The government of Quebec has decided to impose a significant healthcare surcharge on citizens who refuse to be “vaccinated”. Meanwhile, Iceland has reduced the validity period for “vaccination” certificates to nine months.
In other news, Poland will begin the construction of a permanent border barrier with Belarus later this month.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Dean, DV, Insubria, Reader from Chicago, Upananda Brahmachari, 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.
Antifa Urges Members to Destroy Evidence to Avoid Arrests From Shooting and Riot in Portland
In response to Portland Police moving to make arrests in connection to an Aug. 22 riot in Portland, Oregon, Antifa is urging its members to destroy any evidence they may still have that connects them to that day.
An account with the username LaneCoAFA, which stands for Lane County Anti Fascist Action, posted to Twitter on Monday its warning.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Armed Teenager Tries to Carjack Man at Gunpoint. Driver Pulls Out His Own Gun, Retaliates
A man shot a teenager who attempted to steal his car early Tuesday morning in Philadelphia’s Fairmount neighborhood after the teenager pulled a gun on him.
“I saw the gun and I thought he was going to shoot me and take the car, so I retaliated as fast as I could,” the man told 6 ABC. “And just to see another day, I had to shoot the guy.”
The man, who has a valid permit to carry a weapon, according to police, allegedly fired at least five shots at the intersection of North 17th and Folsom streets, where the incident took place. The teenager, who was not fatally wounded, admitted to being on the scene, according to investigators.
“Stay in school. Don’t play with guns. Don’t rob people. Work for what you want,” the driver, who was unharmed, said to 6 ABC.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
On Tuesday, both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris took to Georgia to give speeches on the issue of voting rights.
Democrats are primarily concerned with guaranteeing the best possible outcome for the 2022 midterm election landscape.
On Biden’s part, he continued with the same “Jim Crow 2.0” claim about the state’s voting regulations, which he first brought out in April 2021.
But Ben Shapiro of The Daily Wire is not humoring Biden’s rhetoric.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Bill Bratton Slams New Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, Blames Soros for Election
Former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton said Sunday that Manhattan’s new district attorney Alvin Bragg is “handcuffing the police” and blamed his election on George Soros, claiming the billionaire has “effectively destroyed the criminal justice system in America.”
Bratton, speaking on John Catsimatidis’ Sunday radio show, said the new DA is a “recipe for disaster.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Project Veritas released documents Monday night which appear to contradict NIH Director Dr. Anthony Fauci’s sworn testimony regarding gain of function research.
The documents come from a report at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which were allegedly hidden in a top secret shared drive.
DARPA facilitates research in technology with potential military applications under the US Department of Defense
Project Veritas has obtained a report which stated that EcoHealth Alliance approached DARPA in March 2018, looking to obtain funding for Project Defuse to conduct gain of function research of coronaviruses from bats.
According to Project Veritas, the proposal was rejected by DARPA because it violated a gain of function research moratorium. Additionally, there were safety concerns.
According to the documents, NIAID, under the direction of Dr. Fauci, proceeded with the research at the Wuhan Virology Lab in China and at several sites other across the US.
Fauci has repeated under oath during multiple Congressional hearings that the NIH and NAIAD have not been involved in gain of function research with the EcoHealth Alliance program.
According to Project Veritas, “The report goes on to detail concern regarding the COVID-19 gain of function program, the concealment of documents, the suppression of potential curatives, like Ivermectin and Hydroxychloroquine, and the mRNA vaccines.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Chicago Public Schools to Reopen Wednesday as City and Teachers Union Reach a Deal
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has announced a deal with the Chicago Teachers Union that will return students to classrooms on Wednesday following a dispute over COVID-19 safety precautions in schools.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Announces She Has Tested Positive for COVID-19
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who is fully vaccinated and boosted, announced Tuesday that she has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms.
“Earlier today, I tested positive for COVID-19,” the mayor tweeted around 2:40 p.m. Tuesday. “I am experiencing cold-like symptoms but otherwise feel fine which I credit to being vaccinated and boosted.”
The mayor said she plans to continue working from home as she follows isolation guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Clarksville Police: Boy Stabbed Multiple Times at Home, Underage Suspect in Custody
CLARKSVILLE, Ind. — Clarksville police are investigating after a boy was found stabbed multiple times Monday night at a home.
