Gates of Vienna News Feed 3/19/2020

The death total in Italy from the Wuhan Coronavirus is now greater than the officially acknowledged number of fatalities in China. Meanwhile, the London Underground announced that it will close up to 40 stations because of the disease. Also, Prince Albert of Monaco has tested positive for the coronavirus.

In other news, a Pakistani doctor in Minnesota who had sworn allegiance to the Islamic State has been arrested and charged with terrorism offenses.

To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.

Thanks to Fjordman, Insubria, Reader from Chicago, SS, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.

Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.

Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. I check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.

Financial Crisis
» Bank of England Cuts Interest Rates to 0.1 Per Cent to Stimulate Coronavirus Economy
» Coronavirus More Than Doubles Norwegian Unemployment Rate
» Trump Wants Payments of $1,000 for Adults, $500 for Children in Coronavirus Stimulus Package
 
USA
» 34-Year-Old California Man Dies From Coronavirus After Visiting Disney World
» Adults Under 54 Make Up 38% of Coronavirus Hospitalizations; Nearly Half of ICU Patients Are Under 65
» California Gov. Issues “Stay at Home” Order to All of State’s 40 Million Residents, Effective Immediately
» Chicago Restaurant Giving Away Free Roll of Toilet Paper With Every Order
» Convicted Child Predator Tech Reporter Peter Bright to Receive Minimum of 10 Years in Prison
» Ilhan Omar Praises Trump’s “Incredible” Response to Coronavirus Crisis
» New York City to Begin Releasing Inmates to Help Stop Spread of Coronavirus
» PA Gov. Orders “All Non-Life-Sustaining Businesses” To Close Immediately, Outlines Penalties for Non-Compliance
» Pakistani Doctor Arrested in Minnesota on ISIS Charge, Authorities Say
» Photo of Trump’s Press Conference Notes Shows “Corona” Virus Crossed Out, “Chinese” Virus Written in
» Playboy Print Magazine to Shut Down, Likely for Good
» Smoking: Time to Break Up?
» Tulsi Gabbard Drops Out of 2020 Presidential Race, Endorses Biden
» Twitter Will Force Users to Delete Tweets That Deny “Expert Guidance” About Coronavirus
» YouTube’s Latest Coronavirus Update is Likely to Cut Homepage Recommendations to Independent Creators
 
Europe and the EU
» Arsonists Set Fire to Historic Catholic Church in France
» Coronavirus: Germany Whips Up Anti-Americanism
» EU’s Top Brexit Negotiator Michel Barnier Tests Positive for Coronavirus
» France Set to Postpose Second Round of Local Elections Over Coronavirus Fears
» France: Section of Paris Caught Largely Ignoring Macron Lockdown
» How the European Union Turned the Coronavirus Into a Pandemic
» Italy: Venice’s Canals Are the Cleanest They’ve Been in Living Memory After Coronavirus Lockdown Leaves Water Clear and Fish Become Visible
» Italy: Fasciani Clan is Rome Mafia — Top Court
» Italy’s Coronavirus Death Toll Now Higher Than China’s
» Martial Law France: Citizens Have to Fill Out Form Every Time They Leave the Home
» Merkel Claims Coronavirus Biggest Challenge to Germany Since World War II
» Norway Bans Cabin Trips to Prevent Rural Health Service Overwhelm
» Prince Albert of Monaco Tests Positive for Coronavirus, First Head of State to Do So
» Sweden Tests Ebola Medication on Coronavirus Patients
» UK: Boris Johnson Considering Universal Basic Income for Every British Citizen as China Virus Spreads
» UK: Emergency Coronavirus Law Protects NHS Against Negligence Claims, Establishes Corps of ‘Emergency Volunteers’
» UK: Farewell Poor People: How the Rich Are Fleeing London — As Millionaires Offer Up to £50,000-a-Month to Rent Rural Retreats
» UK: Johnson Refuses to Rule Out Extending Brexit Transition Period
» UK: London Underground Shuts 40 Stations Over Coronavirus
» UK: Manchester Bomber’s Brother Convicted of Murdering 22 People
» UK: Sadiq Khan: ‘COVID-19 is Not a Chinese Virus’, Trump ‘Disgraceful’
» UK: Tommy Robinson Court Case ‘Dropped’ Amid China Virus Outbreak
» Videos Show Looting, Fights at Supermarkets in London & Paris
» Virologist Says Fears of Racism Slowed Italy’s Coronavirus Response; Florence Mayor Urged Italians to “Hug a Chinese”
» Watch: African Spits on and Strikes Female Flight Attendant on Brussels Airlines; Attacks Male Crew Member Too
» Woman Accused of ISIS Membership Faces Terror Charges in Germany After Journalists Expose Her
 
