The Brazilian government is drawing up plans to reopen the country’s economy. Meanwhile, the owner of a tattoo parlor in North Carolina was arrested by police for reopening his business in violation of the coronavirus restrictions. Also, according to a recent poll, the majority of Canadians think a coronavirus vaccine should be made mandatory when it is released.
In other news, when three French “youths” were arrested while carrying large amounts of drugs, they told police they were simply stocking up for Ramadan.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Fjordman, 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.
EU Commissioner Warns Coronavirus Worse Than 2008 Financial Crisis
European Commissioner Frans Timmermans has warned that the financial repercussions of the Wuhan coronavirus could be worse than the 2008 financial crisis and could lead to the breakup of the EU.
The first executive vice president of the European Commission made his warnings late last month during a closed meeting of top EU officials in Brussels, but Italian media has now published the minutes.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
GDP Sinks 4.8% in the First Quarter, Biggest Drop Since 2008 and There is Worse to Come
The numbers: The collapse in the U.S. economy caused by the coronavirus pandemic triggered the biggest drop in gross domestic product in the first quarter since 2008 in a prelude to an even more massive decline in the spring. GDP, the official scorecard for economic growth, shrank at a 4.8% annualized pace.
GDP, the official scorecard for the economy, shrank at a 4.8% annualized pace from the beginning of January to the end of March, the government said Wednesday. Economists polled by MarketWatch had forecast a 3.9% decrease.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The founder of the flashpoint #MeToo movement, which has succeeded in exposing countless male sexual predators across the country and the world, is refusing to denounce Joe Biden, even as he stands accused of sexually assaulting one of his aides in 1993.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“Give People Their Freedom Back!” Elon Musk Calls for Re-Opening America
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is calling for coronavirus lockdowns to be eased and America to be re-opened, asserting, “give people their freedom back!”
Musk made the remarks on Twitter, tweeting a link to a Wall Street Journal article which presents data indicating lockdowns don’t save lives.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A Michigan Student Was Arrested and Charged for Posting This Photo
A college student who attended Lake Superior State University in Michigan is now facing charges of terroristic threats after posing with his AR-15 on a private Snapchat group.
The police report for Lucas Gerhard’s arrest, a copy of which Campus Reform obtained, states, “Gerhard posted a picture of an AR-15 rifle with a bayonet attachment, and several pieces of what appears to be Kevlar body armor, several duffel bags…the text of the message with this picture states ‘taking this bad boy up, this outta make the snowflakes melt, aye? And I mean snowflakes as in snow (smiley face emoji).”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Abrams, Gillibrand Come Out in Support of Biden Amid Sex Abuse Allegations
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and vice president hopeful and failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams have both supported Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, despite allegations of sexual assault against him.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
California Man Thrown in Psychiatric Hold for Expressing Concern About Bill Gates’ Vaccines
A California man has been locked in a psychiatric hold after he said he would ‘have to take things into my own hands’ regarding a theory involving Bill Gates, vaccines and 5G.
The Independent reports that the man “was placed in psychiatric hold for three days while police seized unregistered shotguns from his home.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Chicago House Party Vid Shows Stripper Swarmed, Zero Social Distancing
Forget the thirst trap — this packed house party in Chicago featuring a stripper is more like a potential coronavirus trap with all the guests blatantly ignoring quarantine guidelines.
It turns out there was even more reckless behavior going down in Chi-Town over the weekend — this party seemed to have several dozen guests swarming around a stripper wearing a top, but nothing down below. The partygoers, packed in shoulder-to-shoulder, made it rain on her and even got a little handsy.
That might be great for her bottom line, but not so great for health. The video shows no one was thinking a thing about COVID-19, face coverings or maintaining six feet between each other.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Chicago House Party Building Owner Cited and Fined…adult Son Was to Blame!!!
The Chicago house party that streamed live with at least 1,000 guests potentially spreading the coronavirus is gonna cost the building’s owner.
TMZ confirmed Chi-Town officials have hit the owner with fines, and cited her for disorderly conduct — namely, violating the state’s stay-at-home orders. The fees will be determined by the court at a later date … and a city alderman said the owner’s been put “on notice.”
