German prosecutors have issued an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian man, identified as Volodymyr Z., over the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines. The wanted man was reportedly living in Warsaw. However, the suspect evaded arrest by crossing the Ukrainian-Polish border and returning to Ukraine.
In other news, a 53-year-old woman in Cheshire was jailed for 15 months for her incendiary Facebook posts about mosques.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Daniel Greenfield, Dean, Dora, JW, McN, MM, Reader from Chicago, Roger, Seneca III, 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.
America Suffers Worst Food Inflation in Over Four Decades Under Biden-Harris
Lame-duck President Joe Biden and his Democrat presidential election replacement Kamala Harris have overseen the worst food inflation in over forty years.
Inflation has been taking its toll on the American people since Biden and Harris were placed in the White House.
The issue has now become a top priority for voters as the critical November election draws near.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Shelter Inflation is ‘The Most Disappointing Aspect’ of July CPI Report
The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report revealed one category where inflation continues to be stubbornly sticky: housing costs.
Wednesday’s data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that shelter costs ticked up 0.4% month over month in July, higher than June’s 0.2% rise. Housing inflation accounted for nearly 90% of the monthly increase in CPI in July.
“The most disappointing aspect of this report was the shelter data,” Omair Sharif, founder of the research firm Inflation Insights, wrote in a note after the report.
Rent and owners’ equivalent rent each rose 0.5% and 0.4%, respectively, on a monthly basis in July, slightly higher than June’s 0.3%. Owners’ equivalent rent is the hypothetical rent a homeowner would pay for the same property.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Jokes About Being Ousted From Presidency, Says He’s ‘Looking for a Job’
Lame-duck President Joe Biden is cracking jokes about being ousted from the presidency by the Democrat elite.
During an event at the West Wing of the White House on Wednesday, Biden spoke about his upcoming exit from the White House.
He told a group of content creators that he is now “looking for a job.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Admin Accused of Emboldening Iran to Target Trump: ‘They’re Trying to Kill Him’
A top Republican has accused lame-duck President Joe Biden’s administration of pushing to embolden Iran for political reasons.
Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL) blasted the Biden admin for shrugging off an assassination attempt against President Donald Trump.
The congressman warns that Biden’s White House is emboldening Iran in the hope that the Islamic nation will kill Trump.
Waltz said the White House is sending a message that there are “no consequences” for targeting Trump.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Violent Portland Antifa activist John Colin Hacker was arrested on suspicion of assault on Wednesday outside the Clackamas County Courthouse. He punched a man following a heated confrontation, leaving the victim bloodied with a hole in his face.
This came immediately after his comrade Alissa Azar was found guilty of a felonyover a 2021 Antifa attack at Clackamette Park in Oregon City. Azar is a violent ringleader of Portland Antifa.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: Tim Walz Agrees to October 1 VP Debate Against JD Vance on CBS
Vice presidential nominee Tim Walz has agreed to participate in a debate against his Republican counterpart, JD Vance. Walz has agreed to a debate that would be hosted by CBS News and take place on October 1 in New York City.
While Walz has confirmed his participation, the Trump campaign has not yet officially agreed on the date. CBS News had proposed several potential dates for the event, including September 17, September 24, October 1, and October 8, with Walz ultimately agreeing to the October 1 date.
Following the announcement, Walz took to X to share the news, posting, “See you on October 1, JD.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A violent Portland Antifa ringleader has been convicted by a jury in a five-day trial marred by tight security restrictions and intimidation from Antifa members in the gallery. Alissa Eleanor Azar, 32 (b. Feb. 12, 1991), was charged with felony riot, disorderly conduct in the second degree and unlawful use of mace in the second degree. The jury found Azar guilty of felony riot and second-degree disorderly conduct.
The unlawful use of mace charge resulted in a hung jury.
The case stems from an Antifa riot in 2021 at a park in Clackamas County, Ore., and that’s where the trial took place. Clackamas County is a politically moderate county adjacent to the left-wing stronghold of Multnomah County, where Portland is. It has both suburban and rural communities.
Azar burst into tears as the verdict was read on Wednesday afternoon.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
California Lawmaker Revives Bill to Release Convicts With Only Two Murder Convictions
(The Center Square) — A California Democrat revived his bill to propose early release of prisoners serving life sentences without the chance of parole, a sentence typically awarded only to those who commit the most violent or reprehensible of crimes.
The only exclusions barring early release under this bill would be for those who have committed first degree murder of a police officer, or three or more people, or if the crime driving the life without parole sentence involved a sexual act, such as a rape-homicide; those sentenced for only two murders — so long as one of the two was not of a police officer, and neither involved sexual acts during the murders — could appeal for early release.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
CDC Caught Faking Data for ‘COVID Deaths’
A bombshell new report has revealed that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is publishing fabricated data on “Covid deaths” to massively exaggerate the alleged issue.
According to the CDC, COVID-19 is the fourth leading cause of death in America.
The federal health agency claims Covid is killing 186,552 people a year.
However, according to a new report, the incidence of COVID-19 death has plummeted since the pandemic.
Data from U.S. News & World Report shows that Covid was only listed as a cause of death for 49,931 Americans last year.
However, as Slay News has previously reported, Covid is often listed as a cause of death if the person had a positive test for the virus, even if it didn’t kill them.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
CDC Policy of Deleting Ex-Employees’ Emails is ‘Probably Illegal,’ Court Rules
A court has ruled that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) may have broken the law by deleting the emails of former employees.
A CDC policy of deleting former employees’ emails after 90 days is “probably illegal” according to a ruling by U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras.
A Trump-aligned group, America First Legal (AFL), had requested emails from former CDC employees.
However, the AFL was told they were deleted 90 days after they stopped being employees.
The response prompted AFL to sue the CDC.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
CNN’s Dana Bash Caught Lying About Comments Made by Trump & Elon Musk
CNN’s Dana Bash has provoked a backlash after she was caught lying about remarks made during a conversation between Elon Musk and President Donald Trump.
During her show “Inside Politics” on CNN, Bash responded to Sunday night’s chat between Musk and Trump that was livestreamed on X Sunday evening.
The broadcast has so far garnered over one billion views around the world, and counting.
The huge success of the event has led to Democrats and their corporate media allies scrambling to criticize the conversation.
For CNN, however, reporting on the actual conversation between the two powerful figures wasn’t enough.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Congress Opens Probe Into Whether Google Search Misled Americans on Trump Assassination Attempt
Already facing a potential breakup from a devastating antitrust court ruling, Google got more bad news Wednesday when the main congressional oversight committee announced it had opened a probe into whether the search engine misled Americans about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump last month.