Middle East
» Video: Turkey’s Islamist Regime Leader Calls for Holy War Against Europe; Hints at the Re-Establishment of the Ottoman Empire
 
Far East
» Ann Coulter: Cheap TVs, Expensive Flu
» Australian Teacher Living in South Korea Where Over 8,000 People Are Infected With Coronavirus Shares Photos of Fully-Stocked Supermarkets and Calls Out the ‘Appalling’ Behaviour of Panic Buyers Down Under
» China Again Pushes Conspiracy America is to Blame for Coronavirus; U.S. Media Ignores
» China Reports 1st Day With No New Domestic Cases of Coronavirus Since Beginning of Outbreak
» Chloroquine: What We Know About Potential Coronavirus Treatment
» COVID-19 Coronavirus Outbreak
» Farage: Communist China Regime Responsible for Virus ‘Nightmare’
» Jog on: Australian-Chinese Woman Breaks Quarantine in China by Going for a Run — and Ignores a Policeman’s Orders to Stop
» Tucker Carlson: The Coronavirus Pandemic Was Avoidable. China Hid the Truth About it From the Beginning
 
Australia — Pacific
» Arresting Moment Police Are Forced to Hand Out Toilet Paper as Panic Buying Sparks Supermarket Brawls Across the Country Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
» Coronavirus Panic-Buying Takes a Bizarre Turn as ‘Drongo’ Customers Scream at Each Other Over Groceries in the Vegetable Aisle
 
Immigration
» Afghanistan Refuses to Accept Deported Migrants From Europe Amidst Coronavirus Fears
» ICE to Limit Arrests During Coronavirus Pandemic
» Merkel Caves in to Erdogan Demands for More Cash for Migrants
» Migrant Labor Was to Blame for Coronavirus Spread in Both Iran & Italy
» UK: Illegal Boat Migrants Received Coronavirus Tests as NHS Staff Were Refused
» UK: Migrants Wearing Facemasks Arrive in Dover After Crossing Channel by Dinghy — and Are Tested for Coronavirus by Border Force Officers
» Video: Migrants in Paris Refusing to Comply With Quarantine Order
» Video: Aggressive Fighting-Age Invader Uses Pre-Teen Daughter as a Battering Ram Against Greek Border Guards
 
Culture Wars
» Cringe Break: Just Try to Get Through This 2-Minute Video Mashup of Celebs Singing “Imagine”
 

Bank of England Cuts Interest Rates to 0.1 Per Cent to Stimulate Coronavirus Economy

The Bank of England made its second emergency rate cut in a week Thursday, slashing the already historically low 0.25 to 0.1 per cent in a bid to stimulate the economy as it takes a beating from coronavirus effects.

The cut to 0.1 per cent, the lowest ever in the 320 year history of England’s central bank, came just days after the rate was cut by half a per cent to 0.25 per cent, again a move intended to keep the economy moving by making the cost of borrowing money cheaper.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Coronavirus More Than Doubles Norwegian Unemployment Rate

Coronavirus is already having a massive effect on the economy of Norway, with the unemployment rate more than doubling to 164,000 people.

The statistics were released by the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) this week and show that as of Tuesday, March 17th, the overall unemployment rate had jumped to 5.8 per cent as 84,000 people were laid off in just a week.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Trump Wants Payments of $1,000 for Adults, $500 for Children in Coronavirus Stimulus Package

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Thursday announced that the Trump administration wants to send payments of $1,000 to American adults and an additional $500 per child within the next three weeks as part of an $850 billion stimulus package to thwart the coronavirus’ impact on the United States’ economy.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

34-Year-Old California Man Dies From Coronavirus After Visiting Disney World

A 34-year-old California man who recently visited Disney World has died from Covid-19.

The man had come down with a cough earlier this month that resulted in him coughing up blood, and a subsequent test at the hospital revealed he had contracted the rapidly spreading disease. He was quickly taken to a local ICU where doctors sedated and intubated him. He ultimately died without waking up.

The man was reportedly at higher risk for complications from coronavirus, having suffered from asthma as a child and having contracted testicular cancer several years ago, though he ultimately beat that disease.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Adults Under 54 Make Up 38% of Coronavirus Hospitalizations; Nearly Half of ICU Patients Are Under 65

American adults of all ages, including young adults, have been sickened by the coronavirus, according to a new report from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention that examined nearly 2,500 of the first recorded cases in the United States.

