities report increased psychological pressure, receiving threatening calls and threatening emails.
A stunning 80% of the Jewish religious congregation leaders surveyed stated that life has become more unsafe for Jews—specifically Jews who wish to express their faith in public in any form—since the October massacre.
Central Council president Josef Schuster called the reports “shocking” and noted the growth of the trend, telling Die Welt, newspaper, “Since October 7, we have been experiencing an increase in anti-Semitic statements and actions from left-wing, unfortunately also academic circles.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Saxony Spy Agency Classifies State’s Most Popular Party as ‘Extremist’
The Office for the Protection of the Constitution in the German state of Saxony has formally classified the conservative, antiglobalist Alternative für Deutschland (AfD)—the state’s most popular party—as a “right-wing extremist” outfit. Leading AfD officials say the move is little more than a desperate attempt to drag the party’s name through the mud before next year’s elections.
State Office for the Protection of the Constitution (LfV) President Dirk-Martin Christian claims that the regional AfD—which polls suggest commands more than a third of the state electorate’s support—is heavily influenced by Thuringia’s AfD leader Björn Höcke and the so-called “solidarity-patriotic camp,” the Berlin-based newspaper Junge Freiheit reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: AfD Leader Alice Weidel Surpasses Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Popularity
The German head of government and his traffic light coalition are facing an unprecedented decline in polls. Opinion trends have never indicated such widespread dissatisfaction among Germans with their chancellor.
Notably, the oppositional AfD leader Alice Weidel now outperforms Olaf Scholz. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) receives troubling news after two years in office: Nearly three-quarters of Germans express dissatisfaction with his performance. In a YouGov poll, 74 percent stated that Scholz is doing a poor job, marking his lowest approval rating so far. Only 20 percent consider his work to be somewhat or very good.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In Germany, a Civil Servant Received 350,000 Euros for Doing Nothing for Five Years
In western Germany, a government official was paid 350,000 euros for a period of five years during which no work was performed, reports BILD.
Betzdorf-Gebhardshain, a municipality in western Germany, comprises several villages with a total population of approximately 26,000 residents. The local mayor, a 64-year-old Social Democrat named Bernd Brato, implemented a position focused on construction and planning in the local administration five years ago. The individual appointed to this role was expected to carry out tasks remotely in response to requests from authorities.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italian Climate Change Protesters Turn Venice’s Grand Canal Green
VENICE, Italy (Reuters) — Italian environmentalists used a dye to turn Venice’s Grand Canal green on Saturday in protest at what they said was a lack of progress at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai.
The protesters from the Extinction Rebellion group, dangling from the Rialto Bridge over the canal with the aid of climbing ropes, also displayed a banner that read: “COP28: While the government talks, we are hanging by a thread.”
Small stretches of rivers and canals in Italian cities, from the Po in Turin in the north to Rome’s Tiber in the south, were also turned green in similar protests.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Leadership of Doctors and Government Seal Deal to End Protests in Czech
Healthcare representatives, including Minister of Health Vlastimil Valek and the General Health Insurance Company (VZP), signed an agreement aimed at resolving the ongoing refusal of overtime work by thousands of hospital doctors.
A substantial allocation of 9.8 billion crowns from public health insurance funds for the next year will go toward increasing the remuneration of healthcare employees.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NATO-Lite: Sweden Signs Defence Cooperation Agreement With U.S.
Sweden and the United States have signed a new deal that will grant the United States Armed Forces access to over a dozen military bases and facilities across the country as Sweden’s NATO bid continues to be delayed.
The agreement was announced this week after it was signed by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Swedish Minister for Defence Pål Jonson in Washington, D.C., and will further deepen the military ties between the two countries, Swedish news agency TT reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Orban Meets Macron: No Shift on Ukraine
The Hungarian prime minister was in Paris on December 7th to meet Emmanuel Macron ahead of the European Summit on December 14th and 15th, which is due to decide on new EU support for Ukraine.
Viktor Orban called for the postponement of two measures concerning Ukraine: new financial support to the tune of €50 billion and the opening of negotiations for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. Unanimity of the 27 Member States is required on both these points, allowing Hungary to block the measures. In a letter sent on Monday to Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, Viktor Orban again asked that the body not take a decision on these two issues at the next summit “as the obvious lack of consensus would inevitably lead to failure.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sanchez Fails to Sway Orban on Ukraine Ahead of EU Council Summit
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is one in a row of European leaders who have tried recently—in vain—to dissuade Viktor Orban from his resistance to Ukrainian EU membership as Eurocrats are expected to begin unfreezing funds for Hungary in the hopes of bringing Budapest on board.
The Thursday call between the two leaders came ahead of next week’s EU Council meeting in Brussels, where member states are planning to discuss how to pursue a Ukraine EU membership, a move opposed by Hungary and Slovakia.