Reports also say the woman’s adult kid was to blame for the dangerous party. Apparently he had keys to the place and disarmed the alarms for the rager. Unclear if his ma knew what he was doing, but officials say he’s previously thrown at least one other party this size.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Citing Disobedience of Government Orders, Facebook Deletes Event Page for MI Anti-Lockdown Protest
Continuing a recent trend, Facebook this week deleted an event for an anti-lockdown protest in Michigan, citing the fact that the protesters would have been going against a government ban on gatherings if they followed through with their plan.
The event, “Rally on the State Capitol Lawn,” was meant to organize an April 30 gathering at the capitol building in Lansing. A Facebook user reported the event to the company, which removed it from the site.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Elon Musk Calls on Government to “Free America Now”
Global tech entrepreneur Elon Musk is increasingly calling for the reopening of the American economy, using his significant social media exposure to demand the government, as he put it in one recent tweet, “free America now.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg Comes Out in Support of Lockdown Measures
As the debate over whether coronavirus lockdowns should be lifted continues, social media platforms have been stamping out discourse on the topic and aggressively removing content that questions the need for shelter-in-place.
Facebook has done this by cracking down on stay-at-home protest groups and removing them from its platform.
Today, the platform removed several event pages promoting a stay-at-home protest in Lansing, Michigan, for defying government guidance on social distancing.
And now Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has personally come out in support of lockdown measures during Facebook’s first-quarter earnings call where the company reported better-than-expected earnings.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Explosive new internal FBI documents unsealed Wednesday show that top bureau officials discussed their motivations for interviewing then-national security adviser Michael Flynn in the White House in January 2017 — and openly questioned if their “goal” was “to get him to lie, so we can prosecute him or get him fired.”
The handwritten notes — written by the FBI’s former head of counterintelligence Bill Priestap after a meeting with then-FBI Director James Comey and then-FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, Fox News is told — further suggested that agents planned in the alternative to get Flynn “to admit to breaking the Logan Act.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Joe Biden Wins Ohio’s Mail-in Primary Delayed by Coronavirus
Tuesday was the first major test of statewide elections via mail amid an outbreak.
Joe Biden won Ohio’s presidential primary, clinching a contest that was less about the Democratic nomination and more about how states can conduct elections in the era of the novel coronavirus.
Tuesday’s primary was the first major test of statewide elections via mail amid an outbreak.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Justin Amash Officially Exploring Libertarian Party Presidential Campaign
Self-described “lowercase ‘L’“ libertarian Justin Amash is looking to become an uppercase “L” Libertarian. The Grand Rapids-based U.S. Representative announced on Tuesday that he has launched an exploratory committee to seek the Libertarian Party’s nomination for president.
“We’re ready for a presidency that will restore respect for our Constitution and bring people together,” Amash tweeted. “I’m excited and honored to be taking these first steps toward serving Americans of every background as president.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Liberal Catholic Paper Slams Cardinal Timothy Dolan for Praising Trump
The progressive National Catholic Reporter (NCR) published an editorial Tuesday trashing New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan for “capitulating” to the Republican Party.
In their op-ed titled “Dolan delivers the church to Trump and the GOP,” the paper’s editors lament that “the cardinal archbishop of New York has inextricably linked the Catholic Church in the United States to the Republican Party and, particularly, President Donald Trump.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Massachusetts Pastor Resumes in-Person Church Services, Receives Warning Letter From City Manager
A pastor in Worcester, Massachusetts, received a warning letter from the city manager after resuming in-person church services despite a statewide order banning gatherings of more than 10 people.
Kristopher Casey, who leads Adams Square Baptist Church, sent an open letter to Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and to Worcester’s mayor and chief of police, telling them of his decision to resume regular services on April 26. The church also shared the letter on Facebook on April 23.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
North Carolina Police Arrest Man for Opening His Tattoo Parlor During Lockdown
Police in Apex, North Carolina, arrested a man for opening his tattoo parlor during the state’s lockdown order, another indication police are stepping up their enforcement of quarantine orders under stay-at-home mandates.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NYC Mayor Under Fire for Singling Out Jewish Community in Tweet
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio came under fire on Tuesday night for singling out Jewish community members for violating social distancing orders.
Details: On Tuesday evening, several hundred members of the Hasidic community gathered in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn for the funeral of Rabbi Chaim Mertz, who died at age 73 due to coronavirus complications. The mayor, who was in the area for an unrelated event and personally oversaw the NYPD dispersal of the crowd — who were not practicing social distancing — called the gathering “absolutely unacceptable.”