The report, published Wednesday, showed that of the 508 patients known to be hospitalized, 38% were between the ages of 20 and 54 and nearly half of the 121 patients admitted to intensive care units were adults under 65.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

California Gov. Issues “Stay at Home” Order to All of State’s 40 Million Residents, Effective Immediately

Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered all of California’s 40 million residents to stay at home until further notice, effective immediately, “except for essential needs,” in order to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

Essential services will stay open, however, including pharmacies, grocery stores, takeout and delivery restaurants, and banks.

According to the state announcement, the following “essential services” will remain open:

  • Gas stations
  • Pharmacies
  • Food: Grocery stores, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores, take-out and delivery restaurants
  • Banks
  • Laundromats/laundry services

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Chicago Restaurant Giving Away Free Roll of Toilet Paper With Every Order

Since patrons have been instructed to practice social distancing due to the coronavirus, restaurants and bars have had to come up with creative ways to retain customers.

One suburban restaurant near Chicago, Illinois, decided to give away a free roll of toilet paper with every delivery or takeout order.

The Beacon Tap in Des Plaines, Illinois, posted a message on Facebook Tuesday announcing that food delivery is available within a six-mile radius and comes with a free roll of toilet paper.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Convicted Child Predator Tech Reporter Peter Bright to Receive Minimum of 10 Years in Prison

Peter Bright, a former tech reporter for Ars Technica and a self-proclaimed “pervy” feminist, was convicted of child enticement this Wednesday.

Unaware that he was communicating with an undercover FBI agent posing as the parent of two children, Bright expressed his desire to rape two kids under the age of 10.

The former tech reporter who identifies himself as a “male feminist ally” had been very vocal about his opinions on Twitter.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Ilhan Omar Praises Trump’s “Incredible” Response to Coronavirus Crisis

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) Wednesday evening praised President Trump’s management of the coronavirus pandemic, calling it “incredible and the right response in this critical time.”

Although known for her consistent criticism of the president and his administration, Omar used a series of tweets to commend the United States’ leader for how he has handled the crisis.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

New York City to Begin Releasing Inmates to Help Stop Spread of Coronavirus

New York City will soon begin releasing “vulnerable” inmates from its detention facilities in an effort to halt the spread of the coronavirus through the inmate population and the city around them.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

PA Gov. Orders “All Non-Life-Sustaining Businesses” To Close Immediately, Outlines Penalties for Non-Compliance

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday ordered all non-life-sustaining businesses in the state to close their physical locations by 8:00 p.m. in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Pakistani Doctor Arrested in Minnesota on ISIS Charge, Authorities Say

A Pakistani doctor, 28, was arrested Thursday on terrorism charges, according to reports, because he allegedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS) group and wanted to carry out “lone wolf” attacks in the United States.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Photo of Trump’s Press Conference Notes Shows “Corona” Virus Crossed Out, “Chinese” Virus Written in

A photo of President Trump’s prepared speaking notes for his Thursday coronavirus press conference shows the word “corona” virus crossed out and replaced with handwritten “Chinese” virus.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Playboy Print Magazine to Shut Down, Likely for Good

Playboy will be suspending the print edition of its magazine, CEO Ben Kohn announced on Wednesday in a letter published on Medium.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Smoking: Time to Break Up?

I have been very good friends with cigars for most of my adult life.

It’s time we broke up.

Prior to the arrival of the COVID-19 public health crisis, I was always aware that smoking was not in my best interest or that of my family and friends. But the unique taste and aroma of a good cigar was my definition of well-earned success after a long, hard day of playing the cards of high stakes business.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Tulsi Gabbard Drops Out of 2020 Presidential Race, Endorses Biden

Tulsi Gabbard announced Thursday that she is suspending her campaign for president and endorsing Joe Biden.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Twitter Will Force Users to Delete Tweets That Deny “Expert Guidance” About Coronavirus

Twitter has announced that it will be cracking down on coronavirus conversations and forcing users to remove tweets that deny “expert guidance.”

In a blog post and series of tweets about the changes, Twitter wrote that some tweets that tell people to “ignore news about COVID-19” and joke about the coronavirus will be removed.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

YouTube’s Latest Coronavirus Update is Likely to Cut Homepage Recommendations to Independent Creators

YouTube has rolled out another change that’s making it harder for independent creators amid the coronavirus outbreak.

From today, YouTube has started promoting “authoritative sources” (legacy media outlets that YouTube deems to be trustworthy) on its homepage via a coronavirus news shelf.

The change is likely to cause a drop in homepage recommendations for independent creators as an increased proportion of homepage recommendations will now presumably go to authoritative sources via this coronavirus news shelf.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Arsonists Set Fire to Historic Catholic Church in France

Arsonists set fire to the church of Saint-Apollinaire in eastern France this week, after which the parish priest declared, “This was the last thing we needed, given recent events.”

