Forest fire season has gotten off to an early start in Western Canada, with blazes covering about 10,000 hectares of land. Meanwhile, in the Czech Republic there is an increased risk of wildfires due to drought and stronger winds.
In other news, pro-Palestinian demonstrators shut down a debate today between European Union party leaders at the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Daniel Greenfield, Dean, DV, JW, LP, 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.
UK Wage Growth Remains Robust Amid Job Market Slowdown
Despite a sluggish job market, official figures reveal that wage rates in the UK have outpaced expectations, with annual pay growth excluding bonuses averaging at 6% between January and March, unchanged from the previous month.
This defied forecasts of a slowdown to 5.9% for the same period, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). When factoring in inflation, wages saw a 2.4% increase.
However, the jobless rate rose to 4.3% between January and March, marking the highest level since May to July of last year, as per the ONS. Additionally, the number of vacancies decelerated, indicating heightened competition among unemployed individuals for available positions.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Cybersecurity Plan Vows to Support Development of a “Digital Identity Ecosystem”
The Biden White House has come up with an updated version of the US National Cybersecurity Strategy Implementation Plan (NCSIP), that, unlike the first, addresses the issue and commits to “supporting development of a digital ID ecosystem.”
We obtained a copy of the report for you here.
That initiative is included in the document as one of the strategic objectives, the stated goal being to advance research and guidance “that supports innovation in the digital identity ecosystem through public and private collaboration.”
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been entrusted with doing that work. Listed as contributing entities are the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the General Services Administration (GSA).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: Trump-Endorsed Republican Jim Justice Wins WV Primary
West Virginia Governor Jim Justice has won the primary in that state and is poised to fill the seat left vacant by outgoing Democrat Senator Joe Manchin. Justice, backed by Donald Trump, was the favorite to win. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and WV sitting Senator Shelley Moore Capito also supported Justice.
Justice beat out nearest competitor Alexander Mooney 59.7 percent to Mooney’s 29.4 percent. Mooney has served in Congress for the state. Justice is a heavy favorite in November. Trump won the state in 2020 by more than 2-to-1. Justice was leading Manchin in polling even prior to Manchin’s announcement that he would not run again.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: New York Court Denies Trump Appeal of Gag Order in NYC Trial
A New York appeals court has denied Trump’s appeal of the gag order placed on him by Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing DA Alvin Bragg’s falsified business records case against Trump.
“We decline to exercise our discretion or to grant the relief that petitioner seeks here,” the Supreme Court of the State of New York Appellate Division, First Judicial Department wrote in its ruling.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Conservative Reporter De-Banked by Bank of America Without Explanation: ‘Now I Have No Funds’
Bank of America has shut down the account of an independent conservative reporter without any prior warning or explanation.
Journalist Christina Urso, also known as Radix Verum, says Bank of America abruptly de-banked her and left her without any funds.
Urso took to social media to voice her concerns and frustrations about the termination of her account.
“I have been with them for years,” Urso wrote in a post on X.
Urso believes her account’s termination was related to her reporting and documentary about the alleged 2020 kidnapping attempt of on Michigan’s Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A University of Delaware student who allegedly went on “an antisemitic tirade’ while screaming ‘f*** Jews’ and destroying a symbolic memorial on campus now faces s hate crime charge, according to the arrest warrant.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Exclusive: UW Gaza Camp Ringleader Identified as Former Seattle Times Columnist Aziz Junejo
The identity of one of the ring leaders inside The University of Washington’s Gaza camp has been revealed to be Aziz Junejo, a former Seattle Times columnist and current columnist with the Mukilteo Beacon.
Junejo has been in charge of directing black bloc Antifa militants and other activists to defend the camp using military-style tactics. He also relays information to the activists about any potential “threats” to the camp, such as the presence of Jews and Christians.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
FBI Retaliated Against Whistleblowers With Clearance Holds Despite Repeated Denials, Watchdog Finds
The FBI sidelined dozens of whistleblowers by suspending their security clearances for more than a year, an inspector general’s report released Tuesday found — despite a top bureau official denying the retaliation in closed-door depositions before Congress, according to transcripts reviewed by The Post.
Justice Department watchdog Michael Horowitz revealed in a letter to Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco that the FBI lacks protections for whistleblowers who claim they are being put on ice in retaliation for going to Congress.
The bureau notably did not provide avenues for whistleblowers to retain employment while their clearances were being reviewed, the five-page missive from Horowitz stated.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
House Speaker Mike Johnson Joins Ex-Trump Rivals at Former President’s ‘Hush Money’ Trial
House Speaker Mike Johnson and two onetime contenders for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination backed up former president Donald Trump Tuesday at his “hush money” trial in Manhattan.
Johnson (R-La.) was seen standing behind Trump, 77, as the 45th president ripped the “scam” case involving a $130,000 payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election by Trump’s then-attorney Michael Cohen.
“I do have a lot of surrogates and they are speaking very beautifully, and they come from all over Washington,” Trump said of the Republicans standing behind him.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Meta’s Oversight Board Adopts International “Norms” Instead of US Free Speech Principles
In a world where international law (a set of ratified documents) is being rapidly replaced with narratives about a “rules-based system,” it is no wonder that US tech giants like Meta choose to set their free speech “baseline” not on their country’s Constitution, but on “international human rights norms.”
The less clarity there is, the more space for abuse and biased interpretation, critics might say. But Meta Oversight Board member Kenji Yoshino is satisfied that this is the right approach, and even spelled it out.
“Our baseline here is not the US Constitution and free speech, but rather international human rights norms,” Yoshino recently told the National Constitution Center, a private nonprofit.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Minnesota Mom Says 9-Year-Old Daughter Was Attacked at School for Not Being Muslim
A Minnesota mom has said that her 9-year-old daughter was attacked at school by a group of girls because her daughter “wasn’t Muslim.”
According to a report from Alpha News, Shawna Larson told the reporters at the outlet the details of the attack that the mom said took place on April 29 at Hidden Valley Elementary in Savage, Minnesota. The mom said that the principal came and told her what had occurred at the school.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose ordered the state’s voter rolls to be purged of “non-citizens” Tuesday after a review found more than 100 Ohio residents who were registered to vote despite lacking U.S. citizenship.
An investigation by Ohio’s Public Integrity Division analyzed data from the state’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles and found 137 people who appeared on voter rolls despite twice confirming they were not U.S. citizens. Ohio law requires that in order for a person to be removed from voter rolls, they must have confirmed their lack of citizenship to the BMV on two separate occasions, and also have updated their voter registration or voted in between the two occasions.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
OpenAI Has Unveiled a New Artificial Intelligence Model, GPT-4o
OpenAI has unveiled a new artificial intelligence model, GPT-4o, reports CNN. The letter “o” in the name stands for “omni,” meaning “all-encompassing.” The new model is faster than the old one and has a wider range of features.