Singled out: In a follow up tweet, de Blasio warned “the Jewish community, and all communities” that the police will take extreme measures to enforce COVID-19-related restrictions against gatherings of all kinds.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NYT Refutes Biden Camp, Says it Made “No Conclusion Either Way” On Sexual Assault Claims
The New York Times shot down a reported Biden 2020 campaign talking point on Wednesday, saying that the newspaper did not actually conclude that a sexual assault claim against Joe Biden was false.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Officials Warn That 7 “High-Risk” Sex Offenders Released From California Jail Due to Coronavirus
The district attorney of Orange County, California, is warning residents that seven “high-risk” sexual offenders have been released from jail there as part of the government’s coronavirus mitigation response.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Study Finds ‘Historic’ Drop in Math, Reading Scores Since Adoption of Common Core
Reading and math scores in the US have suffered ‘historic’ declines since most states implemented the Common Core curriculum standard six years ago, according to a new study from the Pioneer Institute.
While Common Core was promoted as improving the international competitiveness of U.S. students in math, our international standing has remained low while the skills of average and lower performing American students have dropped in both math and reading. —Pioneer Institute
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tara Reade slammed Hillary Clinton for endorsing former Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday, saying she is “enabling a sexual predator.” Reade last month accused Biden of sexually assaulting her while she was working for his Senate office.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
U. Delaware is Hoarding Records That Could Corroborate Tara Reade’s Allegations Against Biden
The University of Delaware is refusing to release documents pertinent to Tara Reade’s sexual assault allegations against presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
Reade maintains that Biden sexually assaulted her in the 1990s when she worked for him as an aide in his senate office, and that she filed a complaint with the senate personnel office at the time. While Reade says she does not have a copy of the report, the University of Delaware could be storing that evidence.
Biden donated his senatorial records — dating from 1973 to 2009 — to the University of Delaware in 2011. At the time, the university said it would keep the records “sealed for two years after Biden retires from public office.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Watch: Biden Struggles to Stay Awake During Hillary Interview
Joe Biden once again struggled to put two words together, conveniently, when he was asked by a reporter about his son’s business dealings with China.
Sleepily talking from his basement, Biden replied that his son’s business dealings in China do not make him vulnerable because They “were not anything what everybody that he’s talking about. Not even remotely.”
What that means is anyone’s guess.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Woman Who Blamed Trump After Giving Husband Fish Tank Cleaner Now Under Investigation for Murder
Arizona police are now conducting a homicide investigation into the woman who claimed she gave her husband fish tank cleaner after hearing President Trump talk about the possibility of using the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for the coronavirus.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poll: Majority of Canadians Think Coronavirus Vaccine Should be Mandatory
A new poll finds that the majority of Canadians — 60 per cent — think that when a vaccine for coronavirus becomes available it should be made mandatory.
The survey, conducted by Leger and the Association for Canadian Studies, found that “60 per cent of respondents believe people should be required to get the vaccine once it is ready.”
40 per cent think it should be voluntary.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France: Police Asked to Stand Down During Ramadan
A leaked internal document shows that police in the French department of Calvados have been asked to “show restraint” in dealing with migrants during Islam’s holy month of Ramadan, which began on April 23.
The document, which is dated April 24, was sent by the Director of Calvados’ Department of Public Safety to all branches of the police in the region, which is in Normandy. A copy was obtained by the French newspaper Le Parisien and reported on their website.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France Also Easing Lockdown Step by Step
France will begin to relax lockdown measures progressively from 11 May onward, its prime minister Edouard Philippe said Tuesday. Masks will be compulsory on public transport and in schools. The relaxation will be reversible, with a state of emergency extended into July, and France will increase testing to 700,000 people a week. France was at “risk of collapse” if lockdown measures were extended beyond what was “strictly necessary”, Philippe said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France: Youths Arrested With Large Amount of Drugs Say They Stocked Up for Ramadan
Three French youths arrested with a large number of illegal drugs told investigators they were stocking up before the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
Police seized 41/4oz of cocaine, 8lb of marijuana, 41/2oz of cannabis resin, and 21/2oz of ecstasy from the three suspects, two of whom are brothers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany Braces for Left-Wing Extremist Violence on May 1
German authorities are bracing for demonstrations and violence on May 1, the traditional holiday for radical Left-wing movements. Several Left-wing extremist groups have called for street actions in an attempt to exploit the chaos caused by the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak for their own ends.
