West Virginia identified its first case of the Wuhan Coronavirus, making it the last of the fifty states to report the disease. However, students on spring break packed the beaches in Florida, despite the coronavirus. Also, seven illegal immigrants arrested in Slovenia are showing symptoms of coronavirus infection.
In other news, Joe Biden resoundingly beat Bernie Sanders in the Florida Democrat primary.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to AF, Fjordman, Reader from Chicago, 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.
Poland: National Bank Cuts Interest Rates for First Time in Five Years
Poland’s central bank has cut borrowing costs and introduced its first purchase of treasury bonds on the secondary market in a move to tame the negative effects of a coronavirus pandemic that is likely to hit the global economy.
The bank cut the benchmark rate by 50 basis points to a record-low of 1.0 percent. Previously the bank stepped in five years ago, in March 2015, with the same move of a 50 bps cut.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Admin. Working on Plan to Send Relief Checks to Americans “Immediately”
At a press conference Tuesday, President Trump revealed that his administration is working on a plan to get substantial relief checks to Americans “immediately.”
“At my direction, [Treasury] Secretary Mnuchin is meeting today with senators on additional stimulus packages,” Trump said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“Yeah, People Are Gonna Die”: Actress Dismisses Coronavirus Threat
Actress and singer Vanessa Hudgens embodied what some see as millennials’ blasé attitude to the coronavirus when she said quarantine measures lasting until July was too long because it was “inevitable” people would die anyway.
Hudgens made the comments during an Instagram live stream.
“Umm, yeah until July sounds like a bunch of bulls***,” said the actress. “I’m sorry, but like, it’s a virus, I get it, like, I respect it, but at the same time like even if everybody gets it, like, yeah people are gonna die, which is terrible, but like inevitable?”
“Maybe I shouldn’t be doing this right now,” she added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
1st Case of Coronavirus Confirmed in West Virginia, All 50 States Now Infected
West Virginia has its first confirmed case of coronavirus, Gov. Jim Justice announced on Tuesday. This means that COVID-19 has now spread to all 50 states in the U.S.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Antifa Leader Encourages Lawlessness, Violence During Coronavirus Panic
As the world hunkers down in preparation for the coronavirus pandemic, some social arsonists are taking the opportunity to encourage not social distancing, but social breakdown.
Communist author and Antifa leader Wendy Trevino called on her followers to disregard the law and engage in criminality by shoplifting. It’s an act that would not only damage local groceries and retailers but place a dangerous strain on the supply lines that provide countless Americans with food and lifesaving medication
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Scores Blowout Victory in Florida as Sanders’ Chances Get Even Slimmer
Joe Biden scored a blowout win in the Florida primary Tuesday, multiple outlets report, the biggest delegate prize of the night.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Californians Calling Cops on Their Neighbors if They Hear Them Coughing
Some Californians are calling 911 if they hear their neighbors loudly coughing or sneezing, with paramedics being dispatched to homes in some cases.
Yes, really.
“Coachella Valley police departments say they’ve started fielding 911 reports from concerned callers convinced a neighbor’s overly loud sneeze or hacking cough is proof the person has the virus,” reports the Desert Sun.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx appeared to survive a challenge in the Democratic primary from newcomer Bill Conway.
A Conway staffer confirmed that he conceded hours after polls closed Tuesday. With about 74% of precincts reporting at 9:30 p.m., Foxx had 47% and Conway had 33%. Two other challengers were polling a distant second and third.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Coronavirus Will Give President Trump His Biggest Win
by Daniel Greenfield
MAGA can use the coronavirus to crush globalism.
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
Coronavirus-Related Dorm Evictions Likely to Spur Class-Action Lawsuits, Law Professor Warns
Colleges that have been evicting students from housing to deal with a theoretical coronavirus outbreak on campus had better hope their contracts cover the surprise removal.
A law professor at George Washington University, which promised to fine and punish students who stay in the dorms over spring break without preapproval, warns that the moves could spur class-action lawsuits from students.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Democratic Party’s Image on Google Was Changed Temporarily to a Rat
Google’s Knowledge Panel was temporarily displaying the Democratic Party’s symbol as a rat instead of the official symbol which is a donkey.
This happens as the 2020 U.S. Democratic presidential primaries comes to close and more searches for the term “Democratic Party” are made on the search engine.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
IRS, Treasury Delay Federal Income Tax Deadline by 90 Days
Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin announced on Tuesday that the federal government will allow taxpayers to defer income tax payments for up to 90 days in order to help mitigate the economic chaos caused by the coronavirus fallout.