GPT-4 Turbo, the previous leading model from OpenAI, an improved version of GPT-4, was trained on a combination of images and text and could analyze images and text to perform tasks such as extracting text from images or even describing the content of these images. But GPT-4o adds speech to this.
“GPT-4o can work with voice, text, and vision. And this is incredibly important because we are looking at the future of interaction between us and machines,” said OpenAI’s technical director, Mira Murati, during the OpenAI presentation in San Francisco.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Organizers Pull Plug on NYC-Dublin Portal — For Now — as Raunchy Behavior Runs Rampant
That didn’t take long.
The plug has been pulled on the New York City to Dublin portal — for now — as raunchy and revolting behavior has run rampant on the 24/7 livestream.
The portal shut down Tuesday evening as staffers will work over the next few days to minimize the shocking conduct, its organizers, the Flatiron NoMad Partnership, told The Post in a statement.
“Instances of inappropriate behavior have come from a very small minority of Portal visitors and have been amplified on social media,” they added.
“In New York, we have had a set of protocols in place since the Portal’s launch, including 24/7 on-site security and barriers to prevent people from stepping onto the Portal.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Repairs to Portland State University Library Could Cost $750,000 After Antifa Siege of Building
Repairs to Portland State University’s Millar Library could cost between $750,000 and $850,000 after Antifa members seized the building, destroying the inside.
According to KATU 2, the building will likely be closed until the fall for cleanup and repairs, with graffiti cleanup beginning two weeks ago.
“The rough estimate is $750,000. That’s for repairing damages and restoring the library. That could increase or decrease by about $125,000,” a PSU Media Relations Manager said in a statement.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Rumble, one of the most prominent competitors to YouTube, has launched a new legal challenge against Google and its parent company, Alphabet.
This lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of California—the same court where Rumble’s earlier case was initiated—seeks damages exceeding $1 billion from Google. These damages pertain to lost advertising revenue, alleging that Google misused its dominant position in advertising technology to undercut Rumble’s competitive edge.
The company contends that Google’s actions have deprived it of significant ad earnings. Rumble, once a Google ad client before developing its proprietary ad technology in 2022, asserts that Google’s monopolistic behavior has manipulated the ad tech market to its own advantage.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Students Sue CUNY Law School Over Ban on Commencement Speakers, Claiming Move is Anti-Palestinian
Eight CUNY Law School students are suing the embattled institution claiming it violated federal censorship rules by nixing student-selected speakers, who have recently been anti-Israel, at commencement.
The left-leaning institution’s ban was imposed after graduate Fatima Mousa Mohammed gave a hate-filled speech last spring bashing Israel, “white supremacy” in America and the “fascist” NYPD.
The students’ suit, filed in Manhattan federal court, alleges the “repression” of free speech and “unlawful termination” of two customs for the publicly funded City University of New York’s law-school commencement: the student-elected speakers and the live-streaming and recording of the event.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Students Slashed, Injured in Separate Knife Attacks at 2 NYC High Schools
On Tuesday, officers with the New York Police Department responded to stabbing incidents at two separate schools in the city.
One took place in Manhattan and left two students injured, while the other occurred in Queens and involved one victim. The suspect in the latter incident fled the scene, and is still at large.
According to FOX 5, around 1:30 pm two students at the High School of Graphic Communication Arts in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood started fighting, and both pulled out blades. One was slashed in the chest, the other in the face.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Tangled Web of CISA, FBI, and Big Tech “Disinformation” Talks Ahead of Election Showdown
Senate Intelligence Committee chair Mark Warner is seeking to justify Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and FBI resuming their controversial, to say the least — and subject to legal scrutiny in a number of lawsuits — “talks” with social media companies.
What they are “discussing” is the removal of whatever’s labeled as “disinformation” and this resumption of collaboration, collusion, or communication — depending on who you ask — comes at a very sensitive time, some six months ahead of the US presidential election.
The Biden administration first “froze” this activity, apparently with the First Amendment case currently deliberated by the Supreme Court, Murthy v. Missouri, in mind. But now that decision has been reversed.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
This Liberal Donor Pushes Left-Leaning Groups to Fund Efforts to Turn Out Voters
An influential left-of-center donor’s charity has launched an initiative compelling other philanthropies to pour money into voter-mobilization efforts for this fall’s elections.
Democracy Fund, founded and funded by liberal philanthropist Pierre Omidyar, has rallied 174 organizations and individuals pledging to expedite disbursement of grants related to get-out-the-vote operations and other efforts.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
TikTok Creators Sue to Block Law Forcing Divestment or Ban: ‘Part of American Life’
A group of TikTok creators said Tuesday they filed suit in US federal court seeking to block a law signed by President Biden that would force the divestiture of the short video app used by 170 million Americans or ban it, saying it has had “a profound effect on American life.”
The TikTok users suing include a Texas Marine Corps veteran who sells his ranch products, a Tennessee woman selling cookies and discussing parenting, a North Dakota college coach who makes sports commentary videos and a recent college graduate in North Carolina who advocates for the rights of sexual-assault survivors.
“Although they come from different places, professions, walks of life, and political persuasions, they are united in their view that TikTok provides them a unique and irreplaceable means to express themselves and form community,” said the lawsuit.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Transient Accused of Shooting 2 Jewish Men in LA to Plead Guilty, Prosecutors Say
Jaime Tran, 29, had made Riverside one of his homes, and he was arrested in Cathedral City on Feb. 16, 2023, the day of the second shooting in two days in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood of L.A. Tran had a rifle and handgun when he was arrested, authorities said.
The charges, both felonies, are two counts of hate crimes with intent to kill and two counts of using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Tran is expected to plead guilty before U.S. District Judge George H. Wu in L.A. in the coming weeks, a DOJ news release said.
Tran will face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison for each hate crime count. For the firearms charges, Tran could receive between a minimum of 10 years for each count and a maximum of life in prison, the release said. But under a plea agreement with prosecutors, Tran would receive a prison sentence of 35 years to 40 years.
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
University of Wyoming to Shutter DEI Office After Funding Slashed by State
On Friday, the President and Board of Trustees of The University of Wyoming recommended closing its Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). According to the Gillette News Record, the university’s largest funder, the Wyoming Legislature, previously slashed the school’s block grant, prohibiting it from spending those funds on the DEI office.
University President Ed Seidel stated that programs that are either required or key to UW community success will be maintained, including: “Academic freedom, research freedom, compliance with federal laws — including the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VI, VII and IX — Native American Affairs, the Shepard Symposium, the Latina Youth Conference, and others.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
USA Increases Tariffs on Chinese Exports by $18 Billion Annually
The administration of US President Joe Biden has announced an increase in tariffs on a wide range of Chinese goods imported into the country, including electric vehicles, semiconductor components, batteries, solar panels, and mineral resources, as reported by Bloomberg.