In Leipzig, considered the stronghold of Germany’s extreme Left, the anarchist media collective Indymedia has called for a mass demonstration there in spite of the danger it will pose of spreading the virus by violating social distancing measures. “This year, too, we call for May 1 to be a day of struggle against capitalism, nationalism, patriarchy, and every other form of rule and exploitation,” Indymedia wrote on their website, as reported by Junge Freiheit. Extremists have dubbed the day “Revolutionary May 1st.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
German SWAT Team Member Killed in Drug Raid Shooting
BERLIN (AP) — German authorities say a police SWAT team member was shot and killed during a drug raid in the western city of Gelsenkirchen.
Police there said the 28-year-old officer was entering an apartment Wednesday morning to search for drugs when the suspect fired two shots at his team. One hit the officer, who died about an hour later in the hospital, the dpa news agency reported.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Shootings in Sweden Increasing Despite Coronavirus and Police Operations
While some crime has gone down significantly since the start of the coronavirus outbreak in Sweden, gang shootings have actually increased since last year.
Between January 1st and April 15th of 2020, Sweden has seen 86 shootings in total, an increase from the same period in 2019. While the number of deaths as a result of shootings has decreased to 15, the number of injured has risen to 32.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK Counter-Terrorism Office Warns Parents to Watch Out for Kids Engaging in Coronavirus Conspiracies
A new pamphlet is doing the rounds, being sent from schools to parents in the UK.
It warns about the perils of online radicalization of children during the current coronavirus pandemic, and instructs parents and guardians on how to recognize this, and how to act.
The document is published with what looks to be a joint effort by several children’s and health charities/offices, who appear to be brought together by the National Counter Terrorism Security Office’s organization known as Action Counters Terrorism (ACT).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: ‘Mother and Baby Doing Very Well’: Boris Johnson’s Fiancée Carrie Symonds Gives Birth
Carrie Symonds, the fiancée of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, has given birth to a baby boy, their spokesman said on Tuesday.
The couple — who are the first unmarried pair to live in the prime minister’s official residence at Downing Street in British history — welcomed a son. The birth comes just one day after Boris Johnson returned to work after recovering from coronavirus.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: 18,000 Extra Cancer Deaths Could Happen Within a Year Because of Focus on COVID-19
A new study concludes that there could be 18,000 extra cancer deaths in the UK within a year because victims are not able to get screenings and treatment due to the focus on COVID-19.
“Delays in diagnosing and treating cancer could hurt the survival chances of thousands of people across England, joint research by University College London (UCL) and the Health Data Research Hub for Cancer (DATA-CAN) suggests,” reports RT.
“Scientists analyzed data from more than 3.5 million patients and discovered that the Covid-19 outbreak could indirectly lead to more than 17,900 extra cancer deaths within a year, including 6,270 fatal cases in newly diagnosed cancer patients.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Activists are pressuring the government to expel Trevor Phillips, the former chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, from an inquiry into the high proportion of black and minority ethnic (BAME) deaths due to coronavirus, due to allegations he is “Islamophobic”.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
WHO Flip-Flops, Now Endorses Sweden’s No Lockdown Policy
The World Health Organization has flip-flopped on coronavirus once again after it appeared to endorse Sweden’s policy of not implementing a full lockdown.
Sweden chose not to enforce a full lockdown, keeping many parts of its economy open, keeping children in school and advising voluntary social distancing measures as well as encouraging vulnerable people to stay indoors.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Russia’s Coronavirus Cases Near 100k in Latest One-Day Jump
Russia confirmed 5,841 new coronavirus infections Wednesday, bringing the country’s official number of cases to 99,399.
Russia is now the eighth most-affected country in terms of infections, having surpassed China and Iran this week.
In total, 972 people have been killed by the virus in Russia.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Report: Trump Determined to Get US Troops Out of Afghanistan
Reports this week have once again shed light on President Trump’s continued efforts to get US troops out of the middle east and away from conflicts pursued by his predecessors.