Taxpayers filing for the 2019 tax season can also defer those filings for the same three-month time period. The ordinary deadline has been pushed from April 15 to July 15.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Mysterious Ancient Sea-Worm Pegged as New Genus After Half-Century in ‘Wastebasket’
When a partial fossil specimen of a primordial marine worm was unearthed in Utah in 1969, scientists had a tough go identifying it. Usually, such worms are recognized and categorized by the arrangement of little knobs on their plates. But in this case, the worm’s plates were oddly smooth, and important bits of the worm were missing altogether.
Discouraged, researchers placed the mystery worm in a “wastebasket” genus called Palaeoscolex, and interest in the lowly critter waned for the next 50 years.
That all changed recently when Paul Jamison, a teacher from Logan, Utah, and private collector, and his student Riley Smith were hunting fossils in the Spence Shale in Utah, a 506-million-year-old geologic unit housing a plethora of exceptionally preserved soft-bodied and biomineralized fossils. (Paleontologists call such a mother lode of fossils a “Lagerstätte.”) There, Smith discovered a second, more thoroughly preserved example of the worm.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Philadelphia Police Alter Low-Level Arrest Policies During Coronavirus Crisis
Philadelphia police will make significant modifications to the department’s protocol involving arrests, following guidance to mitigate the risk of spreading the coronavirus, officials announced on Tuesday.
Effective Tuesday, arrests for most non-violent offenses will only be made pursuant to an arrest warrant that will be served at a later date.
“This means that a person, who would ordinarily be arrested and processed at a detective division, will now be temporarily detained for the purpose of confirming identity, as well as completion of required paperwork,” police said in a statement. “At a later date, that person will be arrested pursuant to an arrest warrant.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Prominent Bernie Bro Tweets: “Go Shoot the Nearest Police Officer in the Face”
“Go shoot the nearest police officer in the face” these are the words of a prominent activist and Bernie Sanders volunteer Yusuf Naqvi, a Chicago-based contract lawyer.
“They are the bottom enforcers of a system that profited from such poverty and decay that we are now jobless and homebound with no income nor healthcare to help us through this crisis Go shoot the nearest police officer in the face,” he wrote on Twitter.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Spring Breakers Pack Florida Beach as Coronavirus Spreads
Defying concerns about the rapid spread of the coronavirus, vacationers in Florida have crowded a popular beach in the central part of the state, gathering in large numbers even as authorities have warned that such behavior risks amplifying the disease to a considerable degree.
Photographs show hundreds of beachgoers swimming in the water and laying in the sand. Local media have reported that municipal authorities may vote to close the beaches on Thursday as a public health measure.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Midway International Airport’s air traffic control tower has been temporarily closed after “several” air traffic controllers at the airport tested positive for the coronavirus, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Offers Encouragement: “The World is at War With a Hidden Enemy. We Will Win!”
President Trump took to Twitter with encouraging words about the coronavirus: “WE WILL WIN!”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Farmer Discovers New Species of Tyrannosaur in Alberta, Canada
Dinosaurs may have been extinguished millions of years ago, however their story gets clearer when we discover their remnants.
A brand new species of tyrannosaurus—Thanatotheristes degrootorum—has been discovered by a farmer and paleontology enthusiast who was hiking in Alberta, Canada. It is believed that this may be one of the earliest species of the same ever found in North America. Researchers say that the species can be 2.5 million years older than its closest relative, approximately 79.5 million years old.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Borders Closed: Who Can Enter Hungary and How?
Yesterday, Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced that Hungary will close its borders for all passenger transport. The measure is effective from midnight until further notice. Although the borders will be closed, Hungarian citizens and their family members can enter the country and Liszt Ferenc International Airport remains open as well.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Coronavirus: Europe’s ‘Open Borders’ System Faces Collapse
As a growing number of countries close their borders to fight the coronavirus pandemic, the European system of open internal borders — a cornerstone of European integration — is on the brink of collapse.
The so-called Schengen Area, which comprises 26 European countries, entered into effect in 1995 and abolishes the need for passports and other types of control at mutual borders. It is a key practical and symbolic achievement of European integration and is now falling apart.