Sanchez, who has consistently championed a hawkish position on Ukraine, had hoped to use Spanish control over the EU Council presidency as leverage. Orban described the exchange as “frank” before adding that there was no European consensus on proceeding with Ukraine’s EU ambitions.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Six Teens Convicted in Connection to Islamist Beheading of French Teacher Samuel Paty
PARIS (AP) — A French juvenile court on Friday convicted six teenagers for their roles in the 2020 beheading of a teacher by an Islamic extremist, an attack that shocked the country and shone a light on the real-world dangers of online hate speech.
Samuel Paty, a history and geography teacher, was killed near his school after showing his class cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad during a debate on free expression. Attacker Abdoullakh Anzorov, a young Chechen who had become radicalized, was killed by police.
The court found five of the defendants, who were 14 and 15 at the time of the attack, guilty of involvement in staking out the teacher and identifying him for the attacker. The sixth defendant, 13 at the time, was found guilty of lying about the classroom debate in comments that aggravated online anger against the teacher.
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Ukraine Border Blockade Persists as Polish Truckers Remain Steadfast
A month-long blockade by Polish truck drivers at the Ukrainian border is delaying deliveries of battlefront necessities — and there is no end in sight for the dispute.
Truckers started blocking roads to border crossings on Nov. 6, creating lines stretching nearly 20 miles and lasting weeks in freezing temperatures, and hindering the transport of pickup trucks, tourniquets, night vision equipment, drone parts and other materials and medical supplies.
The Polish drivers are protesting competition from Ukrainian counterparts, who they say are undercutting their business amid relaxed European Union transport rules.
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25-Year-Old Israeli Hostage Killed in Gaza, Body Used in Hamas Propaganda Video
A 25-year-old Israeli hostage died after being held for nearly two months by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, according to reports Saturday.
The body of Sahar Baruch, an electrical engineering student kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7 from his kibbutz in southern Israel was featured in a Hamas propaganda video released Friday.
Hamas claimed that he was killed in an Israeli Defense Forces operation to free hostages.
The IDF denied the claims, and said Baruch had been murdered by Hamas.
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IDF Says Troops Captured More Than 100 Terrorists, Gain Valuable Intel
A group of more than 100 Hamas terrorists were stripped to their underwear by Israeli Defense Forces after surrendering their weapons in the northern part of the Gaza Strip Saturday, according to a video posted by an Israeli broadcaster.
N12 News shared the clip of the men standing in line across a rubble-strewn street in Jabaliya as IDF soldiers trained automatic weapons on them and ordered them to drop their own weapons across the street. One of the men gingerly crossed the street, his automatic weapon held over his head, before dumping into a pile of seized arms.
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Israel-Gaza War: Half of Gaza’s Population is Starving, Warns UN
A senior UN aid official has warned that half of Gaza’s population is starving, as fighting there continues.
Carl Skau, deputy director of the UN World Food Programme, said only a fraction of supplies needed have been able to enter the Strip — and nine out of 10 people cannot eat everyday.
Conditions in Gaza have made deliveries “almost impossible”, Mr Skau said.
Israel says it must continue air strikes on Gaza to eliminate Hamas and bring Israeli hostages home.
Israel Defence Forces spokesman Lt Col Richard Hecht told the BBC on Saturday that “any death and pain to a civilian is painful, but we don’t have an alternative”.
“We are doing everything we can to get as much as possible inside the Gaza Strip,” he said.
Movement in and out of Gaza has been heavily restricted since 7 October, when Hamas fighters broke through Israel’s heavily-guarded perimeter fence — killing 1,200 people and taking 240 hostages.
In response, Israel closed its borders with Gaza and began launching air strikes on the territory, restricting aid deliveries which Gazans heavily relied on.
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NATO Member Turkey Accuses West of ‘Barbarism’ and ‘Islamophobia’ Over Israel Support
ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan used a speech on human rights Saturday to accuse the West of “barbarism” for its stance on the Israel-Hamas war and what he alleged was its toleration of Islamophobia.
“Israel has carried out atrocities and massacres that will shame the whole of humanity,” Erdogan told a packed hall in Istanbul the day before the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“All the values relating to humanity are being murdered in Gaza. In the face of such brutality, international institutions and human rights organizations are not taking any concrete steps to prevent such violations,” the Turkish leader said.
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President Nikos Christodoulides engaged in a telephone discussion on Friday evening with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, concentrating on the Cyprus issue, Turkish infringements in the buffer zone, and Nicosia’s Initiative for humanitarian aid to Gaza, as stated by government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis.