The suspect in custody is also a minor, police said in a statement Tuesday afternoon.
According to the Clarksville Police Department, the stabbing was reported around 7 p.m. Monday in the 1800 block of Bambridge Drive.
A spokesperson for the police department said officers found the boy in the home with several stab wounds to his body. He was taken to Norton Children’s Hospital for treatment.
Police have not released the condition of the boy.
In the update Tuesday afternoon, police said investigators identified and located the suspect shortly after they arrived on the scene. The underage suspect is in custody…
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
On Monday, Washington DC Antifa member Jason Charter was sentenced in connection to multiple incidents that occurred in 2020, in which Charter participated in riots and attempts to tear downs statues.
Charter had received multiple federal charges in July of 2020 stemming from attempts to topple statues in the nation’s capital during the summer of riots that followed George Floyd’s death. He was accused of attempting to topple and destroy the statues of Albert Pike and Andrew Jackson.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
DOJ Creates Specialized Unit for Domestic Terrorism Amid Attempts to Dub Jan. 6 “Worse Than 9/11”
From the beginning the Biden administration has clearly prioritized the threat of ‘White extremism’ as the prime and most pressing domestic security concern — for example in June issuing the White House’s National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism, which defined the “the two most lethal elements of today’s domestic terrorism threat” as : (1) racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists who advocate for the superiority of the white race and (2) anti-government or anti-authority violent extremists, such as militia violent extremists.”
Naturally, this became a cause for concern as often simple ‘middle America’ Trump voters were increasingly labeled by mainstream media and in public discourse as associated with “terrorism” — given especially the events of Jan.6 — which some Republican leaders too have begun to label as a “terrorist attack”. Prominent liberal pundits, for example over at MSNBC and other outlets, began to suggest that Jan.6 was “worse than 9/11”.
Now, the Biden administration is ready to give the DOJ some teeth in enforcing a crackdown on this supposed #1 threat facing the nation, by creating a new special unit to tackle what’s broadly defined as “domestic terrorism” — however loosely that label is currently being thrown about in Washington.
“The Justice Department is establishing a specialized unit focused on domestic terrorism, the department’s top national security official told lawmakers Tuesday as he described an elevated threat from violent extremists in the United States,” The Associated Press reports Tuesday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Former CNN producer John Griffin, who was fired last month amidst allegations of child sex trafficking, has been named in a Connecticut civil lawsuit that alleges Griffin engaged in “horrific sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, and sexual assault” of the underage plaintiff.
“For several years prior to 2020, the defendant solicited young girls, including the minor plaintiff, for the purpose of knowingly persuading, inducing, enticing and coercing them to engage in sexual activity, sexual exploitation, and/or sexual trafficking,” the lawsuit, obtained by Fox News, alleges.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
House Republicans Release Damning Fauci Emails Suggesting Concealed Knowledge of Lab Leak
Republicans on the House Oversight Committee have released several emails which suggest Dr. Anthony Fauci may have known that Covid-19 originated from a lab leak, and that it may have been “intentionally genetically manipulated.”
“We write to request a transcribed interview of Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director, U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Excerpts of emails we are making public today (see enclosed Appendix I) reveal that Dr. Fauci was warned of two things: (1) the potential that COVID-19 leaked from the Wuhan Institute Virology (WIV) and (2) the possibility that the virus was intentionally genetically manipulated. It is imperative we investigate if this information was conveyed to the rest of the government and whether this information would have changed the U.S. response to the pandemic,” reads the letter from Reps. James Comer and Jim Jordan to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Incoming Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin Vows to Join Fight Against Biden’s Vaccine Mandate
Incoming Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Friday he will work with other Republican-led states to fight President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate.
“While we believe that the vaccine is a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19, we strongly believe that the Federal government cannot impose its will and restrict the freedoms of Americans and that Virginia is at its best when her people are allowed to make the best decisions for their families or businesses,” Youngkin said in a joint statement with Attorney General-elect Jason Miyares, according to The Associated Press (AP).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ivermectin ‘Works Throughout All Phases’ Of COVID According to Leaked Military Documents
Update (1505ET): As more and more information pours out of the Project Veritas leaked military documents, there appears to be a damning section in support of Ivermectin as a Covid-19 treatment.