Overall, the tariff increase from 2024 to 2026 will apply to Chinese exports worth about $18 billion annually, according to a White House statement. The most significant increase, quadrupling, will be for imports of Chinese electric vehicles to the States. They will rise to 100% from the current 25% in 2024.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Wyoming Sheriff Recruiting Denver Officers With Controversial Billboard
DENVER (KDVR) — A new billboard along Alameda Avenue and Pecos Street is causing a stir in Denver.
The Laramie County Sheriff’s Office in Wyoming paid for the billboard to recruit deputies while throwing shade at Denver leaders.
In an exclusive interview, FOX31’s Talya Cunningham asked the sheriff about his decision to make the billboard.
Sheriff Brian Kozak stands by his decision to cross state lines and pay $2,500 to put up this message on a billboard in Denver, “Work in Wyoming where breaking the law is still illegal and cops are funded.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Anti-Lockdown Doctor Facing “Caution” by Regulatory College to Appeal After Court Quashes Challenge
An Ontario court struck down a doctor’s judicial challenge of “cautions” ordered against her by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario.
The Ontario Superior Court ruled against Dr. Kulvinder Kaur Gill’s application for judicial review, which sought to have the admonition removed from her professional record. Gill now plans to appeal the decision to the Court of Appeal for Ontario.
The cautions were ordered in February 2021 regarding comments Gill made on X in 2020 criticizing COVID policy and some public health guidance.
The court ordered Gill to pay the college $6,000 in legal costs.
Gill is seeking leave to appeal the decision with financial support from X; the tech company financed her judicial review, keeping with a policy announced by X owner Elon Musk to support anyone penalized or sanctioned for comments made on the platform.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Campus Watch: Police Clear Encampment at U of A, Terrorist Logo Displayed at U of T
Edmonton police dismantled an anti-Israel encampment at the University of Alberta, while protesters at the University of Toronto are under fire for projecting the logo of the terrorist group Hamas’ military wing, Al-Qassam, onto a building.
McGill University is meanwhile requesting an injunction against the encampment occupying its campus.
Police moved in to clear the U of A encampment early Saturday morning.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Disabled Canadian Man Celebrates Escaping Being Euthanized by Government Over Debts
A disabled Canadian man is now celebrating his “deathaversary” after escaping being euthanized by his government over his crushing debts.
Amir Farsoud was due to be euthanized by the Canadian government’s “assisted suicide” program because he was struggling to pay off his financial debts.
Farsoud said he was booked into to be killed under Canada’s “Medical Assistance in Dying” (MAID) law after being faced with the grim choice of death or homelessness.
However, just before he was scheduled to be euthanized, people raised enough money to improve his financial situation and he narrowly avoided death.
A year and a half later, Farsoud is now raising the alarm about the MAID program.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In Canada, Forest Fires Have Engulfed 10,000 Hectares
In Canada, the first major forest fires of this season have already spread to 10,000 hectares in the western part of the country, Reuters reports.
In particular, a fire that started on Friday has spread to over 5,280 hectares by Monday morning west of the city of Fort Nelson in the province of British Columbia. In the province of British Columbia, 5,000 residents have already been evacuated.
On Sunday, the Canadian Ministry of the Environment issued a special statement regarding deteriorating air quality from British Columbia to Ontario.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Journalist Glenn Greenwald Challenges Canadian Audience on Free Speech
At a free speech event hosted by Rebel News in Toronto, journalist Glenn Greenwald challenged a Canadian audience to defend the free speech of those whose views they most oppose.
The Rumble Live event promoted Rumble’s exclusive shows, including Donald Trump Jr.’s “Triggered” and Greenwald’s own “System Update.” Speakers focused heavily on the Trudeau government’s Bill C-63 and its potentially disastrous impact on free speech in Canada.
“I just want to urge you to realize that any anti-establishment view, whether on the right or the left, is considered dangerous to establishment power,” Greenwald said. “And I know probably most of the people in this room are supportive of the Israeli cause and look at these pro-Palestinian protesters as menaces, as people who are expressing hateful ideas.”
Greenwald noted that many on the left view those in attendance similarly.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Massive Forest Fires in Western Canada: Thousands Evacuated
The first major forest fires of the season have erupted in Western Canada, covering approximately 10,000 hectares of land. Evacuation orders have been issued for several regions, Reuters reports.
On Sunday, forest fires broke out in Western Canada, engulfing approximately 10,000 hectares of land. Corresponding evacuation orders were issued by the government of British Columbia, warning residents of poor air quality in the region.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
An RCMP review of the federal police response to the 2022 Freedom Convoy reveals that officers were uncomfortable with the unprecedented invocation of the Emergencies Act and felt immense pressure from government officials.
The report titled, “National After-Action Review into the RCMP’s response to the 2022 Freedom Convoy,” was made public last week.
One of the key concerns raised by officers involved in the response was that they were uncomfortable in exercising the additional powers granted to police by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s invocation of the Emergencies Act.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“Labor Contracts” of Sex Workers in Belgium: Prostitutes Could be Penalized for Refusing Sex
A new law in Belgium, dubbed by activists as a “labour contract” for prostitutes, will allow pimps to penalize them through a state intermediary if they refuse sex more than 10 times within six months, reports The Publica. The Belgian parliament voted on the law on May 3: 93 deputies voted “for,” zero voted “against,” and 33 abstained.
UTSOPI, the Belgian sex worker union, which actively lobbied for this law, considers it a victory. The law stipulates that prostitutes will receive health insurance, pensions, maternity leave, pregnancy and childbirth leave, as well as unemployment benefits. Their pimps will be required to provide them with an “emergency button” for emergencies.
The organization’s website claims that the law “is a historic step in the fight for the rights of sex workers” and will create “respectful, fair relationships” between prostitutes and their pimps.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Climate Scientist Calls for Mass Depopulation to Fight ‘Global Warming’
A top government climate scientist has called for a major “culling of the human population” in order to fight “global warming.”
Professor Bill McGuire argues that a “pandemic with a very high fatality rate” is required to wipe out a large portion of the human race.
According to McGuire, a mass depopulation event is “the only realistic way” to “avoid a catastrophic climate breakdown.”
McGuire, a Professor of Geophysical & Climate Hazards at University College London (UCL), said the quiet part out loud in a post on X on Sunday.
“If I am brutally honest, the only realistic way I see emissions falling as fast as they need to, to avoid catastrophic #climate breakdown, is the culling of the human population by a pandemic with a very high fatality rate,” he wrote.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Cyber Attacks Surge in Germany, Costing Billions as Threats Escalate
Cybercrime is on the rise in Germany, with reports indicating a substantial increase in attacks targeting businesses, resulting in significant economic damage estimated at €148 billion.
According to the German digital industry association, Bitkom, approximately 80% of the targeted firms experienced data theft, espionage, or sabotage. Foreign organizations, particularly from Russia and China, are identified as the primary perpetrators of cyberattacks, with a 28% increase in incidents reported in 2023. The escalation in attacks from Russia, which has doubled over the past two years, and China, up by 50% over the same period, underscores the persistent threat faced by German businesses and institutions.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Czechs Face Steep Mobile Data Tariffs Compared to European Neighbors
Czechs continue to grapple with exorbitant mobile data prices in comparison to other European nations. Despite gradual improvements, Czech mobile users still contend with tariffs that are notably pricier than those in neighboring countries.