The gothic church of Saint-Apollinaire, whose origins date back to the 12th century, is located in the village of Meximieux, in the department of Ain, France.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Coronavirus: Germany Whips Up Anti-Americanism

The German government has promoted a fake news story asserting that the United States is trying to gain exclusive access to an experimental coronavirus vaccine being developed by a German biotech firm.

The story — which has sparked anti-American furor in Germany and elsewhere in Europe — has been swiftly debunked by the company, which denied that it had received financial offers from the U.S. government or any related entity.

The attempt to whip up anti-Americanism appears to be an effort by the German government to blunt public criticism of Chancellor Angela Merkel and her cabinet for their lackadaisical response to the coronavirus epidemic.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

EU’s Top Brexit Negotiator Michel Barnier Tests Positive for Coronavirus

The European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator has self-isolated after being diagnosed with the Chinese coronavirus, making the chances of the presently suspended Brexit negotiations continuing in the near future more remote.

Posting to social media to announce his self-isolation on Thursday, Mr Barnier, 69, said that he was “fine” and in good spirits and following the medical advice after his coronavirus diagnosis.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

France Set to Postpose Second Round of Local Elections Over Coronavirus Fears

France will postpone the second round of mayoral elections to June 21 following talks between government officials and opposition party leaders, according the French media reports.

France will postpone the second round of mayoral elections to June 21 following talks between government officials and opposition party leaders, according the French media reports.

Prime Minister Édouard Philippe recommended postponing the vote amid the rapidly worsening coronavirus outbreak, according to sources familiar with the matter.

An official announcement is expected later on Monday when President Emmanuel Macron addresses the nation.

The sources also said that the results of the first round of local elections on Sunday would remain valid.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

France: Section of Paris Caught Largely Ignoring Macron Lockdown

Despite orders from French President Emmanuel Macron to remain in their homes, members of the public in various parts of Paris were observed gathering in large crowds in the hours after the quarantine.

On Monday evening, President Macron addressed the French nation and ordered a nationwide 15-day lockdown in order to halt, or at least slow, the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus that has seen a surge in confirmed cases in France in recent days.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

How the European Union Turned the Coronavirus Into a Pandemic

The emergence of Europe as the new epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic has as much to do with the European Union’s inept handling of the crisis as it does with the resilience of the virus itself.

When the world first learned about the existence of coronavirus in China at the start of the year, the EU’s response, like much of the rest of the world’s, was to adopt a wait and see approach as to how it developed.

The problem for the EU, though, is that it has maintained this lackadaisical approach long after it became clear that the virus was going to develop into a global, rather than a specifically Chinese, issue. More pertinently, the EU’s failure to raise its game, after the rapid spread of the virus resulted in much of Europe coming to a standstill, means that the EU is now trying to play catch-up in terms of asserting a leadership role.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Italy: Venice’s Canals Are the Cleanest They’ve Been in Living Memory After Coronavirus Lockdown Leaves Water Clear and Fish Become Visible

Venice’s usually murky waterways are clear enough to see the schools of fish under the water with white swans also roaming the canals in a city where usually overloaded streets are now deserted.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Italy: Fasciani Clan is Rome Mafia — Top Court

Different from south but no less dangerous says Cassation

(ANSA) — Rome, March 17 — The Fasciani Clan is one of Rome’s mafia groups, the supreme Court of Cassation said Tuesday in its explanation of a November sentence convicting clan members of mafia-related crimes.

The top court said the Fascianis had made the “leap” in the 1990s, turning from a criminal gang into one that used fully fledged mafia methods.

Another two clans, the Casamonicas and the Spadas, have also been convicted of mafia crimes.

The Cassation said the Roma mafia was “different from those in southern Italy but no less dangerous”.

Italy’s three main mafias are ‘Ndrangheta from Calabria, Cosa Nostra from Sicily and the Camorra from Naples.

There is also a smaller and more localized mafia in Puglia, the Sacra Corona Unita (United Holy Crown, SCU).

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Italy’s Coronavirus Death Toll Now Higher Than China’s

Italy continues to post grim milestones amid the savage coronavirus outbreak there, now surpassing China as the country with the most reported COVID-19-related deaths in the world.

Over 3,400 Italians have died from the disease since the outbreak began, several hundred greater than the roughly 3,200 reported by the Chinese government. Italy has reported about half the number of infections of China so far.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Martial Law France: Citizens Have to Fill Out Form Every Time They Leave the Home

The coronavirus lockdown in France literally forces citizens to ‘show their papers’; They have to fill out a form explaining why they are outside and present it to police.