House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., revealed that Google told his staff last week that its search engine’s autocomplete feature “omitted the Trump assassination attempt” from relevant searches because the firm failed to update “a safety protocol” against violence to recognize the former president had, in fact, been shot July 13 during an assassination attempt in Butler, Pa.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Cook County Chief Judge Prepares for Possible Mass Arrests at DNC: ‘People Are Going to be Heard’
With the Democratic National Convention just days away, Cook County judges are clearing their schedules. It comes as part of an administrative order from Chief Judge Tim Evans to prepare for the possibility of mass arrests.
The order established a facility at Belmont and Western avenues that would handle those cases. If a judge determines a defendant needs to be detained pending trial, that person would be sent to Cook County Jail.
“(CPD) knew that we’d have to open up a whole new court, that we’d have to get it ready in a very short period of time, but I told them I was willing to do that,” Evans said. “Because the citizens of our country deserve the right to be able to raise their issues to the members of their government.”
Evans also said Cook County judges were trained on the Pretrial Fairness Act to ensure the process goes smoothly and according to the law.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Disney World Wrongful Death Suit
You Can’t Sus Us, You Got Disney+
— Read the Fine Print!!!
Disney’s playing a stunning wild card in its face-off against a man suing over the death of his wife… claiming the guy’s Disney+ subscription prevents him from taking the Mouse House to court.
According to new court documents obtained by TMZ… Disney has asked for the wrongful death lawsuit to be kicked out of court, because the plaintiff, Jeffrey Piccolo, agreed to arbitrate all disputes against Disney when he signed up, back in 2019, for a one-month trial to its streaming service.
What the hell does TV streaming have to do with Piccolo’s wife, Kanokporn Tangsuan, dying in 2023 from a food allergy reaction at Disney World? Disney says the answer’s in their fine print.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Documents Reveal How George Soros Controls Prosecutors
George Soros and his son, Alex, have spent at least $117 million since 2016 to reshape America’s justice system. They’ve been successful: three in 10 Americans now live under a Soros prosecutor.
But the Soroses’ influence doesn’t end on Election Day. After Soros-backed prosecutors take office, the family’s apparatus tells them what to do, documents show.
The Media Research Center obtained nearly 8,000 pages of internal documents through public records laws that show how a Soros-funded group called Fair and Just Prosecution (FJP) “directed Soros prosecutors to manipulate the rule of law concerning illegal immigration, drugs, abortion, election integrity, capital punishment and laws against childhood sex changes.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Embattled Columbia University President Resigns From Post
The president of Columbia University resigned her post on Wednesday, after just one year at the helm and months after anti-Israel protests shut down the campus.
The campus was just one of multiple colleges that experienced a rise in antisemitism in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by the terrorist organization Hamas. Multiple donors have withheld donations to the Ivy League school as a result of antisemitic protests that occurred at the end of the last school year.
Columbia University president Minouche Shafik has been facing calls to resign for months, over her handling of the protests.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
First Female FDNY Chief Replaced With Security Firm CEO
The New York Fire Department has found a replacement for its first female fire chief, Laura Kavanagh.
Kavanagh resigned due to a series of scandals.
T&M USA CEO Robert Tucker has now been named as Kavanagh’s replacement by New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
The announcement was made on Monday and Tucker has now been sworn in.
The NYC mayor’s announcement on X noted that Tucker’s first job was in the FDNY’s communication office.
A key part of Kavanagh’s downfall was her investigation of some of her subordinates for heckling New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Firefighters heckled James over her politically motivated prosecution of President Donald Trump.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
At a rally in Phoenix on Friday, supporters of Democrat presidential nominee and Biden’s current VP Kamala Harris were challenged when asked to identify her policy-related accomplishments. The footage from TPUSA’s Frontlines team highlighted a recurring theme among attendees where they are focused on Harris’ identity rather than her policy record. Harris has yet to release a policy platform of any kind.
When asked by TPUSA’s Frontlines reporter Kalen D’Almeida about Harris’ greatest accomplishments as vice president, attendees often cited her identity as a black woman rather than listing specific policy achievements. One attendee said that her biggest accomplishment was simply becoming the first female vice president. One attendee told D’Almeida, “honestly, I’m not too into politics, I’m just here for the vibe.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Judge Removes Lawyer From Dominion Voting Systems Case, Ruling She Violated Court Order
A federal judge on Tuesday removed a lawyer from a Dominion Voting Systems defamation case, claiming the lawyer engaged in “truly egregious misconduct.”
Stefanie Lambert, who represented former Overstock CEO Patrick Byrne in the case, allegedly leaked internal records from Dominion in violation of various court orders. Dominion had requested Lambert be removed from the case earlier this year, after she shared the records publicly in her own criminal case in Michigan. Lambert has also been accused of illegally accessing Michigan voting machines after the 2020 election.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya claimed Lambert was disqualified from representing Byrne in the case because she violated multiple court orders when sharing the information, according to The Hill.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Law Enforcement IDs Suspect in Trump Virginia Campaign Office Break-In
The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) issued an arrest warrant on Wednesday for the suspect in the break-in at former President Donald Trump’s campaign office in Virginia.
Authorities identified the suspect as 39-year-old Toby Shane Kessler, and have charged him with burglary for allegedly breaking into the local campaign building in Ashburn on Sunday.
Deputies said they arrived on the scene at 9 p.m. and a man was caught on camera wearing dark clothing, a dark cap and a backpack.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Letitia James Demands Big Tech Curb Election “Misinformation”
New York Attorney General Letitia James has been actively campaigning for stricter controls on AI and social media platforms, invoking concerns about “misinformation.”
James has a history of social media censorship demands that have faced allegations of First Amendment violations.
ABC News reports that James has contacted key players in the AI industry, such as Google, Meta, and OpenAI, through a letter, urging them to implement mechanisms that could restrict what she defines as misleading and deceptive speech related to elections.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Los Angeles Prosecutor Files Lawsuit Against Soros-Funded District Attorney
George Gascon, the Los Angeles County district attorney, is known for his progressive views and criminal justice reform policies. He was elected in 2020, and many have criticized his policies, citing an increase in crime in Los Angeles County and leading to three recall efforts in the country, all of which have failed, the latest occurring in 2022.
The Soros-funded district attorney is now involved in a lawsuit from the deputy district attorney of Los Angeles County, Shea Sanna. In the lawsuit, Sanna claimed he was targeted for exposing misconduct within Gascon’s office. Dhillon Law Group filed the lawsuit on Aug. 12 in the Los Angeles County Superior Court.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Murder Trial Begins for Nevada Democrat Accused of Killing Journalist
The murder trial has begun this week for Robert Telles, a Nevada Democrat politician who is charged with killing an investigative journalist.
Telles, a former Democrat Clark County administrator of estates, was arrested in September 2022, as Slay News reported at the time.
He has remained jailed since his arrest.