For instance, unlimited data plans with unrestricted speeds command over 1300 crowns per month with all three local operators, whereas in Italy, Vodafone offers a comparable package for over a thousand crowns less each month. This trend persists across neighboring countries where mobile data tariffs are generally more economical.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Due to Drought in Czech Republic, Wildfires Are Threatening
In most parts of the Czech Republic, there will be an increased risk of wildfires on Tuesday and Wednesday due to drought and stronger winds, as reported by Novinky.cz.
“Due to a prolonged period without rain and predicted mild to occasionally fresh winds, locally gusting over 50 kilometers per hour, there is an increased risk of wildfires on Tuesday and Wednesday for most of the territory of Bohemia and western Moravia,” meteorologists stated.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Estonia Blocks EU Proposal to Impose VAT on Airbnb and Uber-Like Platforms
Estonia exercised its veto power to thwart EU plans aimed at imposing value-added tax (VAT) on digital platforms such as Airbnb and Uber, disrupting efforts to modernize tax regulations for the digital economy.
During a meeting of finance ministers in Brussels, Estonia opposed the proposals, which sought to introduce digital invoicing for VAT and mandate registration for platforms like Airbnb and Uber to remit the levy. The move, which could have increased the cost of online rentals and ridesharing by up to 25%, was met with resistance from Estonia, particularly due to concerns over potential consumer price hikes for online services.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU Announces Sanctions Against Participants in Iran’s Missile Program
The EU Council has expanded the scope of possible EU sanctions against Iran. Now, restrictions will apply not only to individuals involved in the UAV program but also to anyone assisting Tehran in manufacturing missiles, according to a press release from the EU Council.
Previously, restrictions included a ban on the export of components used in UAV production from the EU to Iran, as well as travel restrictions and asset freezes for those who support or participate in Iran’s UAV program. However, as of May 14, the EU Council decided to broaden the EU’s framework for restrictive measures due to Iran’s continued military support for Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine, armed groups in the Middle East, and the Red Sea region.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Farmers Within the Polish Parliament Have Initiated a Hunger Strike
Protesters among the farmers in the Polish Parliament have declared the commencement of a hunger strike, as reported by RMF24. Mariusz Borowiak, representing the Farmers’ Union “Orka,” conveyed, “We will persist until Prime Minister Donald Tusk engages with us.”
A contingent of 11 farmers from the Agricultural Union “Orka” instigated their protest within the Parliament on Thursday. As indicated by one of the demonstrators on Friday, their presence in Warsaw was singularly to deliberate the Green Deal with Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Borowiak disclosed during a Sejm press conference on Monday that the farmers are altering their protest strategy, inaugurating a hunger strike commencing Monday. He specified their intake would solely comprise water.
Throughout the weekend, the striking farmers remained within the Parliament premises. Their rest is on unfolded mats on the floor.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
French Prison Guards Killed in Ambush, Convict Mohamed Amra Escapes With Gunmen
A convicted gangster identified as Mohamed Amra was snatched from a prison convoy in an “attack of incredible violence” by four gunmen, leaving two officers dead and three injured.
Four gunmen in two cars ambushed a convoy of government vehicles transporting a convicted criminal from court back to prison in France on Tuesday morning. France’s Le Parisien reports the focus of the jailbreak is 30-year-old Mohamed Amra, whose street name is ‘The Fly’.
The man is reported to have been convicted of burglary on May 10th and was also facing charges of “kidnapping… leading to death” and “attempted homicide by an organized gang”. Per that newspaper’s police sources, he is “described as being at the head of a narcotics network”. Further, Amra is reported to have attempted a jail break last week, and had already been placed under enhanced security.
The attack on the prison officers transporting Amra from a court in Rouen and Évreux prison has been described as a commando-raid and saw two vehicles ambush the convoy at a toll road pay booth. Images from the scene show a black car having rammed the lead vehicle head-on.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Most Don’t Believe in the Possibility of Russian Aggression Against NATO — Poll
According to the recent poll conducted by YouGov on behalf of the dpa news agency, the majority of German citizens do not believe in the possibility of Russia attacking NATO countries in the current decade.
The survey data shows that 48% of respondents in Germany consider the likelihood of aggression from Russia against Alliance members by 2030 to be unlikely. Meanwhile, 36% of respondents hold the opposite view, with an additional 15% undecided.
Furthermore, the majority of German citizens do not consider a Russian invasion of their territory to be likely. According to the survey, 61% of respondents do not view this possibility as real, while 23% expressed the opposite opinion.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungary Signals Potential Veto on EU Sanctions Targeting Russian Gas Sector
As the EU explores measures to penalize Russia’s lucrative gas sector, Hungary emerges as a significant obstacle, signaling its potential veto over proposed sanctions that could impact the European gas market.
During preliminary discussions among ambassadors, Hungary expressed reservations about the new proposal, indicating reluctance to endorse measures that might negatively affect the EU’s gas market. While stopping short of outright opposition, Hungary’s stance underscores its wariness regarding any penalties that could elevate energy costs in Europe.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In Switzerland, There Are Calls to Help Ukraine Repatriate Men of Conscription Age
In Switzerland, some politicians are calling for help to Ukraine in repatriating men of conscription age, writes Neue Zürcher Zeitung
Christian Wasserfallen, an advisor to the Free Democratic Party (FDP), urged for an agreement with Ukraine on readmission to return home 11,000 men currently residing in Switzerland.
“We do not want to de facto harbor deserters who fled from a country whose defensive war now requires their presence. This would help Ukraine solve its personnel problem and at the same time relieve the burden on heavily burdened Swiss migration structures,” Wasserfallen stated.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Lithuania Considers Another Referendum on Dual Citizenship
Following the unsuccessful outcome of the second referendum regarding the expansion of dual citizenship in Lithuania, the possibility of organizing a new one is being considered, according to Speaker of the Seimas of Lithuania, Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, mentioned this while referring to LRT.
She emphasized that there are no straightforward solutions to broaden dual citizenship options, and she doesn’t rule out the potential for another referendum.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Lithuania’s Dual Citizenship Amendment Referendum Fails Again
At the referendum in Lithuania for the second time in a row, the attempt to amend the article on dual citizenship, which prohibits citizens of the country from holding dual citizenship, failed. According to the Lithuanian Central Electoral Commission, more than 70% of those participating in the referendum voted in favor of amending Article 12 of the constitution, however, this number proved insufficient to change the constitutional act.
In total, over 1 million voters participated, which is less than half of all registered voters in the country. Thus, Lithuania’s dual citizenship article remains unchanged.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Men Accused of Plotting ISIS-Inspired Attack to Shoot Jews in UK Appear in Court
LONDON (AP) — Two men accused of plotting to gun down Jews in an Islamic State-inspired attack in northwest England were held without bail Tuesday after appearing in a London court.