A translation of the form posted online shows how citizens have to provide their name, date of birth, address and declare their reason for leaving quarantine.

Travel to a workplace is allowed, but only if the individual can prove they don’t have the capacity to work from home.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Merkel Claims Coronavirus Biggest Challenge to Germany Since World War II

In a historic first unscheduled national broadcast, German Chancellor Angela Merkel addressed the public saying the coronavirus outbreak is the most serious situation the country has faced since the Second World War.

The German chancellor addressed the people on Wednesday evening stating: “The situation is serious. Take it seriously. Since German unification, no, since the Second World War, there has been no challenge to our nation that has demanded such a degree of common and united action.”

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Norway Bans Cabin Trips to Prevent Rural Health Service Overwhelm

You might think that staying in a mountain cabin would be a sensible thing to do in a time of home quarantines and enforced homeworking because of the coronavirus disease COVID-19. The Norwegian government strongly disagrees.

Under the country’s Infectious Diseases Act, Bent Høie, Norway’s Minister of Health and Care Services, today announced a ban on staying in a cabin or other leisure property outside a person’s home municipality. The temporary ban is in place until April 1, but could be extended. This seems likely given the popularity of cabin trips during the Easter week.

A statement from the Director of Public Prosecutions confirmed a fine of 15,000 Norwegian kroner ($1,320) or a short prison sentence could be imposed on anyone breaking the ban.

It’s the latest in a series of drastic measures introduced by the authorities in an attempt to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

Prince Albert of Monaco Tests Positive for Coronavirus, First Head of State to Do So

Monaco’s Prince Albert II has tested positive for coronavirus.

The 62-year-old prince was tested on Monday morning, according to palace sources, and results were confirmed on Wednesday.

The father of 5-year-old twins Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella’s state of health is not a source of concern, according to a statement from the palace.

Prince Albert, who has been very visibly leading the country’s task force efforts, is being closely followed by his attending physician and specialists from the Princess Grace Hospital Center.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Sweden Tests Ebola Medication on Coronavirus Patients

Swedes with severe confirmed cases of the Wuhan coronavirus have been treated with an experimental medicine used to treat Ebola.

Remdesivir has so far not been approved for widespread use but the Swedish Medicine Agency has given permission to administer the drug to patients in test cases. Professor Anders Sönnerborg, chairman of the Reference Group for Antiviral Therapy, is cautiously optimistic about the drug’s efficacy.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

UK: Boris Johnson Considering Universal Basic Income for Every British Citizen as China Virus Spreads

Boris Johnson is considering a ‘Universal Basic Income’ for all Brits to stay home and protect themselves against the deadly Coronavirus that has killed over 100 people.

As the country moves towards total lockdown like the continent — with a London-wide lockdown coming at the weekend, the UK could soon hand real cash to all Brits in a fight against the Virus — meaning people will be able to isolate at home with a cash incentive not to go out to work and risk catching the infection.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

UK: Emergency Coronavirus Law Protects NHS Against Negligence Claims, Establishes Corps of ‘Emergency Volunteers’

Emergency coronavirus legislation will empower the government to “provide indemnity for clinical negligence liabilities of healthcare professionals and others arising from NHS activities carried out as part of the response to a coronavirus outbreak.”

The proposed Coronavirus Bill will, if it becomes law, provide the state with sweeping, authoritarian powers to regulate the public’s behaviour throughout the emergency, in order to mitigate its potentially devasting effects.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

UK: Farewell Poor People: How the Rich Are Fleeing London — As Millionaires Offer Up to £50,000-a-Month to Rent Rural Retreats

Wealthy families desperate to escape the coronavirus crisis in London are fleeing the infested city for the country — with some offering up to £50,000-a-month for a rural sanctuary.

British estate agents have been flooded with requests from the super-rich searching for mansions with bunkers, Cotswolds manor houses and uninhabited Caribbean islands to buy.

And aristocrats, heiresses and society models are avoiding busy cities like London by staying at their gorgeous countryside homes — including the likes of Emma, Viscountess Weymouth and Lady Mary Charteris.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

UK: Johnson Refuses to Rule Out Extending Brexit Transition Period

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has failed to rule out an extension to the Brexit transition period whilst the government responds to the coronavirus crisis.

When asked about the possibility of keeping ties with the EU for longer in a press conference, Johnson did not give a straight answer, saying it was not “regularly discussed in Downing Street,” although he did add that “there is legislation in place which I have no intention of changing,” The Telegraph reports.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

UK: London Underground Shuts 40 Stations Over Coronavirus

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that up to 40 stations on the London Underground will be closed to curtail travel in an effort to halt the spread of coronavirus.