A report by NBC news notes that Trump “complains almost daily” that US troops are still in Afghanistan, and that now they are at risk from the coronavirus outbreak.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
China’s ambassador to Australia has bizarrely denied that ‘wet markets’ even exist in the Communist nation as the country continues to deny that the outbreak began in Wuhan.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Video: Trump Vows to Secure Hundreds of Billions in Coronavirus ‘Reparations’ From China
President Trump vowed Tuesday that the US will seek to secure hundreds of billions of dollars in reparations from China over the coronavirus outbreak, reiterating that the outbreak “could have been stopped at the source.”
Trump was asked by a reporter about Germany’s apparent intention to issue China with a $160 billion bill, relating to the impact the virus has had on the European economy.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Melbourne high school teacher Karla Owen took a swipe at Mr Morrison four days after he urged states to urgently reopen schools on advice from Australia’s top health adviser.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Jingye Cheng triggered a diplomatic firestorm by warning Scott Morrison’s push for an inquiry into the origins of coronavirus could lead to a boycott of Australian food, universities, and tourism.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Two men have been charged with assault following a clash with two female police officers in Derby, 200km northeast of Broome.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Captain James Cook is now viewed as a white invading British imperialist as much as he is remembered as one of the greatest navigators and seafarers the world has ever seen.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Australia’s first Hong Kong-born federal MP Michael Johnson has warned a Chinese boycott of Australia exports would have consequences lasting for at least a decade.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Brazil Drawing Up Plans to Reopen Economy, Resume Soccer Matches Soon
BRASILIA (Reuters) — Brazil’s government is working on a plan to gradually reopen economic activity that has been shuttered in efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus, with professional soccer matches expected to resume behind closed doors shortly, an Economy Ministry senior official said on Monday.
Speaking at a news conference in Brasilia, productivity and competition secretary Carlos da Costa said there is still no date for the resumption of business activity or soccer games, and stressed that health and safety will be the main priority in all decisions.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Danish Police Attacked With Stones in Notorious Migrant Ghetto
Earlier this week, Danish police were attacked by masked ‘youths’ in the Vollsmose district in Odense, Denmark’s third largest city.
Shortly after 11 pm on Monday, police received a report of a fire in the Bøgeparken, a neighborhood in Vollsmose. Upon arriving at the scene, the officers were greeted by a gang of so-called ‘youths’ who hurled stones at them, Danish tabloid Den Korte Avis reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Pair of Syrians Arrested After Several Passers-by Stabbed
Police in Hanau, Germany have arrested two Syrian nationals who’re suspected of having stabbed several passers-by on the street on Tuesday evening.
Following the attack, the victims — four immigrants from Syria, Iraq, and Albania — were rushed to the hospital where they were treated for their injuries. Dominik Mies, spokesman for the Hanau public prosecutor’s office, said police believe there to be between five and seven attackers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Greece Claims Turkey Tried to Help Migrants Enter Its Waters
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek authorities said Wednesday they have thwarted an attempt by Turkish coast guard vessels to escort a boat carrying migrants into Greek waters off the eastern Aegean Sea island of Lesbos.
A coast guard statement said the migrant boat was spotted in Turkish waters early Wednesday, and nearby Turkish patrol boats ignored repeated appeals to stop it before eventually picking up the migrants several hours later.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NGO Working on Flying More Migrants to Germany
The German migrant NGO “Mission Lifeline” is working diligently to raise money in order to fly scores of migrants from Greece to Germany.
According to the organization’s spokesman, the NGO has managed to raise about 55,000 euros in the few days since they first announced their plan. The money would be used to pay for two separate flights that would transport approximately 150 migrants from Greek camps to Germany.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Nigel Farage has defended travelling 100 miles from his home in Kent to film footage about UK migrant crossings.
The Brexit Party leader was filmed at Pett Level, a beach in east Sussex, claiming it was the ‘favoured location’ for migrants to land in the UK.
He was later also videoed in Hastings where he interviewed members of the public.
Mr Farage was slammed for seemingly flouting the lockdown rules to produce the video — which he shared on both his Twitter page and that of the Brexit Party.
But a spokesman for the Brexit Party leader said Mr Farage was acting in his role as a broadcaster — who have key worker status as they provide public service information.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Portugal to Take “Unaccompanied Migrant Children” From Greece
The European Union announced yesterday that Portugal has agreed to take 50 so-called “unaccompanied migrant children” from the reception centres on the Greek islands. It is one of 10 European Union member states that has agreed to accept children from the camps.