In a move packed with political significance, Germany, the largest and most powerful country in the European Union, on March 16 introduced controls on its borders with Austria, Denmark, France, Luxembourg and Switzerland after it registered 1,000 new cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in just one day.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Coronavirus: Spain’s Lockdown Will ‘Last More Than 15 Days’
Spain’s streets have turned eerily empty since the government declared the state of emergency and imposed a nationwide lockdown for two weeks — aiming to stop the spread of the coronavirus in the country.
However, the Spanish minister for transport, José Luis Ábalos, warned on Monday (16 March) that the lockdown will “last more than 15 days” since this period would not alone be enough for the country to “win the battle” against the coronavirus.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Coronavirus: Honduran National Arrested in Hungary for Epidemic-Related Fraud
A Honduran national has been arrested in Hungary for using the Covid-19 pandemic to defraud a US company of nearly 100,000 US dollars, by promising to deliver 220 million face masks, the head of the Budapest Prosecutor’s Office told MTI on Tuesday.
The 35-year-old Honduran national and his accomplices used the credentials of an existing Hungarian company to commit the fraud, unbeknownst to the company, Tibor Ibolya said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Coronavirus: Hungary Closes Borders, Halves Shop Opening Hours
In an expansion on its emergency measures instituted since last week, Hungary closed its borders to private traffic, banned all public events and reduced the opening hours of most shops, Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced in parliament on Monday.
All shops except supermarkets, pharmacies and tobacco shops (Hungary has a dedicated network of tobacco shops, with cigarettes only available there) will have to close by 3:00 p.m. and international private traffic will not be permitted to enter the country—the ban also extends to Hungary’s two permanent international airports in Budapest and Debrecen.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Coronavirus: Polish Government Organizes Flights Home for Stranded Poles
Poles stranded abroad after Poland closed its border will be able to return home thanks to cooperation between the Polish government and the national carrier LOT, with the government announcing it will partly fund the cost of the flights.
Poland’s emergency measures to combat coronavirus have led to concern among Poles stranded abroad, which has prompted the government to activate an initiative to help Poles and those domiciled in Poland to return home.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that Poland was closing its borders to the virus but wants to help its citizens to be able to return home. The program will prioritize those destinations from which road transport is difficult, such as the United States, Canada, Britain, Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Coronavirus: Supermarkets Open Early for Senior Citizens as Volunteering Groups Spring Up Across UK
Supermarkets are opening early in countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia so that senior citizens or those with disabilities can avoid coronavirus panic shopping.
Since the arrival of the China-origin COVID-19 to Europe, British shoppers, fearing shortages, closures, and quarantines, have been stockpiling on essentials across the country. Supermarkets are working with suppliers and delivery services to increase production and delivery to respond to the demand, but shelves normally holding pasta, rice, UHT milk, or toilet paper are often empty by the middle of the day.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Coronavirus: Austria Bans Public Meetings of Five or More People
The Austrian government has introduced new restrictive measures to stop the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus, including banning meetings of five or more people.
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced the measures which also included the mobilisation of young people who have completed Austria’s community service programme within the last five years.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Czech PM Urges EU to Ditch Green Deal, Focus on COVID-19
The Czech premier, whose country depends on nuclear energy and coal, said Monday (16 March) the European Union should ditch its landmark green law seeking carbon neutrality as it battles the novel coronavirus.
“Europe should forget about the Green Deal now and focus on the coronavirus instead,” Prime Minister Andrej Babis told reporters, without explaining how the two are connected.
“Europe is now the biggest epicenter of the coronavirus in the world,” the billionaire populist added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Director-General of the Swedish National Board of Health has confirmed the country is looking into triage measures that could prioritise care for those most likely to survive serious coronavirus infection.
Director-General Olivia Wigzell spoke at a press conference saying that the authority was looking at triage measures that are often used in a crisis situation when resources are unable to cope with the volume of cases.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany ‘Must Do More’ To Fight Racism: Council of Europe
A European anti-racism commission has detected “high levels of Islamophobia” and said that public discourse in Germany is increasingly xenophobic. “Blatant” racism from certain quarters has impacted mainstream politics.
Germany must step up efforts to prevent and counter extremism and neo-Nazism, the Council of Europe’s European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) said in a report published on Monday.
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
Ireland: Antifa Collaborators in Student Governments and Youth Movements Exposed
Conservative student journalists in Ireland are publishing the results of a long-term undercover operation they conducted, which has revealed that there are many Antifa collaborators who currently hold positions in student governments and youth movements across the country.