The former Las Vegas-area politician was charged with murder just days after Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Jeff German was found slashed and stabbed to death outside his home over Labor Day weekend.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Alternative for Germany (AfD) economist Jurij C. Kofner was apprehended at a Chicago airport, his phone seized, for allegedly possessing an meme.
Kofner was detained last month after flying in from Germany and interrogated for 10 hours. He was at the Chicago airport because he was headed to Springfield, Ill to attend a seminar on “Classical Liberalism and Business” at the University of Springfield, Illinois, organized by the American Institute of Economic Research and the Academy on Capitalism.
But Kofner’s plans unfortunately would be upended. The officials harassed Kofner about being a supposed right-wing extremist. The AfD has been demonized in recent months as they have gained in the polls, with some Germans even calling for the party to be banned.
Ultimately, Kofner was refused entry into the U.S. The offending meme on his phone that was deemed too extreme for his entry featured U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as soldiers on D-Day with the caption: “Warmongers in the front row, as it should be.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Patreon Feels the Squeeze as Apple Demands a Cut
Apple is again cracking the whip in its much-criticized App Store, this time affecting Patreon creators and their subscribers.
Patreon was faced with the choice of either switching to Apple’s iOS in-app billing system for all iOS transactions, removing all other, third-party billing systems from the Patreon iOS app — or having the app removed from the store.
Patreon creators also must not turn off transactions on iOS.
This demand, which has a deadline of November to start getting implemented, resulted in the platform deciding to comply. The change comes after many years of Patreon being able to avoid fees on the App Store, which is considered by some observers as a case of Apple’s arbitrary treatment of different apps.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Texas AG Ken Paxton Sues General Motors for Collecting, Selling Driver Data
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing General Motors because he says the automaker has been illegally collecting and selling drivers’ data. Paxton announced the action on Tuesday after receiving the results from an investigation into the alleged practice, according to a statement he released.
He said that investigation showed how General Motors “engaged in egregious business practices that violated Texans’ privacy and broke the law.”
“We will hold them accountable,” Paxton said in a statement. “Companies are using invasive technology to violate the rights of our citizens in unthinkable ways. Millions of American drivers wanted to buy a car, not a comprehensive surveillance system that unlawfully records information about every drive they take and sells their data to any company willing to pay for it.”
General Motors used technology installed in most 2015 model year or newer GM vehicles to collect, record, analyze, and transmit highly detailed driving data about each time a driver used their vehicle,” the statement continued.
“General Motors sold this information to several other companies, including to at least two companies for the purpose of generating ‘Driving Scores’ about GM’s customers and selling these scores to insurance companies.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tim Walz Deflects on Stolen Valor Scandal in First Solo Campaign Event
Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate Tim Walz responded to the stolen valor scandal by deflecting the allegations against him.
The allegations of stolen valor plagued his candidacy since Harris announced Walz as the Democrat vice presidential nominee.
During his first solo event on Tuesday, Walz responded to the scandal.
However, rather than explain why he lied about his military background, Walz argued that his “service record” should not be questioned.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Top Hackers Expose Vulnerabilities in Voting Machines for 2024 Election
America’s top hackers have revealed that the voting machines due to be used in the 2024 presidential election have vulnerabilities that allow ballot counts to be manipulated.
However, despite the discovery, it may be too late to address the vulnerabilities before the critical November elections.
The vulnerabilities were revealed by hackers at the annual DEF CON conference in Las Vegas.
During the event, hackers sought to identify vulnerabilities in voting machines that will be used for the 2024 election.
The DEF CON “Voting Village” hacking event entailed hackers working with a variety of voting machines.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tucker Carlson: COVID Shots Are ‘Poison’
Leading independent news reporter Tucker Carlson has warned that Covid mRNA shots are “poison.”
Carlson also proudly declared that he is unvaccinated, which he described as one of his “greatest achievements.”
He made the comments during the latest episode of “The Tucker Carlson Show.”
During a wide-ranging two-hour-plus interview with comedian Dave Smith, the conversation turned to the “toxic” Covid mRNA injections.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
U.S. Army Intelligence Analyst Pleads Guilty to Selling Military Secrets to China, Bribery
Sgt. Korbein Schultz, a U.S. Army intelligence analyst, pleaded guilty to all charges he faced, including selling military secrets to China for $42,000, the Justice Department said on Tuesday in a press release.
According to DOJ, he was charged with “conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defense information, exporting technical data related to defense articles without a license, conspiracy to export defense articles without a license, and bribery of a public official.”
Schultz, an army intelligence analyst with the First Battalion of the 506th Infantry Regiment at Fort Campbell, was indicted by a grand jury and arrested in March at the base.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
VP Nominee JD Vance Calls for Breaking Up Google
Senator J.D. Vance, Donald Trump’s running mate in the November presidential election, has past ties to tech, but also strong opinions about it.
Informed by the knowledge of the industry many politicians lack, Vance is anti-Big Tech monopolies, and positive on cryptocurrencies.
Appearing on the CBS News show Face the Nation, the potential future vice president reiterated his previously stated by-and-large approval of FTC Commissioner Lina Kahn’s work, and the two seem to be particularly in agreement on the need to break up Big Tech monopolies.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Watch: Tulsi Gabbard Suing Biden/Harris Admin for Placing Her on TERRORIST Watch List
Former Democratic Representative Tulsi Gabbard is taking legal action against the Biden/Harris Administration after she discovered that she has essentially been placed on a terrorist watch list.
Gabbard, a military veteran, had it brought to her attention by Federal Air Marshal whistleblowers that she has been marked under the Quiet Skies program, a TSA scheme that seeks to identify travellers who may pose a risk to aviation security.
Those on this watchlist are not banned from flying, but are subject to enhanced searches and surveillance at airports, including having armed Air Marshals accompanying them on flights.
The whistleblowers have informed Gabbard that she is being monitored by two Explosive Detection Canine Teams, one Transportation Security Specialist specializing in explosives, one plainclothes TSA Supervisor, and three Federal Air Marshals every time she flies.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Westland Woman Accused of Drunkenly Driving Into Several Cars, Injuring 2 Men
WESTLAND, Mich. (FOX 2) — A Westland woman who intentionally drove into several vehicles over the weekend, injuring two men, is now facing charges.
April Graves, 43, is accused of driving while intoxicated and speeding, leading her to crash into multiple vehicles on Wildwood Street, near Florence on Saturday, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.
During the chaos, a pedestrian was pinned underneath a vehicle until the fire department arrived, removed him, and then transported the victim to a hospital for treatment.
It is also alleged that while a man and woman were unloading items from their car, Graves drove into the victims, pinning the man between the two vehicles and injuring him, the prosecutor’s office added.