As reported by Cyprus Mail, the president emphasized the imperative to cease Turkish violations and reinstate the status quo in the buffer zone. As per Letymbiotis’s official statement, their conversation encompassed the Cyprus issue, with the Secretary-General expressing an intention to appoint an envoy to explore the possibilities of resuming talks within an agreed framework to resolve the Cyprus problem.
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Putin’s Russia is Closing in on a Devastating Victory. Europe’s Foundations Are Trembling
Kyiv’s counter-offensive has ended in failure. This could be Nato’s Suez moment
We need to talk about Ukraine. While the world’s attention has been focused on the war between Israel and Hamas, grim tremors have been shaking that rich, black soil. Ukraine’s counteroffensive has failed — or, in Volodymyr Zelensky’s words, “did not achieve the desired results”.
As exhausted Ukrainians fall back from Russia’s ramparts and minefields, the initiative is swinging to the invaders. Russia is advancing through the skeletal remains of what used to be Marinka, a city in Donetsk, perhaps of greater psychological than strategic importance. Missiles are again hitting Kyiv. Ukraine’s first lady, Olena Zelenska, has taken to the BBC to warn that her country is in “mortal danger”.
Now, it is the Ukrainians’ turn to dig in, to try to hold what they have. As in 1914, a fortified line runs the length of the front, from the Dnieper delta to the Russian border. And, as then, military technology favours the defender, so that tiny gains are bought at terrible cost.
The First World War eventually ended in part because the Allies had greater manpower. Brutally, they were able, especially after America had fully mobilised by the beginning of 1918, to throw more men at the front lines than the Central Powers.
This time, the demographic advantage is with Russia, whose population is three-and-a-quarter times the size of Ukraine’s. Russia has switched a third of its pre-war civilian production to weapons and ammunition, and may now have the edge when it comes to drones — that modern equivalent of the barbed wire and machine guns that gave the defending side such a lethal advantage in the Flanders mud.
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Russia is believed to have recruited over 100,000 prisoners to fight in Ukraine since the war began, according to various rights advocacy groups.
The estimated figures were provided to Newsweek by Russian dissident-in-exile Vladimir Osechkin, who heads the Gulagu.net anti-corruption project, based on sources in Russia’s prison system.
He said that every week, more than 1,000 of the convict recruits are killed in the war and that, in some cases, older men past retirement age have been recruited to fight.
The Washington Post previously reported that the Russian prison population had dropped from 420,000 before the war to a historic low of about 266,000, per Deputy Justice Minister Vsevolod Vukolov.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine is ‘Starting Point’ in War Against ‘Satanism’: Russian Commander
Russian commander Apti Alaudinov recently told Russian-state television host Vladimir Solovyov that Ukraine is the “starting point” in the war against “Satanism.”
Solovyov is a Russian propagandist who hosts the program Evening with Vladimir Solovyov, and has been a staunch supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, calling it a “righteous operation.”
In a clip of Solovyov’s show posted to X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday by journalist Julia Davis, founder of the watchdog group Russian Media Monitor, Alaudinov shares his views on where Russia sees the war going.
When Solovyov asked about the state of the war, nearly two years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of its Eastern European neighbor in February 2022, Alaudinov said, “The war we’re currently waging in Ukraine, and many people don’t want to understand this, in reality, for Russia, this is a holy war and nothing else.”
Alaudinov explained that Russia isn’t going after Ukraine for its land, but rather, “we’re defending the interests of our people in terms of spirituality, morality, divine values, universal human values.”
The Russian commander added: “There, we became a buffer from Satanism that was moving closer and closer to our borders. Basically, it completely surrounded Russia. This Satanism was going to destroy our country, to consume it and break it up in small parts. This war will be the starting point.”
| — Hat tip: McN | [Return to headlines] |
A young couple has offered a glimpse into their dream wedding after putting together an extraordinary affair with thousands of roses and sparkling chandeliers.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Police have arrested and fined 72 climate activists $385 each for blocking a Melbourne CBD intersection.
It was the fourth consecutive day of action by Extinction Rebellion demonstrators, culminating in a rally outside Flinders Street Station at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston streets.
The protesters are calling on the federal government to reduce carbon emissions.
Many who attended the rally came prepared to be arrested, saying their actions were a last resort.
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— after notorious face-tattooed bikie’s throat is SLASHED at Perth gig
Thousands of concertgoers have turned out to party at techno rave Epik despite a sweltering heatwave while a major bikie figure was stabbed at another festiva
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Mr Albanese will announce on Monday a suite of measures designed to reduce Australia’s immigration, with the focus largely on cutting back the number of international students.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Interpol Reports a Growing Globalization of Cyber Fraud Linked to Human Trafficking
Interpol has revealed that cyber fraud driven by human trafficking is evolving into a globalized criminal enterprise. In its recent announcement, Interpol disclosed the outcomes of its inaugural operation targeting this intersection of human trafficking and cybercrime. The operation highlighted the alarming global expansion of this criminal industry, surpassing its initial roots in Southeast Asia, as reported by Reuters.