The journalists, who write for The Burkean, refer to their work as the “Irish Antifa Project,” and describe it as “an undercover investigation into the tacit and sometimes overt support for antifascist harassment among elements of the Irish media and political class.” They are publishing their findings in a series of articles on The Burkean website.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italy Threatens Harsher Punishment for Those Caught Out of Doors
ROME — Italy’s Interior Ministry issued a warning Tuesday, promising higher fines and harsher penalties for those found outside their homes with insufficient reason.
In a single day (Monday), police stopped 172,720 people on the streets, sanctioning 7,890 of them for being outside their homes without adequate reason. A further 229 were found guilty of making false declarations regarding their identity or their motives for being outside, a crime punishable by up to six years in jail.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Most Poles Support Poland’s EU Membership
Eighty-nine percent of Poles in a CBOS survey supported Poland’s EU membership (up 8 percent from February 2016), 7 percent were against and 4 percent could not say.
Fifty-five percent of the respondents said EU membership did not markedly limit Poland’s sovereignty (up 3 points), 35 percent believed it did (unchanged).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Romania’s Orban Sworn in Again Amid Corona Emergency
Romanian MPs have given Ludovic Orban’s interim cabinet a vote of confidence — following a speedy appointment and teleconferenced hearings in a process the country has never witnessed before.
The self-quarantined PM and almost all cabinet members did not attend the parliamentary vote after a senator from the ruling party was confirmed to have been infected with coronavirus.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK Chief Scientific Adviser: ‘It’s a National Effort to Win Coronavirus Fight’
Britain’s Chief Scientific Adviser has told the public that the fight against the Wuhan coronavirus is a “national effort” in which everyone must play a part.
“We have now entered the delay phase of this pandemic and we want to delay the spread and reduce its effects,” wrote Sir Patrick Vallance, who is also head of the Government Science and Engineering (GSE) profession, in an article published on the Government’s website.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Climate Commies XR Rebranded to ‘Fight Coronavirus’
This morning photographers arrived at No. 10 to capture footage of a new group, ‘Pause the System,’ turning up in hazmat outfits to demand the Government do more to fight Coronavirus (video after the jump).
The group’s demands include ‘pausing the system’ to respond to the ‘health emergency’ as well as demanding the Government “provide universal basic income and full statutory sick pay for all people, pause all mortgages and rents.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Coronavirus: Chancellor Announces £330bn Loans for Businesses, Mortgage Holidays
The chancellor of the Exchequer has announced at least £330 billion in government-assured loans to keep businesses afloat and employees paid as well as three-month mortgage holidays for borrowers in need.
Rishi Sunak revealed the next government financial intervention for coronavirus at a press conference alongside Prime Minister Boris Johnson and chief medical adviser Sir Patrick Vallance from Downing Street on Tuesday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Looney Left: Vile Morons Claim PM is Planning ‘Genocide’ And Vow to Infect Boris With Virus
CRAZED Leftists are claiming that Britain is planning to ‘kill of old people’ in a mass genocide over the COVID-19 outbreak — and one idiot has vowed to infect the Prime Minister with the Deadly virus in a mass ‘cough up’ outside Downing Street.
Halfwit Josh Ryan from Bangor in Wales claims to be a DJ and set up the sick Facebook event, the idiot also boasts of his weed habit on social media including Instagram.
He called for ‘Coughing At 10 Downing Street To Infect Boris With CoVid-19’, of which is partially in response to Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s comments around the fact that more ‘loved ones’ were likely to die of the virus, before the infection died down.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Toilet Paper Now a Claw-Machine Prize at Arcade Due to Coronavirus
An arcade in East-Yorkshire, England changed their typical winnings from the ordinary stuffed animals to more coveted prizes, like toilet paper and hand sanitizer, according to Global News.
Eddy Chapman, owner of the British arcade, has decided to capitalize on the coronavirus outbreak while attempting to keep people’s spirits up.
After noticing that many shoppers were “panic buying,” he thought he would, “have a bit of fun with it.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Virus Lockdowns Impractical, Dutch PM Says
The Netherlands will not impose a national lockdown over coronavirus because it would have to be in place for too long to make a difference, Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte said on TV on Monday. “It wouldn’t be a matter of days or weeks. In that scenario, we would actually have to shut down our country for a year, or even longer, with all the consequences that follow,” he added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Coronavirus: Why is the Virus Targeting Iranian Officials; China Launches a Disinformation Campaign
The Covid-2019 coronavirus appears to be heavily affecting political circles in Iran, and there is mixed analysis as to why, and the Chinese Communist Party has launched a large-scale disinformation campaign against the idea that the virus originated in China.