Graves’ vehicle was disabled after crashing into the vehicles. Witnesses said they surrounded her SUV after the airbags deployed, and she was “laughing” until the police arrived and took her into custody.
| — Hat tip: Roger | [Return to headlines] |
A spokesperson for the Kamala Harris campaign was pressed by CNN’s Jim Acosta on Wednesday over her avoidance of press conferences and media engagements.
Acosta confronted Harris’s communications director, Michael Tyler, asking, “I’m sure this is not going to be the first time you’ve heard this question, but the Trump campaign is also going after the vice president for not doing enough interviews, for not holding a press conference. Would it kill you guys to have a press conference? Why hasn’t she had a press conference?”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Meta’s Bill C-18 News Ban Causes Canadian News Engagement to Plummet
A new research study published by the Media Ecosystem Observatory highlights how Meta’s decision to ban news from being posted to Facebook and Instagram for Canadian users has impacted online engagement one year later.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, decided to begin blocking news links on the two websites in response to the Liberal government’s Online News Act, Bill C-18.
The study said that Canadian news outlets have lost 85% of their engagement on Facebook and Instagram in the year following Meta’s news ban, a loss compensated slightly by increased engagement on other platforms like TikTok. However, the increase on other platforms has not made up for the loss, resulting in an overall decrease of 42.6% in online engagement.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Alarming Spike in Crime on Trains and Stations Across Europe
More criminal offences are being committed on trains and at train stations in Britain and Germany, and the response from officials in these countries to their own trends are markedly different.
Figures obtained by German media organisation NiUS make specifically note that about half of the 13,543 violent crimes at stations in the first half of this year—that’s almost 27% more than in the same period just two years ago—were committed by foreign nationals. Non-German suspects were particularly overrepresented in sexual crimes at train stations, 59% of which were committed by individuals without German passports.
London officials, on the other hand, appear keen to suggest the statistical rise in Britain is largely superficial. British Transport Police have attributed the more than 50% increase in violent attacks against women and girls on the nation’s railways to a greater reporting of offences, according to The Times.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Austria Plans Tougher Counter-Terrorism Moves After Taylor Swift Plot
VIENNA, Aug 13 (Reuters) — Chancellor Karl Nehammer said on Tuesday he would introduce steps to bolster Austria’s counter-terrorism capacity after authorities last week foiled a suspected ISIS-inspired plotagainst a concert due to be held by Taylor Swift in Vienna.
In a post on X, Nehammer said he was presenting a package of measures to enable “decisive action against terrorist activities”, linking to a media report setting out his plans to beef up domestic intelligence services.
The report referenced by Nehammer in Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung set out four points, including giving security services the ability to monitor communications sent on messaging apps — currently not permitted in the country.
Nehammer, a conservative seeking re-election next month, said after the alleged plot was uncovered that Austria needed to give intelligence agencies more powers to decrypt messages.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Belgium Owes NATO Big Money, So May Lose Military Techno Hubs
NATO is considering pulling its technology and cyber hub out of Brussels due to Belgium falling consistently short of fulfilling its financial pledges to the organisation.
Belgium’s lack of investment in defence has reportedly left NATO allies questioning the country’s security commitment, newspaper HLN reported on August 14.
NATO is said to be considering the relocation of the prestigious department to neighbouring countries, although this has not been confirmed.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Blame Game After Alleged Nord Stream Saboteur Flees to Ukraine
After identifying the primary suspect allegedly responsible for blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipeline two years ago, Germany issued an international arrest warrant for the diver living in Poland back in June, German media revealed this week.
However, the suspect evaded the authorities by disappearing behind the Ukrainian-Polish border—something that, according to Warsaw, was made possible by Germany’s failure to put him in the wanted persons database for border guards to see.
Three countries—Germany, Denmark, and Sweden—have launched investigations into the sabotage that successfully disabled Russia’s primary gas export route toward northwestern Europe, but the latter two concluded without naming a single suspect or uncovering any meaningful evidence.
Germany, in contrast, was able to find the boat that was likely used in the operation, as well as three Ukrainian nationals suspected to have taken part. They were identified with the help of the boat driver who was approached by the suspects and took them out to their desired location before two of them dived underwater to rig three out of the four pipelines with explosives.
The primary suspect is known only as Volodymyr Z. and has no official connection to the Kyiv government (apart from coincidentally sharing the president’s first name and initials).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Court Lifts Ban on German Right-Wing Magazine
A federal administrative court in Germany has temporarily lifted a ban on the anti-establishment right-wing Compact magazine.
The interior ministry, led by Social Democrat Nancy Faeser, banned Compact last month for “inciting hatred” and “aggressively propagating the toppling of the political order.” The ministry did not present any evidence that the publication had violated criminal laws. Critics of the government, including the anti-globalist opposition party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), accused the left-liberal government of a clearly politicised move to silence undesirable opinions.
Editor-in-chief Jürgen Elsässer called the ban a blow against press freedom.
However, the court in the eastern city of Leipzig said on Wednesday, August 14th, that it was not currently possible to determine whether Compact met the grounds for prohibition. The court said it had found evidence of the publication “violating human dignity” but said upholding a free press took precedence in its decision to overturn the ban.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU to Impose Customs Duties on Ukrainian Honey
Ukrainian honey exported to the European Union could soon once more be subject to customs duties after the volume of imports exceeded the annual quota of 44,000 tons.
Industrial beekeeping facilities in Ukraine are allowed to export a set volume of their product to the European Union without charge, but the European Commission now has two weeks to initiate a brake mechanism and impose customs duties on the product after that total was surpassed for the year.
Ukrainian honey is significantly cheaper to produce than within the European Union and therefore too much of the product flooding the market would have an adverse effect on EU producers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France to Keep Olympics Heavy Police Presence on Streets
France will maintain various forms of heightened security put in place for the Paris Olympics indefinitely, police authorities have announced.
Laurent Nuñez, the Paris Police Chief and former head of the National Centre for Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism, has confirmed that France will “continue to take determined action against crime” using strategies implemented during the Olympic Games.
In an interview with Le Parisien published on August 14, Nuñez spoke about the lasting security impact of the games, stating that “there will be a before and an after” in terms of security in France.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France on High Terror Alert Ahead of Tomorrow’s Catholic Holiday
France faces a “very high” terror risk ahead of the feast of the Assumption on August 15th and authorities should pay particular attention to “services, gatherings, processions and pilgrimages,” the country’s outgoing interior minister has said.
In a message sent via social media app Telegram to all regional prefects, Gérald Darmanin warned of “the very high level of the terrorist threat that continues to weigh on our country.” This has only intensified thanks to “France’s international exposure,” since it will shortly host the Paralympic Games “against a backdrop of high international tension, particularly in the Middle East.”
Darmanin, who remains in position pending the formation of a new government, added that “extreme vigilance must be maintained, particularly with regard to demonstrations and places of a religious nature.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany Seeks Ukrainian Suspect in Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage, Reports Say
German prosecutors have issued an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian man over the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines, German media reported Wednesday, with Polish prosecutors confirming they had received the warrant.