Walid Saadaoui, 36, and Amar Hussein, 50, were accused of planning to use automatic weapons to kill Jews, police and military personnel, prosecutors said in Westminster Magistrates’ Court.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Netherlands: University of Amsterdam No Longer Negotiating With Protesters
The University of Amsterdam (UvA) will no longer enter into discussions with activists after new disturbances at the university yesterday, Geert ten Dam, chairman of the UvA executive board, told NOS. Pro-Palestinian protesters stormed into the UvA building on Roeterseiland and caused a lot of damage, though Ten Dam couldn’t yet mention the amounts.
“We will continue the discussions, but we will do so with our own people and within our normal, regular consultation structure,” Ten Dam told the broadcaster. “We will no longer talk to activists and we will no longer sit around the table with people wearing face-covering clothing. We only did that last week in an ultimate attempt to de-escalate.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Netherlands: Politician Paul Smits Resigns After Arrest at Amsterdam Pro-Palestinian Protest
Gelderland Member of the Provincial Council Paul Smits is resigning from his position as vice-chairman of GroenLinks Gelderland. Smits was arrested early last week during a protest at the Univerity of Amsterdam against the war in Gaza. He will continue as a member of the Provincial Council.
Smits was at the pro-Palestinain protest on the Roeterseiland campus of the UvA last week Monday. The police arrested 169 people there, including Smits.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Netherlands: Pro-Palestinian Protestors Shout Down EU Election Debate at Eindhoven University
About 25 pro-Palestinian demonstrators disrupted a debate between European Union party leaders on the campus of TU/Eindhoven on Tuesday. The protestors stood outside the room where the debate was being held, banged on doors, screamed and shouted statements, like, “stop the genocide,” “cut the ties with Israel,” and “EU shame, blood on your hands.”
Security guards closed the doors, and secured the with tie wraps at the academic institution, also known in English as the Eindhoven University of Technology. The debate continued as normal during the noise protest, although a TU Eindhoven spokesperson said it was disruptive.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Netherlands: PowNed Journalists Start Wearing Bodycams Against Aggression
PowNed reporters are now wearing body cameras in the hope that it will prevent aggression and violence against them. The broadcaster’s journalists are regularly confronted by angry citizens, most recently at pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Dutch universities. “We just can’t do our job anymore,” PowNed boss Dominique Weesie told AD.
“We already had a security guard next to the reporter, and now our people also wear a bodycam, a GoPro-like camera that films from the moment we arrive until we leave again,” Weesie said.
Violence against reporters is not limited to protests in support of Gaza — PowNed reporters were attacked on Ameland last year when they tried to report on a secretive tradition, for example — but incidents at these protests at the University of Amsterdam last week was the final straw, Weesie said. His reporters were threatened, pelted with cups of urine, roughed up, or even assaulted.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Netherlands: Still No Cabinet; Finances the Sticking Point
PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB have still not reached an agreement on the formation of a new Cabinet. After another long day of negotiations between the four party leaders, Geert Wilders (PVV) left at around 10:30 p.m. According to formation leaders Richard van Zwol and Elbert Dijkgraaf, finances remain the biggest stumbling block in the negotiations.
“From the beginning, we have said that the financial puzzle is one of the most difficult things. Also, there is little money. That is a big difference with previous formations,” Dijkgraaf said after the talks on Monday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Netherlands: Amsterdam Concert Hall Cancels Israeli Group’s Shows Over Protest Plans
Two concerts by the Israeli music group Jerusalem Quartet which were scheduled to be held in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam were cancelled. The decision was made “due to announced demonstrations, and the recent developments surrounding protests in Amsterdam,” the music hall said on Tuesday.
The Concertgebouw said it wants to “guarantee the safety of our employees, visitors and musicians.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Next Dutch PM: Labour Party’s Ronald Plasterk Emerges as Wilders’ First Choice
As coalition negotiations continue in The Hague, Ronald Plasterk has emerged as a prominent contender for the role of prime minister, sources close to the talks told RTL Nieuws. The former interior minister and longtime member of Dutch Labour party PvdA is seen as Geert Wilders’ preferred candidate to succeed caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte, and lead a new extra-parliamentary Cabinet.
Plasterk helped guide the first rounds of talks between Wilders’ far-right PVV and the NSC, BBB, and Rutte’s VVD, now led by Justice Minister Dilan Yesilgöz. Talks between the four parties have been ongoing since the November elections, and briefly broke down in February. To get the process back on track, the four party leaders agreed that none of them would become the next prime minister, and would instead return to the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Parliament.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poland Has Canceled Scheduled Negotiations on the Export of Ukrainian Grain
Poland has called off the negotiations with Ukraine scheduled for May 14th regarding the export of grain due to allegations of corruption against Ukrainian Minister of Agrarian Policy Mykola Solskyi. This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Poland, Michal Kolodziejczak, in an interview with the newspaper Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
“The negotiations with Kyiv have been halted because we will not negotiate with individuals accused of corruption,” he said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Netherlands Reported an Unsafe Atmosphere During the Eurovision Song Contest
The Netherlands filed an official complaint with the organization of the Eurovision Song Contest, saying the situation felt unsafe backstage at the event. The complaint was reported on Friday, Dutch Eurovision broadcaster AvroTros confirmed after initial reporting by Nu.nl.
The news site reported that there was an unsafe atmosphere, especially with regard to delegations. Several artists complained about this after the contest. Artists from Lithuania, Ireland and Norway, among others, have spoken critically about this.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Three Men in Britain Have Been Charged With Aiding Hong Kong’s Intelligence Services
Three men in Britain have been charged with assisting Hong Kong’s intelligence service following a series of arrests across England, Reuters reports.
London’s police stated that a total of 11 people were detained earlier this month, with most of them arrested in the Yorkshire area in northern England. Three men are due to appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court later on Monday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
At least two French officers were gunned down in the ambush which saw the assailants and inmate Mohammed Amra, 30, managing to flee the scene on foot.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Man in His 20s is Stabbed With a Huge Machete in Shocking Broad Daylight Brawl…
— Police launch manhunt for gang after attack which left terrified staff hiding inside estate agents
A man in his 20s was stabbed with a ‘machete’ in a shocking daylight brawl outside a London estate agents — as terrified staff hid inside and frantically called the police.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Court Probing Ukraine, Gaza Wars Vows to Defy Threats
The International Criminal Court prosecutor said Tuesday he will not be intimidated by threats as his office probes possible war crimes in Ukraine and Gaza.
During a UN Security Council meeting on his probe into war crimes in Libya, prosecutor Karim Khan was challenged by the ambassadors of Russia and Libya, who criticized what they called his inaction as Israel wages war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
“One wonders if the effectiveness of the ICC on this track is affected by the fact that a new bipartisan bill has been submitted to the US Congress to sanction ICC officials involved in investigating not only the US but also its allies,” said the Russian ambassador Vasily Nebenzia.