In this episode of Crossroads, host Joshua Philipp sits down with fellow investigative reporter James Grundvid to give their analysis on the situation.
[Video]
| — Hat tip: AF | [Return to headlines] |
Iran Temporarily Releases 85,000 Prisoners
Iran has temporarily freed a total of 85,000 prisoners, including political prisoners, a spokesman for its judiciary said on Tuesday, adding that the prisons were responding to the threat of a coronavirus epidemic in jails, the Guardian writes. “Some 50 percent of those released are security-related prisoners [political prisoners]. Also in the jails we have taken precautionary measures to confront the outbreak,” the spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Reset: Russian Parliament Declares National Do-Over, Allows Putin to Rule Until 2036
It looks like the Kremlin finally found a working Reset button.
On Monday, the Russian Federation Constitutional Court approved a package of amendments passed by the nation’s parliament (or Duma) last week, officially resetting President Vladimir Putin’s previous two terms and effectively neutralizing the country’s two-term limit. NYT’s Moscow bureau chief, Andrew Higgins, described the decision as “a dense 52-page ruling clogged with legalese” that removes the last, “albeit very flimsy potential obstacles to Mr. Putin effectively becoming president for life.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Beijing Opposes Trump’s Usage of ‘Chinese Virus’
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Chinese virus” tweet smears China, saying Beijing strongly opposes Trump’s usage of the words.
Geng Shuang, a spokesperson for the ministry, made the remarks after President Trump earlier branded the COVID-19 as “Chinese virus” in a tweet and claimed it has affected U.S. industries.
The Chinese spokesperson noted, ‘‘Recently, some politicians in the United States have linked the new coronavirus to China, which is a stigmatization of China. We are strongly indignant and firmly opposed to it.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
China’s Real Disease: Not Coronavirus
[…]
“Does trade increase or decrease the likelihood of conflict?” Samuel Huntington, the late Harvard political scientist, asked in The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. “The assumption that it reduces the probability of war between nations is, at a minimum, not proven, and much evidence exists to the contrary.”
High levels of trade did not prevent the First World War, he pointed out in that landmark book. As Huntington, building on the work of others, noted, what is important is expectation. “Economic interdependence fosters peace,” he wrote, “only ‘when states expect that high trade levels will continue into the foreseeable future.’“ If, however, trade partners “do not expect high levels of interdependence to continue, war is likely to result.” …
Of course, war does not inevitably result when countries “delink,” “decouple,” or “disengage” their economies. Yet China and the U.S. are also moving apart as Americans become wary of an increasingly belligerent Chinese state, one that already has demonstrated that it has, for instance, little reluctance to injure Americans.
China, as we now know, allowed the coronavirus to spread for six weeks in December and January before Xi publicly acknowledged the disease. So, it is no surprise that Americans — and the Chinese people, who are now demanding fundamental political change — realize that the real disease is communism.
Coronavirus proves that for America and the Free World, China’s communism is the enemy — the one that really counts.
| — Hat tip: AF | [Return to headlines] |
China Bans US Nationals Working for NYT, WSJ and Washington Post
BEIJING — China on Wednesday (March 18) announced the effective expulsion of American journalists working for three United States media outlets, in retaliation to Washington’s controls on Chinese journalists.
In a statement put up shortly after midnight, China’s foreign ministry said journalists at the New York Times (NYT), Wall Street Journal (WSJ) and Washington Post (WaPo) whose press credentials expire in 2020 will have 10 days to surrender their press cards. They will no longer be allowed to work in mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Coronavirus Cases:
198,422
view by country
Deaths:
7,987
Recovered:
82,762
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New Plant Species Discovered in South China
Researchers from a Chinese research institute have discovered a new plant species of Thismia in a national park in China’s southern island province of Hainan.
The new species, Thismia jianfenglingensis, shaped like a red lantern, was found by the researchers from the Research Institute of Tropical Forestry under the Chinese Academy of Forestry, according to a report by the Science and Technology Daily.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Report: Vatican Stalls Beatification of Anti-Communist for ‘Fear of Offending China’
ROME — The Vatican is dragging its feet in the beatification of Chinese Catholic hero Cardinal Ignatius Kung Pin-mei due to “diplomatic sensitivity,” according to a report from UCANews.