In the two years since the mysterious explosions hit the pipelines, speculation has been rife around who was responsible with Ukraine and Russia both vehemently denying any involvement.
But German media reported on Wednesday that a European arrest warrant had been requested for a Ukrainian man, a diving instructor whose last known address was in Poland.
The Polish prosecutor’s office told AFP it had received the warrant for a man named as “Volodymyr Z.” in June “in connection with proceedings against him in Germany.”
| — Hat tip: MM | [Return to headlines] |
German Government Wants Power to Conduct Secret Police Raids on Homes
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser wants to make it possible for the police to carry out covert house raids, with the official explanation being that such raids will help combat terrorism. However, the modification of the criminal code will target not just terrorists but anyone who “attempts to destabilise the constitutional order.”
This was the same argument made when the interior ministry recently banned a right-wing magazine, and is the same argument used to harass the second strongest political party, the anti-globalist Alternative für Deutschland (AfD). Opponents and critics of the leftist-liberal government have every right to be fearful of the expanding powers given to the liberal Berlin elite which intends to target its political foes.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany Locks Down Military Base, Claims Russia Tampered With Drinking Water
German politicians have pointed the finger at Russia after two military bases in the country had suspected incursion incidents overnight, with base drinking water apparently targeted.
A German army air base was placed on lockdown for several hours after water testing detected “abnormal values” in the on-base drinking water, and a man-sized hole was discovered in the fence surrounding the facility’s water plant. A second base, a NATO airbase hosted in Germany was pulled into the incident when there was a foiled attempt to gain entry overnight.
The attempts on both bases are being treated as linked acts of sabotage by some German politicians, and condemnation of the Russian Federation was swift.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungary: Budapest’s Semmelweis Medical University Ranked One of the Best in the World
Budapest’s Semmelweis University (SE) has been ranked among the world’s best in 14 fields, including cardiovascular medicine, which has moved up 12 places from last year’s ranking to 31st in the U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities Rankings.
Béla Merkely, the rector of the university, told Hungary’s M1 news channel that this ranking also has a strong international resonance, as cardiovascular medicine is a prominent field in the world today, with the highest number of cases and deaths being related to this group of diseases.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungarian Watchdog Imposes Stiff Fines on Wizz Air
Hungary’s market competition watchdog GVH has received an increasing number of complaints and notifications about airline practices.
GVH investigators are currently investigating the commercial practices of several airlines in the framework of complaint procedures, including both Ryanair and Wizz Air, Hungary’s own budget airline.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
International Arrest Warrant for Ukrainian on Nord Stream Explosions
German investigators have issued an international arrest warrant for a Ukrainian man they suspect of having been involved in the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipeline in 2022.
Until the attack, the pipeline — a key route for moving gas from Russia to a number of EU countries — was seen as a key factor in securing energy security in Europe.
German news outlets ARD, Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) and Die Zeit reported on August 14 that the Ukrainian was last seen in Poland.
Investigators are said to believe he was one of six crew members aboard the Andromeda, the vessel that has been implicated in the pipeline explosions in the Baltic Sea that severely hit Germany’s energy supply.
The person of interest is reportedly a diving instructor who taught in Kyiv but lives in Warsaw.
Investigators at the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) have alleged he was involved in “intentionally causing an… explosion” and “anti-constitutional sabotage.”
The arrest warrant was issued in June but has only been made public now.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italy’s Portofino Wars Over ‘Illegal’ Air Conditioners
Citizens living in the Italian commune of Portofino have been reportedly warring over the presence of “illegal” air conditioning units.
As temperatures in the region hit as high as 40°C, residents are said to be reporting one another to the local authorities over the presence of the units.
According to a report by Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera on August 12, permits for air conditioners are required for Portofino town, with the argument being that restrictions on their presence are needed to keep the location looking picturesque.
Instances of neighbourly spying have become increasingly common and some reports, the newspaper said, have been motivated by neighbours who are sticklers for the local rules.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Netherlands: Prosecutors Recommend 4.5 Years in Prison Against Leader of Eritrean Riots in the Hague
The Public Prosecution Service (OM) recommended 4.5 years in prison against 48-year-old Johannes A. on Wednesday at the court in The Hague for his role as leader and inciter during the violent riots in the Hague on February 17.
Two fellow suspects heard sentence recommendations of six and eight months in prison with two months conditionally suspended.
A demonstration of a few hundred Eritreans at an event center on the Fruitweg resulted in a battle with the police. The Eritreans, who were opponents of the totalitarian regime in their native country, wanted to block a meeting being held in the event center of a group of a group of Eritreans that are loyal to the regime.
The riots led to 750,000 euros worth of damage. Cars and a touring car went up in flames. Dozens of police employees filed a report. Many of them said that they had never seen such violence before.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘People of Other Cultures Have a Different Relationship to Knives,’ Claims German Police Chief
In reaction to rising knife violence in Germany, Bonn’s police chief Frank Hoever has said: “People of other cultures have a different relationship to knives.”
That was despite the fact that, statistically speaking, the number of violent knife crimes in Bonn, the former capital of West Germany, has dropped in the past year.
Hoever told Die Welt on April 13 that was only possible due to the major efforts of the local police to tackle the problem.
In 2023, stabbings rose by 45 per cent in the region of North Rhine-Westphalia, from 4,292 in 2022 to 6,221 such attacks in 2023.
The number of victims increased from 5,541 to 8,036.
Some 34 per cent of the suspects were non-Germans, despite such individuals only making up 15 per cent of the population.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
PM Tusk Bypasses Duda, Clears Commissioner Choice With Von Der Leyen
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has announced his government’s nominee for Poland’s European Commissioner — without first consulting President Andrzej Duda who, by law, must countersign the nomination.
Speaking at a press conference after a meeting of his Cabinet on August 13, Tusk told reporters the government had “unanimously” approved Piotr Serafin as Poland’s nominee for the post of European Commissioner and that he had spoken with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen about the choice.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Polish Confederation Party Leader Proposes Single Presidential Primaries for the Entire Polish Right
Krzysztof Bosak, a leading figure in Poland’s Confederation party and deputy speaker of the Sejm, has suggested organizing presidential primaries across the entire right wing, declaring readiness to represent PiS voters.
In a recent interview on commercial Radio Zet, Krzysztof Bosak floated the idea of holding presidential primaries that would include all right-wing parties, from the Confederation to Solidarity Poland and Law and Justice (PiS).
“The idea of primaries across the entire right has been around for a while, and now, as PiS lacks a strong re-election candidate, this concept makes sense,” Bosak explained.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Polish Soldiers Ramp Up Training for Trench Warfare
The war in Ukraine has significantly influenced military forces worldwide, prompting many countries to revisit combat training tactics that had long been considered obsolete. The resurgence of trench warfare on modern battlefields has led the Polish military to begin comprehensive trench combat training.