“Ivermectin (identified as curative in April 2020) works throughout all phases of illness because it both inhibits viral replication and modulates the immune response.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Kindergarteners Made to Mask Between Bites During Silent Lunch
While many Washington schools are beginning to walk back draconian COVID restrictions on children after public outcry, some schools are doubling down on onerous regulations. Like many other area schools Queen Anne Elementary School in Seattle is forcing children as young as Kindergarten to eat meals outside.
In an email to parents, the school has thanked children that are “…bringing yoga mats and towels to sit on, and staff and I have marked off 6 ft. distances so students know their ‘spots’ on the basketball court.’“
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Knife-Wielding Suspect Has Felony Charge Reduced Under Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s Policies
A wanted ex-con allegedly stole more than $2,000 worth of merchandise by threatening a drug store worker with a knife — yet had his armed robbery charges downgraded under the controversial, progressive policies of Manhattan’s new district attorney, The Post has learned.
The move followed a similar case — featured on the front page of Sunday’s Post — in which prosecutors reduced a felony robbery charge to misdemeanor petit larceny as per the marching orders DA Alvin Bragg gave them last week.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
LA Times Columnist Says Mocking Anti-Vaxxers Deaths is “Necessary”
The Los Angeles Times published an article by columnist Michael Hiltzik which says mocking the deaths of anti-vaxxers is “necessary”.
Yes, really.
As Chris Menahan notes, the URL of the original article suggests the first headline was even worse and that it was subsequently changed by an editor.
The first incarnation was called ‘Why Shouldn’t We Dance On The Graves of Anti-Vaxxers?’
Lovely.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Law Journal Bans ‘Hurtful’ Questioning of Systemic Racism, Prompting Exodus of Contributors
Emory University’s student-led law review is facing a revolt by contributors for demanding that one drop “insensitive language” from a “hurtful and unnecessarily divisive” critique of the concept of systemic racism.
Two contributors confirmed to Just the News they withdrew their essays from a forthcoming “festschrift” issue honoring the work of Emory’s Michael Perry, in protest of Emory Law Journal’s attempt to censor an essay by the University of San Diego’s Larry Alexander.
Alexander told Just the News that he, USD’s Steve Smith and Northwestern’s Andrew Koppelman are now publishing their essays in the Journal of Contemporary Legal Issues, which he edits.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Man Released on $50,000 Bond After Allegedly Threatening Multiple Times to Kill Donald Trump
Thomas Welnicki, a 72-year-old New Yorker, was criminally charged on Monday with threatening to kill former President Donald Trump, whom he repeatedly referred to as “Hitler,” according to a court filing.
Welnicki had been on federal law enforcement’s radar since July 2020 when he allegedly told U.S. Capitol Police that if Trump “loses the 2020 election and refuses to step down” he would “acquire weapons” to “take him down.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Michigan Parents Protest Racial Program, School Board Doubles Down Anyway
As concerned parents in Michigan are making their voices heard regarding a school district program focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), the school board doubles down on the effort.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Missouri Bill Would Ban Critical Race Theory in Schools
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri House lawmakers on Tuesday debated bills that would ban critical race theory in K-12 schools and give parents and guardians more control over what their children learn, an issue that likely will dominate this session.
One bill, considered in the House education committee, would prohibit Missouri schools from teaching critical race theory, a framework for examining the effects race and racism have on the nation’s institutions.
The theory was popularized in The New York Times Magazine’s 1619 Project, a collection of essays on race that first appeared in a special 2019 issue.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Most Democrats Want Social Media Censorship: Poll
Just over half of all Americans want free speech on social media, but a majority of Democrats want content offensive to “some people” to be censored, according to a Rasmussen Reports poll released Monday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poll: Overwhelming Majority of Americans Say Lawmakers Should be Banned From Trading Stocks
The majority of Americans believe members of Congress should be banned from trading stocks while in office, according to a new poll.
Among a sample of Americans likely to vote in general elections, 76% believed lawmakers should not be allowed to trade stocks, according to a Trafalgar Group/Convention of States Action poll first reported by The Hill.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis Wants to Let Parents Sue Schools That Teach Critical Race Theory
Gov. Ron DeSantis formally asked the Florida Legislature on Tuesday to pass a bill that would allow parents to sue school districts that teach critical race theory.