Cardinal Kung was the Catholic Bishop of Shanghai who was arrested by the communist regime in 1955 and thrown into jail for 30 years for refusing to renounce his loyalty to Rome. Revered as a hero of the Christian resistance by Chinese Catholics, Kung has served as an inspiration to all those who suffer persecution for their faith under Chinese communist rule.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Study: High Temps, Humidity Reduce COVID-19 Transmission
A paper by four Chinese professors concludes that high temperatures and high relative humidity significantly reduce the transmission of the Wuhan coronavirus.
This conclusion is based on a study of all 100 Chinese cities with more than 40 cases of the virus.
The professors found that a one degree Celsius increase in temperature and a one percent increase in relative humidity lower “R” by 0.0383 and 0.0224, respectively.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Angers Beijing With ‘Chinese Virus’ Tweet
China has reacted angrily after US President Donald Trump referred to the coronavirus as “Chinese”.
A foreign ministry spokesman warned the US should “take care of its own business” before stigmatising China.
The first cases of Covid-19 were recorded in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.
However, last week a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman shared a conspiracy theory, alleging the US Army had brought it to the region.
The unfounded accusation led US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to demand China stop spreading “disinformation” as it tried “to shift blame” for the outbreak.
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
Twitter Bots Caught Retweeting Pro-China Propaganda
A new horde of automated accounts has invaded Twitter to promote the Chinese Communist Party and blame the United States for the recent COVID-19 outbreak by sharing content from pages dedicated to conspiracy theories.
Since the beginning of March, Twitter has experienced an often-unnoticed growth in bot accounts that have the purpose of supporting and retweeting some publications of members belonging to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
We Are in This Crisis Because of the Decisions of the Chinese Government
Even today, prominent Chinese citizens who criticize the government’s response suddenly disappear. The Chinese government is much more effective at stopping the spread of information about the coronavirus than stopping the spread of the coronavirus. Pardon me, the “Wuhan virus.”
We are in this mess in large part because of the decisions of the Chinese government. And once it’s safe to come out, we’re going to face some extremely consequential decisions about how we choose to treat the Chinese government after their catastrophic secrecy, coverups, blundering, and disregard for human life around the globe.
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
Hundreds of Inmates Escape 4 Brazilian Prisons Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
Hundreds of inmates escaped from at least four prisons in the state of Sao Paulo after local officials cancelled their temporary exits because of fears they could bring the new coronavirus back with them upon their return.
Sao Paulo state’s penitentiary administration secretariat said in a statement Monday night that 174 inmates have already been recaptured.
Brazilian media said more than 1,000 inmates could be on the loose. Reports also say inmates were complaining about restrictions to visitations this weekend, also aimed at containing the virus.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Border Force officers have detained and tested 25 migrants for Covid-19 after intercepting their boats off the coast of Kent in two separate incidents today.
Officers first intercepted a rigid-hull inflatable boat (RHIB), which was carrying a group of 16 men who presented themselves as Iranian nationals, at around 4.30am today.
In the second incident, at around 8.30am, a Border Force vessel intercepted a RHIB which was carrying a group of nine men who also presented themselves as Iranian nationals.
All the mirgrants were tested for the coronavirus and handed over to immigration officials to be interviewed at the Port of Dover in Kent.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Denmark and Norway Close Borders for Everyone But ‘Asylum Seekers’
The Nordic countries — some more than others — have started to put measures in place to combat coronavirus.
While Sweden, Finland, and Iceland still have open borders, Denmark and Norway have closed their borders — except for the so-called ‘asylum seekers’ — despite the fact that many of them have come from coronavirus infested areas in northern Italy, Danish daily newspaper Berlingske reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Exclusive: CBSA Halting Deportations Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
The Canada Border Services Agency has paused deportations while Canada deals with the spread of coronavirus, the agency confirmed to True North.
“During this time-period while the openness of international borders and availability of international flights is rapidly changing, there has been a significant impact on removal operations,” said a CBSA spokesperson.
“In light of the current circumstances and in the best interest of officers and clientele, the Government of Canada, in conjunction with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), has decided to stop carrying out removals at the current time.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Greece: Fire at Migrant Camp on Lesbos Island Leaves 1 Dead
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Authorities in Greece say a minor has died in a fire that damaged an overcrowded refugee camp on the island of Lesbos.
The Fire Service said the migrant, who was not further identified, was found dead inside Moria camp after the fire broke out Monday.