The night tube and bus services will also be reduced in the capital, where it is spreading faster than in any other part of the country. Other public transport services will also be on limited services, including the Docklands Light Railway (DLR), TfL Rail, London Overground, and the south London Tram network.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

UK: Manchester Bomber’s Brother Convicted of Murdering 22 People

DNA evidence has proved Hashem Abedi was involved in making the nail-bomb which his older brother Salman detonated, killing 22 innocent people and himself, in May of 2017.

Although Hashem Abedi was in Libya at the time of the terrorist attack, police and prosecutors agreed he was “jointly responsible,” and that the two brothers “stood shoulder to shoulder” in the plot. Hashem Abedi’s fingerprints and DNA were found in the Manchester flats where the pair spent months planning the bombing, sourcing thousands of nuts and screws.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

UK: Sadiq Khan: ‘COVID-19 is Not a Chinese Virus’, Trump ‘Disgraceful’

London mayor Sadiq Khan has complained that it is “disgraceful” to refer to the Wuhan coronavirus as “Chinese”, insisting it is a “global virus”.

“Covid-19 is Covid-19,” Khan declared to the London Assembly following a question from Unmesh Desai, who like the Mayor is a member of Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

UK: Tommy Robinson Court Case ‘Dropped’ Amid China Virus Outbreak

Tommy Robinson’s court case over an incident at Centerparcs has reportedly been dropped temporarily amid the Coronavirus crisis.

The controversial activist won’t appear in court on April 2nd and has cancelled a planned demo planned for outside Luton court.

The activist said: “I won’t be walking into court on 2nd of April if the situation is as it is at the minute.”

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Videos Show Looting, Fights at Supermarkets in London & Paris

Video footage out of London and Paris shows “youths” attempting to loot stores and start fights in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

A clip showing a Sainsbury’s shop front in central London shows youths attempting to smash down the supermarket’s doors in an effort to break in.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Virologist Says Fears of Racism Slowed Italy’s Coronavirus Response; Florence Mayor Urged Italians to “Hug a Chinese”

An Italian virologist has said that fears of being accused of racism slowed the Italian government’s initial response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic.

Dr. Giorgio Palù is a Professor of Virology and Microbiology at the University of Padova, and he was formerly the President of the European and Italian Society for Virology. In an interview with CNN, he said that the reason the disease has struck Italy so fiercely is because the government delayed imposing travel restrictions on people coming from China until it was too late. He said the country’s response was “lazy in the beginning” because of “too much politics.”

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Watch: African Spits on and Strikes Female Flight Attendant on Brussels Airlines; Attacks Male Crew Member Too

A video has been circulating on social media which shows an African man getting into an altercation with a Brussels Airlines crew, while he strikes and spits on them.

The video was originally posted on Friday by an American woman, Carmen Moore, who filmed the incident, according to a report at the Dutch-language, Belgian news site SCEPTR.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Woman Accused of ISIS Membership Faces Terror Charges in Germany After Journalists Expose Her

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) — Omaima Abdi, the former wife of two German Islamic State leaders, was charged in Germany on Monday with crimes against humanity. The charge was a result of two investigative reporters who exposed Abdi’s return to Germany from Syria.

One of Abdi’s husbands was the infamous former German rapper and Islamic State member Denis Cuspert (Deso Dogg) who later died in Syria. Despite this, she managed to return to Germany with her children after she reported herself to the German embassy in Turkey in August 2016, claiming to be innocent.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Video: Turkey’s Islamist Regime Leader Calls for Holy War Against Europe; Hints at the Re-Establishment of the Ottoman Empire

Turkey’s Islamist regime leader Recep Erdogan recently delivered a speech where he framed the Turkish border offensive against Greece as an Islamic Holy War against Europe and hinted at the possible re-establishment of the Ottoman Empire.

Erodgan begins the fiery speech with a quote from a famous poem written by the famous Turkish poet Yahya Kemal Beyatli titled, “26 Agustos 1922“, the day that the Great Offensive in the Turkish War of Independence which vanquished the Greeks in Anatolia and literally drove them into the Eastern Aegean Sea.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Ann Coulter: Cheap TVs, Expensive Flu

Well, like most animal-to-human viruses, this one did originate in China and then spread across the globe when Chinese tourists infected people in other countries.

As described by Melinda Liu in Smithsonian Magazine, the Chinese wet markets, “often poorly ventilated, with multiple species jammed together — create ideal conditions for spreading disease through shared water utensils or airborne droplets of blood and other secretions.”