“We reject the notion that parents shouldn’t have a say in what their kids learn in school,” DeSantis said during his 2022 State of the State Address that kicks off the 60-day legislative session. “Indeed, Florida law should provide parents with the right to review the curriculum used in their children’s schools. We should provide parents with recourse so that state standards are enforced, such as Florida’s prohibition on infusing subjects with critical race theory in our classrooms.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Fox News host Tucker Carlson has joined new Twitter rival platform GETTR.
“Welcome to #GETTR, @tuckercarlson!” GETTR’s official account posted. The news excerpt noted that “Another big name has joined the ranks in the fight…”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Twitter Bans Project Veritas Chief of Staff Eric Spracklen
Twitter has permanently banned Eric Spracklen, the Chief of Staff for investigative reporting outlet Project Veritas, from its platform for violating its rules on “ban evasion,” less than 24 hours after Project Veritas released a bombshell report on Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Dr. Anthony Fauci.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
USA Today Hastily Deletes Tweets About “Science” Proving Pedophilia is “Determined in the Womb”
USA Today hastily deleted a series of tweets which critics said were tantamount to the normalization of pedophilia after the newspaper cited “science” to assert that pedophilia was “determined in the womb.”
Well, this is awkward.
The tweet that caused most of the backlash asserted, “In recent decades, the science on pedophilia has improved. One of the most significant findings is that pedophilia is likely determined in the womb, though environmental factors may influence whether someone acts on an urge to abuse.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Video: CNN Panics Over More People Beginning to Ignore COVID Fear Propaganda
CNN’s Brian Stelter and Oliver Darcy expressed disbelief and horror Monday that more Americans are beginning to live their lives normally again after two years of media driven pandemic panic and fear.
Stelter asked a question that everyone already knows the answer to, “is the media out of touch with the public about COVID?”
In a statement the irony of which can be lost on no one, Darcy replied that yes, the media is out of touch.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Who is Ray Epps? DOJ Refuses to Say, Jan6 Committee Claims ‘Not a Fed’
In October of last year, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) questioned AG Merrick Garland about a mysterious man, Ray Epps, instructing protesters to enter the US Capitol building on January 5, and who later shepherded crowds towards the Capitol on January 6.
The strange story of the mysterious man took some crazy turns, threatening to shatter the entire official narrative of the “Capitol Breach” and expose yet another dimension of proactive federal involvement in the so-called “insurrection” of January 6th; but until last week’s remembrance of the events of that day by the Democrats, Epps had faded back to the grey man… until today.
Once again, the mysterious man at the center of so much action during January 6th’s events is hitting the headlines as Ken Silva details at The Epoch Times, top federal law enforcement officials have declined to answer numerous questions about Ray Epps, the Arizona resident captured on video encouraging Jan. 6 protestors to breach Capitol Hill.
Controversy has surrounded Epps in recent months due to questions about his possible connection to law enforcement. Despite video evidence of him making repeated calls for action, Epps has not been charged in relation to Jan. 6, and his photo has been removed from the government’s list of most wanted people from that event.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
YouTube Deletes Dr. Robert Malone Interview With Patrick Bet-David
Hot on the heels of getting banned by Twitter and having his interview with Joe Rogan censored on YouTube, Dr. Robert Malone, an mRNA vaccine technology pioneer, is once again being prevented from presenting his opinion about Covid vaccines.
This time, YouTube removed an interview Malone gave to entrepreneur and podcaster Patrick Bet-David, published on his PBD Podcast show. Bet-David tweeted about this, saying that it had taken Google’s giant platform less than 24 hours to delete the video, and advising his audience that the conversation is still available on Spotify.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: Quebec to Impose ‘Significant’ Healthcare Fine on Unvaccinated
Quebec Premier Francois Legault announced on Tuesday that Quebecers who refuse to get vaccinated will have to pay a “significant” healthcare contribution.
Legault told press that “the vaccine is the key to fight the virus. This is why we’re looking for a health contribution for adults who refuse to be vaccinated for non-medical reasons. Those who refuse to receive their first dose in the coming weeks will have to pay a new health contribution.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Nearly Half of Ontarians Hospitalized With COVID-19 Are There for Non-COVID Reasons
Nearly half of all Ontarians hospitalized “with COVID-19” were actually admitted for non-COVID reasons, otherwise known as an “incidental” case.