Moria is Greece’s largest camp for refugees and migrants and remains severely overcrowded, with thousands sleeping outside the perimeter in tents, despite a government pledge made before the winter to improve conditions and move thousands to the Greek mainland.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Migrants in Naples Ignore Coronavirus Quarantine
A video out of Naples, Italy shows migrants roaming around the streets, ignoring the coronavirus quarantine and putting other people’s lives at risk.
The entire country of Italy is currently on lock down with citizens only allowed to venture out for groceries and medical supplies.
“Only supermarkets and pharmacies windows are open. Only one person from each household can go on a shopping run. Police write tickets for people who are out wandering,” reports CNN.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Malta Pushing Refugees Back Into Libya War
Malta has let the Libyan coastguard drag a boat of migrants from Maltese waters back to Libya, violating international law, a UN agency said.
The incident occurred on Sunday (15 March) after the wooden boat, carrying 49 people, became stranded because its engine failed, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), said on Monday.
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Over 50,000 Migrants Denied Entry to Greece Since Turkey Opened Border
Since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan opened the gates to Greece in late February, Greek authorities say 52,541 migrants have attempted to cross the border.
Hundreds of migrants have attempted to cross illegally into Greece on a daily basis since the Turkish leader confirmed an earlier report that he would be opening the border to Greece for all migrants on Saturday, February 29th.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Slovenia: Arrested Illegal Migrants Showing Coronavirus Symptoms
Seven illegal migrants who were detained in Slovenia on Monday are showing signs of COVID-19 (coronavirus) infection.
The migrants were captured by police near the Croatian border, in the vicinity of Ilirska Bistrica. They were travelling in two taxis.
The migrants had fevers and showed other signs consistent with coronavirus infection. They were swabbed, and the results will be known tonight.
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The Migrant Invasion Into Europe is Still Intensifying
Although illegal migrant penetrations into Europe decreased between January and February this year, the overall trend is still on the rise.
From January to February, the number of attempted illegal border crossings across the European Union declined by 42%, to approximately 2,500 migrants, according to a report by the Hungarian news portal Remix. However, attempted crossings were nevertheless 27% higher than they had been during the same period in the previous year, according to a reportby Frontex, which is affiliated with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.
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Marvel Comics released a brand new trailer introducing their New Warriors line-up that includes a new superhero called Safespace and his non-binary twin called Snowflake.
[Comment: This is not from The Babylon Bee.]
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
https://www.france24.com/en/20200317-un-to-suspend-refugee-resettlement-abroad-due-to-coronavirus-travel-restrictions
Islamic invasion of Europe has been stopped dead in its tracks thanks to Wuhanvirus, I guess we thank China for the aspect at least.
They have not even started yet! Greece is now almost at war with Turkey with Turkish security forces physically assisting and directing the “migrants” Sooner or later they will be across and millions will flood Europe. This is a Moslem Brotherhood and Erdogan plan. They always do it this way. We are at war. As I long predicted but was laughed at.They won’t be laughing much longer and compared to what is coming- I can deal with ridicule.
http://timesofsweden.com/2020/03/17/breaking-sweden-closing-borders-due-to-corona-virus/
https://twitter.com/DVATW/status/1239986121234415620
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBDB1JXmpwc
“Marvel Comics Introduces New Non-Binary Superhero Character Snowflake as Part of Woke New Warriors Line-Up”
I’ve actually pained myself through the video and all I was getting from the writer was “we’ve prepared this new dose of propaganda for children and hopefully it sells better than our previous attempts.”
Don’t buy this c*ap for your children! And check all comics from the last decade or so before you buy them.
If they wanna read comics, get the old stories for them! Daredevil, for example, is a much more apropriate story to grow up with – it’s about a white Christian kid who is being raised by his dad and gets blinded while saving another person from a car crash and eventually ends up fighting crime in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City. Overal he’s a highly moral protagonist, which can’t be said about any of the new characters I’ve tried checking out.
Or look for your local comic books, pretty much every Western country has it’s own production and thus far doesn’t seem to be as heavily influenced as American comics.
Or better yet, get your child to read old adventure books like Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island or White Fang for older ones. I would also highly recommend novels by Jaroslav Foglar, as far as they’re avaiable in your language, such as Boys from the Beavers’ river – his novels are mostly centered around Boy Scouts adventures and the protagonists generally have a strong morale while being relatable for boys. Rapid Arrows was also turned into a nice comic book series (and movies), but I don’t know if it was translated.
Girls might prefer books with horses and there are plenty of those. For older girls, last year I’ve come across a gorgeous comic adaptation of The Last Unicorn by Peter B. Gillis and Peter S. Beagle.