This 2017 article was titled: “Is China Ground Zero for a Future Pandemic?”

When the pandemic arrived, at least the World Health Organization leapt to action. First step: Find a cure? Develop a vaccine? Demand protections for the elderly?

NO!

WHO officials got together and worked on coming up with a new name for the “Wuhan virus” that sounded less Asian.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

Australian Teacher Living in South Korea Where Over 8,000 People Are Infected With Coronavirus Shares Photos of Fully-Stocked Supermarkets and Calls Out the ‘Appalling’ Behaviour of Panic Buyers Down Under

Emily Costello, an Australian teacher, has been living in South Korea since the outbreak of the killer disease that has infected more than 8,000 people around the country.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

China Again Pushes Conspiracy America is to Blame for Coronavirus; U.S. Media Ignores

While the U.S. media continues to obsess over Trump calling COVID-19 the ‘Chinese virus’, China itself continues to claim that America is to blame for releasing the coronavirus.

A clip from Chinese state television shows an “expert” claiming, “The US pushed out the vaccine so quickly, that only means they have been working on it way before the pandemic.”

“So we can conclude that the US had this virus in their possession long ago,” responds the host.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

China Reports 1st Day With No New Domestic Cases of Coronavirus Since Beginning of Outbreak

China reported on Thursday that it had no new domestic cases of COVID-19 for the first time since the outbreak began.

China’s national health commission announced that all 34 new infections reported on Wednesday were imported cases from overseas arrivals. The Hubei province, where the coronavirus originated, recorded no new cases of any kind.

Despite this milestone, Chinese health officials warn that more cases are likely coming.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Chloroquine: What We Know About Potential Coronavirus Treatment

Chloroquine, a drug that has been used to prevent and treat malaria, has shown promise in being a potential treatment for the novel cornavirus sweeping the globe, President Trump said Thursday.

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a multicountry clinical trial of four drugs as possible COVID-19 treatments — one of those drugs is chloroquine.

Chloroquine is widely available now and could be used off-label, but FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn explained that officials want a formal study to get good information on its safety and effectiveness. The drug was first used to treat malaria in 1944.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

COVID-19 Coronavirus Outbreak

Coronavirus Cases:

245,648

view by country

Deaths:

10,048

Recovered:

88,437

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Farage: Communist China Regime Responsible for Virus ‘Nightmare’

Nigel Farage has taken aim at journalists accusing President Trump of bigotry for laying the blame for the “Chinese virus” at Beijing’s door, saying they are indeed to responsible for it.

The People’s Republic of China and its one-party, communist regime, Farage noted, “seems to be above criticism” as the pandemic rips through the West.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Jog on: Australian-Chinese Woman Breaks Quarantine in China by Going for a Run — and Ignores a Policeman’s Orders to Stop

An Australian-Chinese woman has broken quarantine in China by going for a jog and defying a police officer’s orders to stop.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Tucker Carlson: The Coronavirus Pandemic Was Avoidable. China Hid the Truth About it From the Beginning

On January 1st of this year, The Global Times — that’s an English language Chinese propaganda outlet — reported that eight people had been arrested for spreading “rumors” about a pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan in China.

Those rumors were shared by eight physicians. They described the illness on WeChat, a Chinese social media app. Now, it’s obvious what they were warning about.

During the week of January 11th through January 17th, Wuhan authorities insisted there were no new cases of this mysterious disease. That of course, was a lie and a deadly one. We’ve got to emphasize that.

This calamity, this coronavirus pandemic, was avoidable. It happened because China hid the truth about what was happening from the rest of the world. They’re still trying to do that.

           — Hat tip: Fjordman [Return to headlines]
 

Arresting Moment Police Are Forced to Hand Out Toilet Paper as Panic Buying Sparks Supermarket Brawls Across the Country Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Police have been forced to handout toilet paper after panic buying reached dangerous levels at a Woolworths in Sydney.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Coronavirus Panic-Buying Takes a Bizarre Turn as ‘Drongo’ Customers Scream at Each Other Over Groceries in the Vegetable Aisle

Shocking footage showed people kicking and screaming at each other at Spudshed in Jandakot, south of Perth.

           — Hat tip: SS [Return to headlines]
 

Afghanistan Refuses to Accept Deported Migrants From Europe Amidst Coronavirus Fears

Claiming that it is a measure to combat the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), Afghanistan has declared that it will no longer accept Afghans who are deported from Sweden. It is asking all other European countries to suspend deportations as well.