Social media updates from the 17th Mechanized Brigade recently highlighted exercises involving scouts from the Miedzyrzecz Brigade. The soldiers participated in a training assembly at the Land Forces Training Center in Wedrzyn, western Poland.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Polish F-16 Jets Intercept Russian Reconnaissance Aircraft Over Baltic Sea
A ready-response pair of Polish F-16 fighter jets intercepted a Russian II-20 reconnaissance aircraft conducting a mission in international airspace over the Baltic Sea, the Armed Forces Operational Command announced on Tuesday.
The interception, which occurred on Monday, was made public through a statement on the X platform.
“The interception and visual identification of the Russian Federation aircraft by the Polish F-16s occurred without any violation of Polish territorial waters,” the statement detailed.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tories to Blame for Widespread Social Unrest, Says Reform UK
Leading Conservative politicians are pointing the finger of blame for the recent nationwide riots following the Southport stabbings at Nigel Farage in a bid to distract from their own failed records on migration. That, according to Reform (and former Conservative) MP Lee Anderson.
Anderson was hitting back against Tom Tugendhat, frontrunner in the Tory leadership race, who said on Tuesday that Farage acted in a “deeply irresponsible and dangerous” manner when he asked”whether the truth is being withheld from us” concerning the Southport attacker. Farage, along with his party, has condemned the violence of the riots.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: ‘Keyboard Warrior’ Jailed for Posting Mosque Message After Southport Deaths
A 53-year-old woman who lived a “quiet, sheltered life” has been told by a judge that “even people like you need to go prison” after she posted an online message stating: “Blow the mosque up with the adults in it.”
“Keyboard warrior” Julie Sweeney was jailed on Wednesday for 15 months after she sent the comment to her local community Facebook group in Kidsgrove, Cheshire.
Sarah Badrawy, prosecuting, told the court one of the group’s 5,100 members became “uneasy” at a number of comments posted on the site in the wake of widespread violent disorder following the deaths of three young girls in Southport on June 29.
Following the posting of a photograph which showed a number of white and Asian people involved in the clean-up from the aftermath of the Southport disorder, Sweeney posted: “It’s absolutely ridiculous. Don’t protect the mosques. Blow the mosques up with the adults in it.”
| — Hat tip: Dora | [Return to headlines] |
UK: 61-Year-Old Man Gets 18 Month Prison Sentence for Chanting “Who the F*** is Allah”
A 61-year-old man in the UK was jailed for 18 months for chanting “who the f*** is Allah” and telling police officers “you’re not English anymore” during a protest outside Downing Street.
Yes really.
The sentence handed out to David Spring is the latest shocking example of how low the bar has now been set in terms of free speech in response to rioting that occurred after the murder of three girls in Southport last month.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: BBC: Court Hears Man Arrested for ‘Anti-Establishment Rhetoric’ on Social Media
The new UK government’s dragnet continues to dredge the internet, with the state broadcaster noting the arrest of an internet user for “anti-Muslim and anti-establishment rhetoric” going to court this week.
The BBC states a 40-year-old man was arrested on Sunday in Lincolnshire over the use of social media. Wayne O’Rourke appeared in Magistrate’s court on Tuesday, did not enter a plea, and will appear at Lincoln Crown Court on Friday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Violent Attacks Against Women on Trains Rise by More Than 50%
The number of violent attacks against women and girls on Britain’s railways has increased by more than 50 per cent over the past two years, according to official figures.
Violent crimes have risen from 7,561 in 2021 to 11,357 last year, while the number of sexual offences has risen by 10 per cent from 2,235 to 2,475 over the same period. The number of cases of sexual harassment reported over the same period has doubled, to 1,908.
A survey commissioned by British Transport Police found that over a third of women have been subjected to sexual harassment or sexual offences while commuting by train or tube.
The survey found that 51 per cent of those who have been victims of sexual offending said that other passengers had tried to help them. Crime data shows that most sexual offences take place during the evening rush hour period, between 5pm and 7pm, on busy train carriages.
Jess Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, said that the level of violence, harassment and sexual offences committed against women on public transport is “unacceptable”.
| — Hat tip: Seneca III | [Return to headlines] |
Three Thames Valley Police officers have won an employment tribunal in which they charged they had been disadvantaged by employers for being “white British”.
The Telegraph reports that the tribunal was informed that a superintendent at the police force was tasked with ‘improving diversity’, specifically by seeking to appoint an “Asian” sergeant to the rank of Detective Inspector.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Unprepared Greek Government Reeling as Wildfires Sweep Country
The Greek government has been left on the ropes as devastating fires sweep Athens and the Attica region, leaving a trail of destruction.
The government had previously boasted that it was better prepared than ever to meet the challenge of fighting the wildfires, which are expected every summer in Greece.
That was despite the fact that, according to the latest focus report of the European Recovery and Resilience program, Greece has only absorbed one per cent of the available loans and grants regarding civil protection and the effects of climate change.
The country’s firefighting capabilities are also restricted by antiquated equipment, underpaid staff and the reliance on volunteers. Some of its Canadair firefighting aircraft date back to 1969.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Top Hamas Official Says Group is Losing Faith in US as Mediator in Gaza Cease-Fire Talks
DOHA, Qatar (AP) — A top Hamas official said the Palestinian militant group is losing faith in the United States’ ability to mediate a cease-fire in Gaza ahead of a new round of talks scheduled for this week amid mounting pressure to bring an end to the 10-month-old war with Israel.
Osama Hamdan told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday that Hamas will only participate if the talks focus on implementing a proposal detailed by U.S. President Joe Biden in May and endorsed internationally.
The U.S. referred to it as an Israeli proposal and Hamas agreed to it in principle, but Israel said that Biden’s speech was not entirely consistent with the proposal itself. Both sides later proposed changes, leading each to accuse the other of obstructing a deal.
| — Hat tip: JW | [Return to headlines] |
You Can’t Defend Israel Unless You Talk About Islam
What do the stabbings in Israel, the assaults on Hindus in Bangladesh, the Muslim mobs roaming English cities and the massacres of Christians in Nigeria all have in common?
The politically correct answer is nothing.
And that’s why the politically correct answer condones, justifies or ignores the violence.
Islamic attacks on non-Muslim majorities in India, Europe, America or Israel are justified as resistance by the oppressed, but violence by Muslim majorities against non-Muslim minorities in Indonesia, Nigeria and Bangladesh were justified by claims that the Muslim majority was economically disenfranchised. Muslim violence is always excused by false claims of victimhood.
Within Islam, Jihads are billed as a campaign to unify the world under the Islamic ‘Ummah’, to impose Sharia law on all mankind, and eventually usher in a global caliphate. Externally however they are tethered to local and political causes of groups that happen to be Muslim.