The Czech premier, whose country depends on nuclear energy and coal, said Monday (16 March) the European Union should ditch its landmark green law seeking carbon neutrality as it battles the novel coronavirus.
“Europe should forget about the Green Deal now and focus on the coronavirus instead,” Prime Minister Andrej Babis told reporters, without explaining how the two are connected.
Not completely sure what he had in mind either, but considering Škoda (and all of Volkswagen) closed it’s factory, I suppose one reason might be that these companies are going to struggle after the epidemic as is and delaying the Green Deal might relieve them at least a little bit.
That and the fact that coal powerplants seem to be more appealing (and ultimately more environment friendly) than solar panel fields.
This aside, so far I feel like our government is handling the situation well and it would be much better if my fellow citizen were more disciplined.
I really hope the U.S. doesn’t go down the U.K.’s route
https://twitter.com/PrisonPlanet/status/1239740409166823424
“Reset: Russian Parliament Declares National Do-Over, Allows Putin to Rule Until 2036” All things considered, I’d rather have Putin in power for years to come, than for Russia falling into the hands of either someone too stupid to actually go to war with the West or someone too weak to balance the US.
Trump and Putin seem to respect eachother well and that’s the best outcome for anybody in the World.
Of course you like him. This Gauleiter is a real enemy of the Russian people and a criminal. It would be nice if during his lifetime he shared the fate of Chausheksku. In order to judge something, one must live in this country among ordinary people.
This wave of hatred in the country, which he raised by a constitutional coup, will not lead to anything good.
Only if the actual inside fifth column starts heading for the the Islamic paradise Turkey and Merkel the dead head Soviet departs.
https://archive.is/ufDZK
https://twitter.com/afneil/status/1240239369618894850
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/merkel-rival-merz-tested-positive-for-coronavirus-/1769428
Merkel rival tested positive for corona virus
These next few weeks will be both very exciting and horrifying for Europe my friends
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1256838/london-news-coronavirus-tesco-riot-food-rationing-uk-coronavirus-supermarkets
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/488265-merkel-calls-coronavirus-biggest-challenge-for-germany-since-end-of-wwii
10:37 am
“Germany suspends refugee resettlement programs
BERLIN — Germany on Wednesday said it will suspend resettlement programs for refugees because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Reasons for the decision include travel bans imposed in recent weeks to halt the spread of the virus, said Steve Alter, a government spokesman. The European Union banned all nonessential travel in and out of the 27-member bloc this week.
Partner organizations like the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) also suspended resettlement activities, citing “severe disruptions” to travel arrangements related to the coronavirus outbreak.
The government spokesman, Alter, said: “It is an adaptation to the actual situation that we are now experiencing.”
E.U. resettlement agreements with Turkey also will be suspended, including the so-called one-to-one mechanism by which one Syrian asylum seeker or migrant is resettled to an E.U. member state for every Syrian asylum seeker returned to Turkey.
The programs have come to a “de facto standstill” since last Friday and will be resumed “as soon as it’s actually possible,” Alter said.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2020/03/18/coronavirus-latest-news/
a great burden has been lifted from my chest
https://www.dw.com/en/germany-stops-accepting-refugees-over-coronavirus/a-52826716
closed to ALL refugees
Truth be told they are NOT refugees or migrants. They are muslim terrorists. Every Muslim follows the same satanic book the Koran so I would never trust them because I know that they are not moderate, not peaceful and they practice taqiyya.
Notice that all these programs are entitled “RESETTLEMENT”, thereby preordaining the result.
We should ask, “What happened to Refugee RELIEF, or to Refugee ASSISTANCE”?
Traditionally refugees were helped while the war was being waged, and then could RETURN to their countries. Refugee RESETTLEMENT is a crafty and not honest strategy of the UN’s “Replacement Migration” program, which is designed to undermine and dilute national identity.
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/germany-temporarily-stops-refugee-intake-programs/1771009
FIRST GERMAN CITY ON TOTAL LOOKDOWN “AUSGANSSPERRE” POLIZEI IS PROTECTING ENTRANCES
https://www.welt.de/politik/deutschland/article206578991/Coronavirus-Massnahmen-Erste-Ausgangssperre-in-Bayern-verhaengt.html
https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/corona-krise-fluechtlinge-finden-keinen-zugang-mehr-in-die-eu-1.4850318
note deutche welle english claimed “refugee children” were exempt but all german sources are saying refugee resettlement in its entirety