Nebenzia was alluding to news reports that a bill to this end has been submitted to the US Congress.
Khan responded by citing what he said were threats against him and his office to make him halt his probes.
“We will not be swayed, whether it’s by warrants for my arrest or the arrest of elected officials of the court by the Russian Federation, or whether it’s by other elected officials in any other jurisdiction,” Khan said.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
Dozens Killed in Central Gaza Strikes as UN Names Staff Member Killed
Nuseirat camp in central Gaza faced heavy bombing by Israeli forces on Tuesday which killed at least 15 Palestinians from the same family, local media reported.
Palestinian fighters and Israeli forces were engaged in attacks in Jabalia in north Gaza, and Hamas said its militants had struck several Israeli soldiers and shelled tanks.
Israeli tanks forged deeper into eastern Rafah, reaching some residential districts on Tuesday, stepping up an offensive in the southern border city where more than a million people had been sheltering after being displaced in seven months of Israeli bombardment.
Meanwhile, the UN named on Tuesday the international staff member who was killed when a UN marked vehicle came under live fire in south Rafah. More than 250 aid workers have been killed since the start of the war.
| — Hat tip: JW | [Return to headlines] |
Israel Declares Independence From Biden
As Israel marks its 76th Independence Day, instead of a day usually filled with parades and fireworks, the Israeli people will buckle down to the business of a nation at war.
Too much of the population is either deployed in the field or may soon be, displaced from their homes near the Gaza border or aware that at any moment rocket alerts could sound for incoming missiles from Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen or Iran. This year, Yom HaZikaron, Memorial Day annually observed for the fallen, will overshadow Yom Ha’atzmaut or Independence Day.
Much like America’s Greatest Generation, the men and women who scrappily fought for Israel’s independence using crude weapons and WWII surplus gear are passing out of history. Few now remember a time when Israel did not exist and some have come to take it for granted. While Israeli Air Force jets won’t be doing flyovers for the 76th, the leftist protesters, some backed by foreign interests, will still continue their rallies and riots that only serve to aid Hamas.
And yet Israel did declare a new kind of independence before its latest Yom Ha’atzmaut.
After nearly half a year of pressure campaigns to end the war, the Biden administration followed through by announcing an embargo on offensive weapons to Israel. It’s not the first time. In 1947, the Truman administration had imposed an arms embargo on Israel. Truman, like the current Democrat in the White House, had played a familiar double game, offering diplomatic recognition to Israel and enthusiastic speeches to Jewish voters, even while privately promising Muslims the opposite and making sure that Israel would not have the weapons to defend itself.
When the Republican Party platform declared that it took “pride in the fact that the Republican Party was the first to call for the establishment of a free and independent Jewish Commonwealth” and condemned the “vacillation of the Democrat Administration”, Truman shot back angrily claiming that he supported the Democratic platform and its call for “the revision of the arms embargo to accord to the State of Israel the right of self-defense.” This was a lie.
Truman had supported the arms embargo from the beginning. Three months before the Democrat platform had been adopted, the administration had backed a UN resolution that included an arms embargo. Truman was saying one thing and doing another. Like Biden, Truman had been following political considerations. That was why diplomats had been warned to stay away from making any anti-Israel moves at the United Nations before Election Day.
Even under the arms embargo, Israel survived an invasion by five Muslim nations.
| — Hat tip: Daniel Greenfield | [Return to headlines] |
Authored by Thomas Stevenson via Human Events (emphasis ours)
Head of the Mezha Anti-Corruption Center, Martyna Bohuslavets, has written a report in Pravda asking “Where are the fortifications?” She reports that millions of dollars that were intended for the construction of fortifications in Ukraine were instead “transferred to Kharkiv OVA to front companies of avatars.”
Bohuslavets said the Ukrainian Kharkiv Regional Military Administration (Kharkiv OVA) paid out funds to fictitious companies during the construction and fortification of the Kharkiv region. The report comes as Russian forces have broken into the northern region of Ukraine and the US continues funding the war.
According to Ukranian Pravda reports, the Russian military has begun to advance in the northern region of Ukraine where funding that was set for fortification was transferred to fake companies. The offensive from the Russian military launched on Monday with attacks on towns and villages, the Kyiv Post reports. A total of 7 billion hryvnias was spent there by Ukraine, according to the report.
This comes as the BBC reports that a regional Ukrainian commander in Kharkiv has said that the first line of defense was missing in a massive “betrayal” in the northern region of the country. Denys Yaroslavskyi, a commander in the region in charge of the Ukrainian Special Reconnaissance Unit, told the outlet, “There was no first line of defence. We saw it. The Russians just walked in. They just walked in, without any mined fields.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Antony Blinken Makes Surprise Visit to Kyiv, Promises Weapons
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in the Ukrainian capital on Tuesday morning by train, meeting President Volodymyr Zelensky and promising that “assistance is now on the way” after Congress passed the $95 billion foreign aid package in April.
Blinken is in Kyiv to “highlight the United States’ enduring support for Ukraine”, the State Department said on Tuesday, after the Secretary of State arrived in the country by overnight train, a necessity for foreign diplomatic visits as flying directly to Ukraine remains impossible.
The two-day trip is the first by an American government figure since Congress passed the foreign aid package in April, which of $95 billion in spending commits $61 billion to Ukraine. Upon meeting the Ukrainian President in Kyiv this morning, Blinken and attending journalists were told by Zelensky that what Ukraine wants most out of the United States is air defence systems, which he said were the “biggest deficit”.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Putin Plotting ‘Physical Attacks’ on West, UK Intelligence Warns, Amid Spate of Mystery Arsons
A top British intelligence official has issued a new alarmist warning concerning the ‘Russian threat’ to the West. Anne Keast-Butler, who for the last year has headed up the UK’s GCHQ, or signals intelligence operations (which is the equivalent of America’s NSA), has warned in her first major speech that President Putin is plotting “physical attacks” against Western targets.
Addressing cyber security experts in Birmingham, the GCHQ director claimed that Moscow is busy “nurturing and inspiring” groups of cyber attackers, and is even “in some cases seemingly coordinating physical attacks against the West.”
She said that alongside Russia, China poses an “epoch-defining” risk to long-term UK national security as well. She admitted that currently China is taking up “more resource… than any other single mission” at GCHQ.
But ultimately she focused the speech on British intelligence being “increasingly concerned about growing links between the Russian intelligence services and proxy groups to conduct cyber-attacks — as well as suspected physical surveillance and sabotage operations.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
India: Billboard Collapses Onto Group of Pedestrians, Killing at Least 14
A large billboard collapsed onto a group of pedestrians in India late Monday evening, killing at least 14 people and injuring 74 others, officials said.
According to city officials, a 100-foot-tall billboard fell onto a gas station in the suburb of Ghatkopar in the western city of Mumbai on Monday evening. At least 47 people were rescued late into the night.