Muslims see them as Islamic wars, non-Muslims are told that they’re everything else but.
Patterns define how we react to things. The question is what is the pattern?
Is the pattern that disparate groups of violent men shouting “Allahu Akbar” are killing people around the world for socioeconomic and political reasons having nothing to do with Islam?
Or is this a religious war?
| — Hat tip: Daniel Greenfield | [Return to headlines] |
Russia Ready to Execute Nuclear Attacks on NATO Targets, According to Leaked Documents
Western sources have reportedly leaked Russian plans drawn up between 2008 and 2014 for “a series of overwhelming strikes across Western Europe,” the Financial Times reported.
Citing documents from Western security sources, Putin allegedly sought to enable the Russian navy to execute nuclear strikes within NATO territory were a conflict with the alliance to emerge.
Targets would not be solely military. According to William Alberque, a former NATO official, “There could be hundreds, if not thousands, of targets mapped across Europe, including military and infrastructure targets.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine Strikes Four Russian Air Bases in Major Drone Attack, Claims Kyiv Source
Ukraine carried out its largest long-range drone strike of the war on four Russian military airfields in an overnight operation, a Ukrainian security source said on Wednesday.
The strike, which targeted Russia’s Voronezh, Kursk, Savasleyka and Borisoglebsk air bases, aimed to undermine Moscow’s ability to use warplanes for gliding bomb attacks on Ukraine, the source said.
Reuters could not immediately independently verify the claim. Ukraine was still assessing the scale of damage, the source said.
Russia’s defence ministry said earlier that its air defences had destroyed 117 drones and four tactical missiles launched by Ukraine at several regions including Kursk.
| — Hat tip: McN | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine’s Kursk Invasion Triggers Crisis for Putin
The governor of Belgorod, one of the Russian regions bordering Ukraine as well as Kursk—the region undergoing evacuation after Ukraine’s surprise takeover of hundreds of square kilometers behind the border since early August—declared a regional emergency on Wednesday, July 14th, due to heavy Ukrainian shelling, urging Moscow to follow suit on the federal level as well.
“The situation in the Belgorod region continues to be extremely difficult and tense,” Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a video posted on his Telegram page. “Therefore, we are making a decision, starting today, to declare a regional emergency situation throughout the Belgorod region … with a subsequent appeal to the government to declare a federal emergency situation.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine’s Kursk Operation: Strategic Masterstroke or Blunder?
In a stealthy predawn maneuver a week ago, Ukrainian forces launched a counteroffensive targeting the Kursk region. Initial reports indicated both parties held a tacit silence during the early hours of the operation. It has now been confirmed that Ukrainian troops have advanced deep into Russian-held territory, throwing Russian forces into confusion and forcing them to regroup.
The operation caught Kyiv’s Western allies off guard, prompting responses from global powers. The United States, along with Germany and Belgium, has affirmed Ukraine’s right to self-defense, which includes offensive measures on enemy soil, with potential use of their military equipment.
As the fog of war persists over the Kursk region, the clarity of the operation’s outcomes remains obscured. However, according to Australian strategist, Gen. Mick Ryan, the initiative has evidently disrupted the usual dynamics between the parties involved.
“Ukraine’s ability to spring such a surprise has not only unsettled the West but also the Russians,” noted retired General Ryan in his analysis.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine’s Incursion Into Russian Territory is ‘Defensive Action,’ Claims Polish PM Donald Tusk
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has defended the incursion into Russian territory by Ukrainian forces, insisting the action is a defensive move.
When asked by a journalist if NATO member states were bothered by the fact that Western weapons supplied to Ukraine for defensive purposes were used for an outright attack on Russian territory, Tusk appeared unmoved.
“I would be very careful with such wording,” Tusk replied, adding that “Ukraine’s action is defensive.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine Says it Has Taken More Ground and Prisoners During Its Advance Into Russia Border Region
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian forces pushed on with their major cross-border advance into Russia’s Kursk region for a second week Wednesday, claiming that they took more ground, captured more Russian prisoners and destroyed a bomber in attacks on military airfields.
Assault troops advanced 1 to 2 kilometers (about a mile) farther into areas of Kursk on Wednesday, the commander of the Ukrainian military, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, said in a video posted on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Telegram channel.
Ukrainian troops also took more than 100 Russian soldiers prisoner, Syrskyi said. Zelenskyy said they would eventually be swapped for Ukrainian prisoners of war.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
…But this is what Anthony Albanese said when put on the spot about it
Wednesday’s Question Time started with one very simple — and direct — question to the Prime Minister by the Opposition Leader.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Top Statistician Links COVID ‘Boosters’ to Excess Deaths Surge
A world-renowned statistician is raising the alarm after uncovering a disturbing “very strong correlation” between Covid mRNA “booster” shots and the surging rates of excess deaths seen around the world.
The alarming analysis by Professor David Edmund Allen was published by the European Society of Medicine.
Dr. Allen is a professor at Australia’s School of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Sydney and the School of Business and Law at Edith Cowan University, Joondalup.
He also leads the Department of Finance at Asia University in Taiwan.
Allen’s findings are raising widespread concerns among the medical and scientific communities.
A growing number of experts are now calling for a change in healthcare policy in response to the findings.
As summarized in the abstract of the study’s paper, Allen analyzed the official data for each Australian state.
The study investigates the link between Covid “booster” injections and excess deaths.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
This Midwestern progressive has only been in office for 15 months, and he’s already deluged with criticism over his handling of an influx of asylum seekers.
For many in Illinois and further afield, Chicago’s Mayor Brandon Johnson got off to a terrible start.
This week, he’s been ranked as America’s ‘worst sanctuary mayor’ by a migration watchdog.
The Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI) says Johnson lavished hundreds of millions of dollars on migrants while his own voters languish in poverty.
He’s followed in the ranking by New York City’s Mayor Eric Adams and his counterpart from Denver, Michael Johnston.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Biden-Harris administration is reportedly planning to increase the speed at which illegal immigrants at the US-Canada border are processed as the number of those trying to cross the northern border illegally has skyrocketed, CBS News reports.
The US and Canada have a Safe Third Country Agreement whereby either country can return asylum seekers that cross into its territory because both countries are assumed to be “safe” to live in. The treaty was expanded in 2023 to require illegal immigrants to have their documents on hand to see if they are subject to the agreement. Previously, illegal immigrants could ask for more time to obtain documentation. Unaccompanied children and illegal immigrants who already have family in the US are not subject to the treaty.
The agreement will also be changed so that illegal immigrants now have a four-hour minimum to consult with lawyers, not 24 hours.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Concerning potential symptom of flagging faith in the peaceful democratic process emerges as a poll suggests that a significant section of the public thinks that violence can be justified if politicians continue to overlook concerns around immigration.