The Swedish police announced on their website that deportations of Afghans will have to cease due to the Afghan government’s decision, according to a report by Fria Tider. They also announced that deportations are becoming more challenging as the number of available international flights are rapidly decreasing as a result of quarantine measures.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

ICE to Limit Arrests During Coronavirus Pandemic

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced Wednesday that it will “adjust its enforcement posture” by limiting arrests to those that are considered “mission critical” until the coronavirus pandemic has been alleviated, according to the New York Times.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Merkel Caves in to Erdogan Demands for More Cash for Migrants

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has promised to give additional cash to Turkey for migrants after the country opened the gates to Greece late last month.

The announcement comes after both Merkel and Macron, along with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, attended a migrant summit through teleconference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Migrant Labor Was to Blame for Coronavirus Spread in Both Iran & Italy

The use of migrant labor, some of it illegal, in both Iran and Italy, played a major role in the spread of coronavirus, emphasizing once again how open borders were a vector for the disease.

The Wall Street Journal reported how Iranian officials traced “the origins of the country’s coronavirus epidemic” in the holy city of Qom to “a number of Chinese-backed infrastructure projects built by scores of workers and technicians from China.”

According to the piece, the migrant labor “helped keep Iran’s economy alive in the face of American sanctions,” but also served as the source for the spread of a virus that has gone on to infect over 18,000 people in Iran, killing nearly 1300.

Illegal immigrants in Italy are also thought to have played a major role in the spread of COVID-19.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

UK: Illegal Boat Migrants Received Coronavirus Tests as NHS Staff Were Refused

Dozens of illegal boat migrants have been arriving in England and receiving coronavirus tests, according to reports — while many healthcare workers were being refused.

“In line with Public Health England guidance, Border Force and all operational staff have the relevant Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) available to them,” said a Home Office spokesman, in comments reported by the Daily Mail.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

UK: Migrants Wearing Facemasks Arrive in Dover After Crossing Channel by Dinghy — and Are Tested for Coronavirus by Border Force Officers

Migrants wearing facemasks were pictured arriving at Dover after crossing the English Channel in a large rubber dingy today.

Border Force officials apparently tested the migrants for possible cases of COVID-19 (coronavirus) upon arrival into the country.

It is understood a number of migrants were detained by Border Force and taken into the Port of Dover before being handed over to Immigration Officers.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Video: Migrants in Paris Refusing to Comply With Quarantine Order

Video footage out of Paris shows migrants violating the country’s quarantine order by being outside without good reason as they squabble with and shout at police.

The clip appears to show a man being arrested and bundled into a police car by officers.

A group of migrants then immediately forms a crowd around the police officers and begins loudly remonstrating with them.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Video: Aggressive Fighting-Age Invader Uses Pre-Teen Daughter as a Battering Ram Against Greek Border Guards

In this video clip, a fighting-aged migrant invader can be seen aggressively using his pre-teen daughter as a battering ram against Greek border guards.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

Cringe Break: Just Try to Get Through This 2-Minute Video Mashup of Celebs Singing “Imagine”

This may be the one and only Cringe Break in Disrn’s history but it’s worth it.

           — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago [Return to headlines]
 

13 thoughts on “Gates of Vienna News Feed 3/19/2020

  1. Maoist China didn’t get its way with demands for fair trade and the end to their IP thefts.

    So, they poisoned the world?

    • Simple, overwhelming answer for all to learn, right now. I’m a Faithful, Conservative, China is an enemy, no question, but this began in Oct., Nov. locally in high density Wuhan before they realized how dangerous and transmissible it was, not just a cold! From these long well understood commie failures (among the learned ones of us!), commies being long guilty of 100s of millions of intended murdered dead throughout the world, which they directly caused, by starvation, torture, bullets, etc.

      But microbes (remember, even bacteria have such enemies as virus phages!!!) are a bigger and longer term fundamental enemy of all humanity, even of the uncivilized, such as commies, socialists, evil devil worshipping cults and gangs, whom the smart among us know who they fundamentally are. Here, following is enlightenment sources on the longer, greater universal enemy (and SARS-2 origin, among others), for which our immune system was designed, by our Creator, in fact. Why? Known but to the Creator! Ours is to but to live in such Knowledge and Faith, and to LEARN, as admonished, well so in fact, in our guidebook, the Bible.

      https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200317175442.htm

      https://consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/coronaviruses-have-been-around-for-centuries-what-differentiates-2019-ncov/

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPpoJGYlW54

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tefAgSl-SWs

    • Why stock up on food when you can fill your pantry with toilet paper!

    • I bet in the next 24 hours at the very least Berlin, Bremen, Hamburg, Baden-Wurttemberg and North-Rhine Westpalia will follow suit.

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