Pro-migrant groups have been calling for EU countries to accept migrants to reduce overcrowding in the camps. Given the high population density and poor sanitary conditions in them, they are considered particularly at risk during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Reducing their populations — so the argument goes — will allow migrants to practice social distancing measures.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Farage: Illegal Boat Migrant ‘Scandal’ Is ‘Bigger Than Anyone Realises’
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage has warned that the illegal boat migrant “scandal” is “bigger than anyone realises”, claiming many migrants arriving in the south-east of England under cover of the night are never accounted for.
The Brexiteer politician has been warning in recent weeks of the dangers of illegal migrants entering the UK in boats crossing the English Channel bringing more cases of Chinese coronavirus into the country.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Sudanese Migrant Charged With Attempted Murder of Police Officer
A Sudanese migrant was remanded in custody after he appeared at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court via video link on Saturday, April 25, charged with attempted murder of a police officer.
Mohammed Ibrahim, 33, stands accused of attempted murder of Sergeant Carl Blanks and attempted wounding of Sergeant Leighton Healan on Thursday, April 23 in Newport, South Wales, Wales Online reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
On June 5, 2019, as it faced mounting pressure to deplatform comedian Steven Crowder over some of his jokes about former Vox host Carlos Maza, YouTube surprisingly stood up for the right of its creators to speak freely and told Maza and his legacy media allies that Crowder’s videos did not violate YouTube’s policies.
“As an open platform, it’s crucial for us to allow everyone—from creators to journalists to late-night TV hosts—to express their opinions w/in the scope of our policies. Opinions can be deeply offensive, but if they don’t violate our policies, they’ll remain on our site,” YouTube tweeted at the time.
But just a few hours later, YouTube backed down and decided that despite its previous admission that Crowder hadn’t broken any rules, it would now be demonetizing his channel.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Internet Speech Will Never Go Back to Normal
COVID-19 has emboldened American tech platforms to emerge from their defensive crouch. Before the pandemic, they were targets of public outrage over life under their dominion. Today, the platforms are proudly collaborating with one another, and following government guidance, to censor harmful information related to the coronavirus. And they are using their prodigious data-collection capacities, in coordination with federal and state governments, to improve contact tracing, quarantine enforcement, and other health measures. As Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg recently boasted, “The world has faced pandemics before, but this time we have a new superpower: the ability to gather and share data for good.”
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
Latest Figures on U.S. Marriage Rate Show All-Time Low
The marriage rate in the U.S. reached an all-time low in 2018, the latest year for which data is available.
A recent report from the National Center for Health Statistics shows that in 2018, only 6.5 new marriages took place for every 1,000 people. That is a 6% drop from the previous recorded rate and, according to NCHS statistician, a record low since data keeping began in 1867.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tony Blair Institute for Global Change Says Increased Surveillance is a “Price Worth Paying”
For a long time now, privacy advocates and defenders of civil liberties vehemently opposed surveillance and spoke out against such measures enforced by big tech companies and governments.
But during the lockdowns, many people are slowly being forced to confront increased surveillance being sold as a necessity in helping governments track COVID-19 patients, as well as finding out whether social distancing measures are being followed.
A report released by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (that was started by the former UK Prime Minister) has shockingly stated that increased surveillance is a “price worth paying” in order to beat the pandemic, raising fears that the pandemic could be used to usher in various surveillance norms.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
WHO Guidelines Encourage Children Younger Than 4 Be Taught “Masturbation” And “Gender Identity”
WHO guidelines for sex education recommend that children aged 0-4 be taught about “masturbation” and “gender identity.”
The World Health Organization’s ‘Standards for Sexuality Education in Europe: A framework for policymakers, educational and health authorities and specialists’, advises children be taught about sexually pleasuring themselves and transgenderism before they’ve even fully learned to talk.
The WHO advises that children aged 0-4 are given “information about enjoyment and pleasure when touching one’s body… masturbation.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
YouTube Says “Authoritative Sources” Are Beginning to Fact-Check Videos on Its Site
YouTube announced on Tuesday that it is rolling out a “fact-checking” service for videos posted to its website, claiming that “authoritative sources” will be reviewing uploaded videos and making judgment calls about their veracity.
The company said its fact-checking feature had already debuted in several countries before being launched in the United States.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
YouTube’s censorship policy around the pandemic has been notoriously erratic — in the early days, videos were demonetized for mentioning the very word, as if in an attempt to suppress what was becoming a controversial health topic.