The collapse took place during a thunderstorm which included heavy rain and high winds.
City officials blamed the turbulent weather for the deadly collapse: “Yesterday (13 May) evening, in the Chheda Nagar area of Ghatkopar, a tragic incident occurred due to speedy winds, resulting in the collapse of a hoarding.”
| — Hat tip: DV | [Return to headlines] |
Narendra Modi Files Nomination for Third Term in India’s General Election
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has officially submitted his candidacy for a third term in India’s general election, filing his nomination in the northern city of Varanasi on Tuesday, AP News reports. Varanasi holds symbolic importance as it is Modi’s constituency, which he has won consecutively in 2014 and 2019.
India’s mammoth general election, spanning six weeks, commenced in April and is scheduled to continue until June 1, with vote counting slated for June 4. With nearly 970 million eligible voters, this election stands as the world’s largest democratic exercise. Recent polls indicate Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are leading in the race for seats in the lower house of parliament against a broad opposition coalition led by the Indian National Congress.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
China’s Deepening Economic Ties With Hungary and Serbia Signal Strategic Shift in Europe
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Hungary and Serbia marks a significant milestone in China’s quest for economic expansion and influence in Europe.
Unlike many European Union nations where China is viewed with caution, Hungary has embraced Chinese investment as vital for its future, fostering what Xi and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban termed an “all-weather partnership.”
While specific agreements weren’t publicly disclosed, Hungary confirmed deals on projects like a joint railway bypass around Budapest and a high-speed train link to the capital’s airport. Additionally, plans to collaborate on nuclear energy, electric vehicle infrastructure, and an oil pipeline with Serbia were announced, solidifying China’s strategic foothold in the region.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
China Launches New Satellite Into Space for Scientific Experiments
On Sunday morning, China launched a new satellite, Shiyan-23, intended for conducting scientific experiments in orbit and testing new technologies, CGTN reports.
The spacecraft was placed into low Earth orbit by the Long March-4C carrier rocket, which lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert in northwestern China at 7:43 a.m. local time.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Japan: the World’s Largest Nuclear Power Plant to Resume Operation After the Fukushima Accident
The world’s largest nuclear power plant, Kashiwazaki Kariwa in Japan, will resume electricity production this year after more than a decade-long hiatus due to the Fukushima nuclear accident. This decision will help lower electricity costs in Japan, according to Bloomberg.
Electricity production at Unit 7 of the Kashiwazaki Kariwa nuclear power plant will commence in October. This will be the first instance of a nuclear reactor being utilized under safety regulations implemented after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011, which led Japan to shut down all of its nuclear generation.
Japan aims to expedite the restart of reactors to reduce electricity costs, ensure stable supply, and cut greenhouse gas emissions. Last month, approval was granted for fuel loading at a reactor in Niigata Prefecture.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
USA and China Will Discuss the Risks of Artificial Intelligence Development at a Meeting in Geneva
Representatives from the USA and China are planning to meet in Geneva on May 14 to discuss the risks associated with the development of artificial intelligence (AI).
This was announced by a representative of the American administration at the White House.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Gab Stands Firm Against Australia’s Censorship Demands
After a recent censorship effort by German authorities, yet another government has demanded that free speech platform and Big Tech alternative Gab censor content that the government disapproves of. And once again, the platform is refusing to comply.
This time, the demand concerns the removal of content about one of the recent Sydney stabbings — and is part of Australia’s wider censorship drive targeting multiple social sites. And, it comes coupled with a threat of a huge fine.
Gab CEO Andrew Torba said in a blog post that the notice asked that a video showing the stabbing in the Assyrian Christ The Good Shepherd Church be removed.
It was sent by Australia’s at this point notorious, free speech suppression-wise, eSafety Commissioner, stating that “all reasonable steps” are required to be taken by platforms to “safeguard Australians at risk from online harms.”
But Gab doesn’t appear to consider censorship a “reasonable” step. And so the video — that documents the violent act, and is, Torba said, followed by “a heartfelt message” from the victim who survived the attack, Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel — remained online.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Top Australian Senator Blows Whistle: Government Covering Up Mass COVID Vax Deaths
A prominent Australian lawmaker has blown the whistle on a shocking cover-up by his nation’s federal government.
Senator Malcolm Roberts has raised the alarm after uncovering evidence that governments around the world are aware that Covid mRNA shots are killing people.
According to Roberts, the Australian government has been scrambling to cover up the mass deaths caused by the injections.
As part of the effort, the government has been “deliberately suppressing doctors” from reporting vaccine deaths, the top senator reveals.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Cartel Members Have Killed Over 20 Presidential Candidates in Mexico
More than two dozen candidates for the presidency of Mexico have been killed by cartel members ahead of the upcoming vote scheduled for June 2, as reported by The Washington Post. Journalists note that organized criminal groups have turned elections in Mexico into a “battlefield,” making this year’s campaign one of the deadliest in the country’s recent history.
Over twenty candidates were assassinated just before the voting on June 2, with hundreds more dropping out of the race, over 400 of whom have appealed to the federal government for security guarantees. The aim of these armed groups is to install “their people” in local authorities to better exploit Mexican communities, writes WP.
Today, cartels are not only involved in illegal drug trafficking to the United States but also in smuggling migrants, extorting businesses, and securing contracts for firms under their control. In some regions, cartels wield such power that they can determine who enters a city—or even what people can say aloud, according to journalists. Hence, WP emphasizes, the struggle for mayoralties is so crucial.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Border Guards Thwart 800 Attempts by Migrants to Breach Polish-Belarusian Border
Border guards recorded over 800 instances of illegal border crossings from Belarus during the last weekend. A group of migrants made a forcible attempt to enter Poland via the Przewloka River, as reported by RMF24.
The past weekend proved to be exceptionally busy for border guards along the Polish-Belarusian border. A total of 824 illegal border crossing attempts were documented, resulting in the detention of seven accomplices. Major Andrzej Juzwiak, spokesperson for the Border Guard, noted an uptick in these attempts in recent days, possibly due to favorable weather conditions.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Canada: Taxpayers Paid $224 Per Day to Accommodate Illegal Border Crossers
New documents reveal that asylum claimants who are crossing illegally into Canada are cashing in on hefty daily stipends at the expense of taxpayers.
In a query raised by Conservative MP Lianne Rood, the Liberal government admitted that taxpayers were paying $224 per day for the sustenance and accommodation of certain individuals seeking asylum who have unlawfully entered Canada.
Rood published the government response on social media detailing the funds Ottawa has set aside for “goods and services” for asylum seekers who are still awaiting immigration review.
The figures indicate that the average daily cost for accommodation is $140 per room, with an additional $84 set aside for food per person, leading to a total daily expenditure of $224 per person.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Criminal Charges in Texas Border County Jump by 5,000% Since Biden Took Office
While the crisis at the southern border has impacted the entire nation, the areas nearest to Mexico have been hit hardest. Among them is Kinney County, Texas, which has seen criminal prosecutions jump by 5,000 percent in the years since Joe Biden took office.