According to Interpol, fraudulent activity is now proliferating worldwide with scam centers emerging in distant locations such as Latin America.
Law enforcement agencies from over 20 countries collaborated in October to conduct inspections at numerous trafficking and smuggling hotspots. Many of these locations are notorious for trafficking victims who are subsequently coerced into participating in large-scale online fraud while enduring severe physical abuse. The coordinated effort resulted in numerous arrests, underscoring the widespread reach of this criminal network.
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NYC Mayor Adams Stripped of Emergency Migrant Spending Power Over ‘Extensive’ Reporting Failures
New York City’s Democrat Mayor Eric Adams has just been hit with yet another scandal after being accused of “extensive” failures in his migrant spending reporting.
NYC Comptroller Brad Lander has just revoked Adams’ emergency powers that the mayor invoked to tackle the migrant crisis.
The emergency powers allowed Adams to make taxpayer-funded deals with contractors for migrant services without prior approval, according to the New York Post.
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Slovakia and Germany Extends Border Controls to Curb Irregular Migration
Slovakia has announced the extension of its temporary border controls with Hungary until January 22, aiming to tackle irregular migration.
The decision follows similar measures taken by neighboring countries like Poland, the Czech Republic and Austria. Initially implemented on October 5 with a ten-day duration, the checks were extended and were originally scheduled to end on December 23. The move comes amid concerns over an 11-fold increase in the number of migrants entering Slovakia, reaching nearly 40,000 in the first nine months of the year. Most of these migrants are reported to come from the Middle East, North Africa and Afghanistan, with Hungary serving as a transit route to wealthier EU countries like Germany.
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THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A Syrian refugee was arrested Friday in the Netherlands on suspicion of crimes against humanity including sexual violence while he was allegedly head of an interrogation team in a militia aligned to the government of President Bashar Assad.
The arrest of the 55-year-old man marks the first time Dutch authorities have charged a suspect with sexual violence as a crime against humanity, the National Public Prosecution Service said in a statement.
He is the latest suspect charged in the Netherlands with crimes committed during Syria’s grinding civil war. Under universal jurisdiction, the Netherlands can prosecute certain crimes even if they were committed abroad.
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Ten Islamic Republic Men Face Deportation From Canada
Canadian officials have told Iran International that 10 individuals affiliated with the Islamic Republic have been found “inadmissible” and must leave the country.
Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) spokesperson Maria Ladouceur stated that “To date 10 individuals have been reported inadmissible by the CBSA for being a senior official in the Iranian regime.”
She added that nine of these individuals have been referred for an admissibility hearing before the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, as one of them has already left the country. The CBSA also urged Iranians residing in Canada to provide any information they have about affiliates of the Islamic Republic to the agency.
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Upper Austria: Mandatory Community Service for Migrants Approaches
Despite facing strong opposition, the requirement for asylum seekers to participate in municipal and charitable work from the upcoming year is set to be implemented in Upper Austria, reports Exxpress.
State Councillor Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (ÖVP) has recently defended the decision. Since the Interior Ministry granted states the authority to impose mandatory community service on migrants, ongoing debates surround the issue. In an interview with Ö1-Morgenjournal, Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer, the Upper Austrian State Councillor for Integration (ÖVP), emphasized that the obligation would come into effect in his federal state next year.
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Texas Supreme Court Blocks Order Allowing Woman’s Abortion at 20 Weeks
The Texas Supreme Court on Friday night halted a lower court ruling that allowed a woman who is 20 weeks pregnant to have her unborn baby aborted.
The state’s high court blocked a temporary restraining order from Democrat Travis County District Judge Maya Fuerra Gamble after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton asked the court to intervene. The Texas Supreme Court blocked the order “without regard to the merits” of the case.
The case involves Kate Cox, 31, a mother of two from the Dallas area. The Center for Reproductive Rights filed a lawsuit on her behalf to obtain an abortion after she learned that her unborn baby has Trisomy 18, otherwise known as Edwards syndrome. The original complaint states that the condition means “her pregnancy may not survive to birth, and if it does, her baby would be stillborn or survive for only minutes, hours, or days.”
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Me Too! — You Too? — He & She Too!
https://swebbtube.se/w/8Ca7Zbq2qqnzaLBTfeW68z
I think that is GREAT news.
It will curb the terrorist activities so prevalent in the Muslim death culture.
“According to the United Nations, half of the population of Gaza is starving.”
According to history, 9/10s of Palestinians traded their kabobs for Kalashnikovs when the stupid Israelis surrendered Gaza to ’em. But whatever.