And controversy means a lot of pressure from politicians and media, and a lot of time and money spent on damage control. But as the crisis exploded to unprecedented levels, YouTube and its ilk understood — explicitly or implicitly, we’ll never know — that they are allowed to employ pretty much whatever control and/or censorship technique they have in their arsenals and even overstep some bounds.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.jpost.com/international/germany-bans-hezbollah-conducts-police-raids-on-possible-members-626364/amp
Hezbollah is being banned.
In Russia, the situation with the coronavirus is really very bad. The reason for this is the absolutely incompetent actions of the administration. For twenty years of Putin’s negative selection, they have finally degenerated into non-professionals.
Doctors are not given basic protection. A lot of them are sick.
Botox Simulacra is released on television once every two weeks, he says something indistinctly, then hides again.
Support measures for doctors and the population – only in words.
A self-isolation regime has been introduced, but no help is given to people. I, as an entrepreneur, must FULLY pay rent and taxes. Despite the fact that I, according to the decree of the Government, should stay at home.
An incredible support measure is deferred on loans and mortgages for a very small group of people recognized as “especially affected sectors” – only nine points: carriers, tourism, hospitality, culture and art, hairdressers … and for some reason dry cleaners.
http://static.government.ru/media/files/CGHHI9UNm6PFNfn2X2rdgVW9fo757i7A.pdf
Baron, there were difficulties translating with the last paragraph, I think it will be more accurate.
They call the “support measure” deferment of loans and mortgages ONLY for a very small group of people recognized as “especially affected sectors” – there are only nine points: carriers, tourism, hospitality, culture and art, hairdressers … and for some reason dry cleaners.
My sympathies, Elena; hope you get through this ok.
My partner and I were due to visit your country in a week’s time; God knows when this will happen now. I’m considered at high risk for the virus, supposed to “self-isolate”; of course I still see her, with precautions, but there’s no way I’m getting into a ‘plane until there’s a vaccine.
I don’t know what Russia will become at the end of the pandemic.
I sometimes like to fantasize, especially when I’m sick. For example, seasonal flu and my fever – I feel like viruses process all the cells of my body and it seems to me that if I get up after the illness and go to the mirror, I don’t recognize myself. But a surprise! I’m in the mirror again.
But Covid-19 will be able to transform the entire planet.
By the way, run through this online translator this article with an intriguing title. In addition to Google, there is also Yandex. Maybe it’s more accurate. https://translate.yandex.ru/
Migrants. Time to kill?
What to do with millions of migrant workers who are left without work and attack the Russians?
https://rusplt.ru/society/migranti-vremya-ubivat-5ea9b.html
Do you know that since the fall in oil prices, the price of gasoline has not dropped a penny in Russia? (1 kopeck is equal to $ 0.00014) The prices remain at their peak.
Putin promised surcharges to doctors and honey. staff, but in fact they are not there, I already wrote about the lack of protective equipment. Doctors began to quit en masse from work – they say: it is better to lose a job than life. Officials shout: it is your duty, but do nothing.
Even the authorities and pro-government media are aspirating about the “volunteer movement.” They don’t want to pay people for their work, they want young idiotic idiots to do everything for free.
Decomposition affected literally everything.
Botox clown makes predictions.
Putin is confident in the growing demand for mattresses, as they wear out during self-isolation
https://tass.ru/ekonomika/8376437
In addition to my comments. Now the Islamists have intensified.
Some local media outlets say that their cover was trade in oriental food.
Three terrorists neutralized near Yekaterinburg
https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-suspected-terrorists-liquidated-yekaterinburg/30584922.html
It is reported that three unknowns of non-Russian nationality (details are not given) were in an abandoned building that looked like a gatehouse in the gardens. When trying to detain them, the militants put up armed resistance, after which all three were neutralized. Among the civilian population and the security forces there are no casualties.
According to the FSB, at the place of residence of the neutralized militants, improvised explosives, several units of firearm weapons and a list of objects in Yekaterinburg on which it was planned to carry out terrorist attacks.
https://en.topwar.ru/170759-pod-ekaterinburgom-fsb-nejtralizovala-troih-terroristov.html
https://mobile.twitter.com/Stephane_Ravier/status/1255903121005580289
https://mobile.twitter.com/DVATW/status/1255944685798985729
*yamn*
Just another day in paradise