A survey conducted by the British polling firm WeThink has painted a bleak picture for the future of the polity as an apparent breakdown in the trust of institutions to address the demands of the public has seemingly coincided with increasing willingness to back violent alternatives.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Female Fox Journalist Harassed and Chased by Migrants While Reporting Outside Shelter
A Fox News journalist has shared a video of herself being harassed by a group of migrants while reporting outside of a New York City shelter.
Morgan McKay had been covering the ongoing encampment set up by individuals outside of the Randall’s Island shelter.
Those set up outside of the facility have been forced out of immigration shelters under the Big Apple’s 30-day Right to Shelter rules.
Having maxed out their time, some have opted to set up camp right outside — telling reporters they have nowhere else to go.
Sharing footage of her experience outside of the shelter, McKay said some of those in the encampment grew hostile to her and grabbed at her and her phone.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Greens Demand End to German Border Controls
Green representatives have written an open letter to the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, demanding she ends border controls in Germany.
The reason cited for the demand was Germany’s current border control practices, which, the Greens claimed, were not in keeping with the Schengen agreement.
“We are turning to you today with concerns about the stationary border controls with Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland introduced by the Federal Ministry of the Interior,” the Green politicians wrote in the letter, quoted by German news agency dpa on August 12.
“The EU Commission must ensure compliance with the law.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
More migrants have been brought to shore after crossing the English Channel to reach the UK — with people traffickers taking advantage of calm summer seas to step up small boat trips.
About 70 people were seen being escorted to land at Dover in Kent by Border Force officials in the week daily crossings hit a new high level for the current government.
They added to the tally of almost 5,000 migrants making it to Britain since Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour government took power after the July 4 general election.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New Haven Man Sentenced for Lying About Terrorist Brothers During Citizenship Process
HARTFORD — A New Haven man was sentenced Wednesday for lying to immigration authorities about his family members’s ties to a terrorist group, officials said.
Mohamed Najm Kamash, 33, also known as Mohamed Najm Mohamed Ali Kamash, was sentenced in federal court in Hartford Wednesday to approximately two months of imprisonment, time served, and two years of supervised release, for making false statements during his citizenship process, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut’s office.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NYC Migrant Crisis to Cost Staggering $5 Billion for Shelters, Security and Food
The tab for New York City to house and feed scores of illegal migrants has likely surpassed $5 billion, of which $2 billion alone has been spent on housing, according to city data cited by the NY Post.
Since the spring of 2022, some 212,000 ‘asylum seekers’ have flowed through the system, according to City Hall.
Money spent so far includes:
- $1.98 billion on housing and rent.
- About $2 billion on services and supplies.
- Nearly $500 million on food and medical costs.
- Another $500 million on IT, administrative and other costs.
The NYPD has spent $21 million on public safety and security related to the migrants.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New York City’s so-called “sanctuary” status has come under fire from police officials after an illegal alien was arrested for the violent rape of a woman.
NYPD officials criticized NYC’s sanctuary city status after Daniel Davon-Bonilla, an illegal alien from Nicaragua, allegedly raped a woman at knifepoint Sunday.
John Chell, the NYPD’s chief of patrol, weighed in on migrant crime following the brutal attack.
24-year-old Davon-Bonilla allegedly grabbed a 46-year-old woman and raped her at knifepoint alongside an accomplice.
Chell argued that illegal aliens like Davon-Bonilla come to the U.S. to prey on city dwellers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Staggering Number of Migrants Who Have Arrived in Australia Since Anthony Albanese Rose to Power
The staggering number of migrants that have arrived in Australia since Anthony Albanese became prime minister has been revealed.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Elon Musk Named in ‘Online Hate’ Lawsuit From Male Boxer Who Won Women’s Gold at Paris Olympics
A male boxer who won a gold medal in the women’s event at the 2024 Paris Olympics has filed a lawsuit for alleged “online hate” from people angry about his “victory.”
Social media has been flooded with outrage from users blasting Algeria’s Imane Khelif for his brutal “wins” while fighting female boxers.
After winning the women’s gold medal over the weekend, Khelif has now launched a legal effort targetting his critics.
Among those named in Khelif’s lawsuit are X boss Elon Musk and “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Revealed: Disney Funds Puberty Blockers, Sex Changes for Employees’ Children
The latest investigation by James O’Keefe’s O’Keefe Media Group (OMG) has uncovered that The Walt Disney Company is funding puberty blockers for children through its employee healthcare plans.
Internal documents obtained by OMG from a Disney insider reveal that the company offers healthcare plans that include sex change treatments for employees’ children, labeling them as “gender-affirming and non-binary care for children and adolescents.” These treatments, available through Cigna Healthcare, include counseling, prescriptions, referrals, and puberty blockers for minors who identify as transgender.
“Through Cigna Healthcare, Disney employees have access to these treatments, including counseling, prescriptions, referrals, and puberty blockers for minors. This process starts with referrals from healthcare providers and is fully covered under Disney’s medical plan with Cigna,” O’Keefe explained.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Seattle Children’s Hospital Segregates Doctors by Race to Train Them to ‘Divest’ From ‘Whiteness’
Doctors at Seattle Children’s Hospital were forced to attend a racially segregated diversity training that claimed black people are “systematically targeted for demise,” and demanded that white doctors “tap into their repressed racial memories” to develop a white “race-consciousness.”
According to slides obtained by the Washington Free Beacon, the August 2022 training was mandatory for the hospital’s gastroenterology department. The doctors were divided into three “racial caucuses,” a white caucus, black caucus, and “Non-Black POC Caucus,” to “minimize harm to our black learners and facilitator.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A male golfer who competes in women’s events has blasted female athletes who complain about being forced to compete against transgenders.
Hailey Davidson, a man who claims to be a “transgender woman” to compete in female events, almost qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open earlier this year.
Earlier this year, Davidson was banned from the NXXT Women’s Pro Tour as the organization changed its eligibility standards.
In a post on Instagram Monday, Davidson attacked female athletes, seemingly out of the blue.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK Health Workers Ordered to Ask MEN if They’re Pregnant Before X-Rays: Report
The Telegraph reports that National Health Service staff in the UK are being mandated to ask everyone, even men, if they are pregnant before carrying out radiography.
The report notes that as part of ‘inclusivity guidance’, all patients aged 12-55 must be asked the question, regardless of their sex.
The new mandate was introduced following an incident where a ‘trans man’ (a biological woman) who was unknowingly pregnant underwent a CT scan.
The guidance states that staff must be inclusive of transgender, non-binary and intersex patients and refrain from making assumptions about biological sex.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Kamala Lewinsky and The Manson Family. https://torrancestephensphd.substack.com/p/kamala-lewinsky-and-the-manson-family