Data released by the Ontario government on Tuesday shows that 46 percent of all cases admitted were there for other reasons. Of the 3,220 people in hospital with COVID-19, about 1,740 are in for COVID-related reasons.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ontario Parents, Students Demand Doug Ford Reopen Schools and Keep Them Open
In response to the Ford government delaying in-person learning until at least Jan. 17, around 100 parents and students gathered outside the Ontario Legislative Building at Queen’s Park in Toronto on Sunday to demand Premier Doug Ford allow in-person learning to resume.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Cuddle’ Pets for Warmth, UK Energy Firm Tells Clients
One of the UK’s largest energy suppliers has been forced to apologize after sending “insulting” energy-saving tips to customers that suggested they could save on heating bills by ‘cuddling’ their pets and “doing a few star jumps.”
In a blog post emailed to customers on Monday, SSE Energy Services recommended 10 “simple and cost-effective ways to keep warm this winter.” The advice included “sticking to non-alcoholic drinks,” doing chores around the house, and “encouraging blood flow” by eating ginger.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Danish Spy Chief Arrested on Alleged Treason Charges Over Data Leaks
The head of Denmark’s Defense Intelligence Service (FE), Lars Findsen, the country’s top spy, has been in police custody for over a month after allegations that several current and former employees had leaked sensitive data.
The spy chief is one of four current and former employees of the FE to have been arrested in connection with the alleged data leaks and has been in custody for over a month, but a publication ban on the case was not lifted by the Danish court until Monday. The hearing took place behind closed doors.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Dozens of Rallies Across Germany as Anti-Lockdown Protests Continue
Dozens of rallies have taken place across Germany, as tens of thousands continue to protest COVID restrictions in the federal republic.
Tens of thousands of people took to the street again on Monday in Germany, as dozens of rallies in opposition to COVID rules took place across the federal republic.
The events followed a weekend of anti-lockdown demonstrations in the country, with thousands of people turning up to protests in Hamburg, Saarland, Düsseldorf and beyond on Saturday and Sunday to march against measures.
According to a report by Bild, police counted around 30 separate demonstrations taking place in Upper Bavaria alone, while Die Zeit reported that around 15,000 people protested in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania across 20 separate locations.
Meanwhile, around 17,300 individuals protested measures in Thuringia, while around 3,000 took part in an unannounced march through the city centre in Cottbus.
A further one thousand also took part in a declared demonstration in Bonn.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Iceland: Another Schengen Country to Shorten Validity of Vaccination Certificates From January 15
Iceland has become the most recent Schengen Area member country to announce that starting from January 15, it will recognize as valid only the vaccination certificates issued in the last nine months, and not those older.
This means that those who have received the final COVID-19 shot before the last nine months will need to have a booster shot in order to have their vaccination recognized. Those who do not have the booster shot will have to test for COVID-19 in several cases, including when travelling to the country.
“From January 15 vaccination certificates will be valid for nine months instead of 12 months,” the Icelandic Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry for Foreign Affairs noted in a joint press release issued on January 7, following a meeting of the government’s cabinet earlier this week.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ikea Says it Will Cut Sick Pay for the Unvaccinated
Furniture retailer Ikea has announced that it intends to cut sick pay for any staff who remain unvaccinated and need to self isolate if they test positive or come into contact with someone who tests positive for COVID.
The Daily Mail reports that the Swedish company, which employs some 10,000 people in the UK alone intends to slash sick pay to the legal minimum of just £93.35 per week for anyone who is unvaccinated.
That would mean a cut of more than a three quarters of the company’s usual wages for workers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Homes of Milan Duomo New Year Assault Suspects Raided
Nine women reported being victims of gangs of youths
(ANSA) — ROME, JAN 11 — Police on Tuesday searched the homes of 18 youths suspected of being involved in the sexual assault of nine women in Milan’s Piazza Duomo on New Year’s Eve in three separate incidents.
Gangs of youths allegedly assaulted the young women during celebrations for the new year in the iconic Milanese square outside the city’s cathedral.
The case has echoes of one which occurred in Cologne in 2016.
Three of the suspects are minors.
Tuesday’s raids took place in the Milan and Turin areas.
The investigation coordinated by Milan prosecutors is based on surveillance-system videos, the accounts of witnesses and the victims, and analysis of social-media posts.
“I hope they find them and that justice is done for us and all of the other girls that were molested that night,” one of two German women who were victims of the assaults told ANSA.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Italy Introduces Strengthened COVID-19 Rules
The Italian authorities have introduced stricter COVID-19 measures for all its citizens and travellers who plan to visit the country.