The unprecedented spike has diverted resources from the community’s essential services, and made life harder for residents.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Eric Adams Suggests Illegal Immigrants Work as NYC Lifeguards Because ‘They’re Excellent Swimmers’
On Tuesday, Eric Adams suggested the many vacant lifeguard positions across New York City could be filled by illegal immigrants.
The mayor claimed that those who entered the United States unlawfully would be perfect for the job because they’re “excellent swimmers.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Aussie taxpayers are shelling out hundreds of millions on foreign conflicts, with a added $120 million scheme to resettle migrants and refugees on Australian soil.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Fugitive Colombian Killer Was Let Loose Into US After Escaping Prison and Crossing Border Illegally
A fugitive Colombian killer was cut loose in the US after crossing the border illegally — despite being convicted of homicide and a slew of other violent charges back home, immigration authorities have admitted.
The 49-year-old, whom US officials didn’t name, had been arrested in Bucaramanga, Colombia, back in 2014 and slapped with aggravated homicide, aggravated theft and unlawful possession of a weapon charges.
He was convicted and sentenced to 17 years in prison in 2016.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Five of the migrants charged with viciously attacking two NYPD officers in Times Square in January were offered plea deals Tuesday as a Manhattan judge revealed one of the accused cop beaters was arrested again while out on bail.
Yohenry Brito, 24 — the only defendant in the case to be remanded after his initial arrest — was nabbed for petit larceny after an activist Brooklyn priest posted his $15,000 cash bail in February, Judge Laura Wood said in Manhattan Criminal Court Tuesday.
“I am furious that Mr. Brito was rearrested and charged with petty larceny while he was out on this case,” Wood fumed as she warned another slip-up would land him behind bars.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Are your own tax dollars funding an effort to discredit news about flyers encouraging illegal aliens to vote for President Joe Biden in U.S. elections?
National Public Radio’s recent efforts to “cover” the story suggest an attempt to delegitimize it. NPR assigned a reporter with ties to left-wing groups funded by billionaire financier George Soros to write the story. That reporter refused to answer a question about whether she was concerned about illegal aliens voting in the 2024 presidential election.
Last month, The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project and the news site Muckraker exposed flyers posted at Resource Center Matamoros, just across the U.S.-Mexico border in Tamaulipas. (Heritage created The Daily Signal in 2014.)
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Over Half of Illegal Aliens in US Are Unemployed: Report
Authored by Eric Lundrum via American Greatness
A new report reveals that over half of the population of illegal aliens that have come into the United States under Joe Biden’s watch are unemployed, thus creating an even greater strain on the country.
As reported by Breitbart, the report from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) released on Monday revealed that only 46% of illegals who came to the U.S. “in 2022 or later” were employed at the start of 2024.
“Immigration clearly adds workers to the country, but it just as clearly adds non-workers who need to be supported by the labor of others,” said CIS researchers Steven Camarota and Karen Zeigler in the report.
“This was the case in the past, it is true today, and it will surely be the case for immigrants who arrive in the future. Those who simply see immigration as a source of labor need to understand it is also a source of school children, retirees, and many other non-workers.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poland Refuses to Accept Migrants Under the New Migration Pact
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has assured that the country will not accept any migrants under the migration pact, reports RMF FM. Tusk noted that Poland has already taken in hundreds of thousands of migrants due to the Russian-Ukrainian war, as well as tens of thousands of migrants from Belarus.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk reminded that negotiations on the migration pact were conducted by the government of Mateusz Morawiecki. At the same time, he pointed out that the current government managed to achieve provisions in the migration pact that make it “much less threatening in consequences than it was at the beginning.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Revealed — the Charities Making Billions Off of the Border Crisis
Nonprofit organizations are making billions of dollars from border crisis federal funding, with their CEOs are raking in as much as $1million in annual compensation.
Money that is being distributed amongst NGOs to help fund the migrant crisis at the border has raised red flags for Americans whose tax dollars are going into the pockets of the organizations’ chief executives.
The most recent data to reveal the astronomical amounts of federal funding being funneled into NGOs is from 2022, according to The Free Press, meaning that the results will most likely be higher when data becomes available for 2023.
The migrant crisis on the border has been continuously surging over the years — with 300,000 monthly border crossings at the end of 2023, up 50,000 from the highest monthly report in 2022.
According to the data, based on the 990 Tax Forms of organizations exempt from income taxes, nonprofits received billions of dollars in federal awards — which were then used to compensate CEOs and fund questionable services like pet therapy.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The EU Council Has Finally Adopted the Historic Migration Reform
On May 14, the EU Council adopted a historic reform of the European asylum and migration system. This was announced in a statement by the EU Council. The reform establishes a set of rules to help manage the arrival of migrants, create effective and standardized procedures, and ensure a fair distribution of the burden among member states.
The European Union will also continue close cooperation with third countries to address the root causes of illegal migration.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Speaking outside the Manhattan courtroom where DA Alvin Bragg’s falsified business records trial continued on Tuesday, Donald Trump criticized Biden’s open border policies that have led to millions of illegal immigrants being let into the country.
Holding up the mugshot of an illegal immigrant recently arrested and charged with the death of an infant, Trump said, “This is what they should be looking at right here.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Cases of Violence Against LGBTQ+ Individuals in the EU Have Increased Over the Past Three Years
According to survey data, LGBTQ+ individuals in the European Union are experiencing less discrimination, but there has been a rise in the number of violence cases compared to three years ago, Reuters reports.
The relevant online survey was conducted by EU human rights bodies in the summer of 2023. The survey results were published on May 14, 2024. Over 100,000 individuals identifying as LGBTQ+ participated in the survey. The survey results indicated slight changes compared to a similar survey conducted three years ago.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Stumped Again: Scotland’s New Leader John Swinney Struggles With Defining ‘Woman’
In what has apparently become the Achilles Heel for Scottish leaders, new First Minister John Swinney has already been stumped by the seemingly simple question “What is a woman?”, less than one week on the job.
Swinney, the second in a row Scottish National Party (SNP) politician to be installed without an election following the trans-agenda-influenced downfalls of his predecessors Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf, is already struggling to convey a cogent understanding of sex and gender to the public.
“I believe a woman is an adult female born as a woman and I also accept that transgender women are defined as women,” the Scottish leader said in an interview with BBC Scotland on Monday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The French Parliament Has Begun Discussions on a Bill Concerning Euthanasia
In the National Assembly, the lower house of the French Parliament, deliberations have commenced on a bill regarding assisted euthanasia, a process expected to last over a year, as reported by France Bleu.
Starting on May 13th, a special committee in the National Assembly will begin reviewing 1900 amendments to the bill on assisted euthanasia, which will be first presented to the chamber on May 27th, initiating a lengthy process of consideration.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Soylent Green + Brave New World + 1984 = 2024