In line with the current new rules that started being effective on Monday, January 10, unvaccinated and unrecovered persons won’t be able to access several public services, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
Access to hotels and other accommodation facilities will only be permitted to those who have been fully vaccinated or recovered from the COVID-19 disease.
Moreover, access to public transport, including planes, trains, ships, and ferries, will also be possible only for those who hold a valid vaccination or recovery certificate.
Museums, exhibitions, festivals, and fairs, among others, will also only permit entry to those who hold a Strengthened Green Pass.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Leading Czech Politician Hopes Hungary’s Orban Loses Upcoming Election, Earns Criticism From Klaus
Former Czech President Vaclav Klaus has called on the government to distance itself from Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Markéta Pekarova Adamova. According to him, MPs should also expel her from the office. Klaus was ostensibly reacting to Pekarova Adamova’s statement about Hungarian Prime Viktor Orban, which called for the Hungarian leader to be “expelled.”
“The Czechs have already expelled their Babis. I really hope that the Hungarians will succeed as well. The distribution of political forces in Hungary is remotely similar to that of ours. The local opposition set aside its differences and joined forces against the populist government led by Viktor Orban for many years. He does not hesitate to establish dubious ties with countries such as Russia and China, at the expense of his allies, including us,” the head of the Chamber of Deputies wrote on Facebook.
According to her, the European Union needs to be made up of democratic states, so the Hungarians should choose new leadership.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Most Popular Name in EU Capital: Mohamed
The most popular name for newborn babies in the de facto EU capital of Brussels is Mohamed, with Islamic names making up 43 per cent of total registrations in the Belgian city.
“In data published by the Belgian statistical office, Statbel, two variations of the name — Mohamed and Mohammed — occupied the top three most common boys’ names for newborns born in the Brussels region last year, totaling 18,430 registrations,” reports ReMix News.
Number 2 on the list is the name ‘Jean’ with 6089 registrations, although ‘Ahmed’ is in 4th place with 4166 registrations.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Omicron Becomes the Dominant COVID-19 Variant in Czechia
Omicron has become the dominant variant of Covid-19 across Czechia, exceeding 50 percent of the examined positive cases in the country on Jan. 8, the National Institute of Public Health announced on Monday.
According to data, the impact of Omicron is felt far more in larger cities, where it is currently accounting for up to 79 percent of all coronavirus cases.
Public health experts are expecting a significant rise in the number of new Covid-19 cases in the coming weeks, fearing they could reach up to 50,000 new positive cases per day.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Polish Man Who Called the President a “Moron” On Facebook Avoids Jail
A Polish court has ruled that it is fine to call the country’s president a “moron” on social media — and a man who did that, author Jakub Zulczyk, will not go to prison for up to three years.
The lawsuit was filed by a private person rather than President Andrzej Duda himself or the authorities. In the Facebook post, published in the wake of the 2020 US election, Zulczyk wrote, “[…] Joe Biden is the 46th president of the United States. Andrzej Duda is a moron.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pope Francis: A World Free of Nuclear Arms is ‘Possible and Necessary’
ROME — Pope Francis railed against arms dealing Monday, insisting that “those who possess weapons will eventually use them.”
The world’s conflicts “are exacerbated by the abundance of weapons on hand and the unscrupulousness of those who make every effort to supply them,” the pope told members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See in his annual address Monday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Scotland Delays Fertility Treatments for Unvaccinated Women
The Scottish government on Friday announced that fertility treatments will be deferred for women who are not fully vaccinated due to “ongoing uncertainty” surrounding the COVID-19 variant omicron.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tripple Jabbed Swiss Marathon Record Holder and Olympic Athlete Diagnosed With Myocarditis
The star runner Fabienne Schlumpf announced the news in a post on Instagram. Schlumpf confirmed to a Swiss newspaper that she has been triple vaccinated and that she has not had Covid.
“Unfortunately myocarditis is holding me back at the moment. It’s certainly not an easy time for me, but I’m not giving up. I hope to be back soon, chasing my dreams… and competitors,” she wrote. This is however the end of the road for her career. “Nobody can say how long I’ll have to put my career on hold,” she admitted.
The 31-year-old is said to feel “tired” everyday and after her heart rate shot up during an easy endurance run last month, she consulted a doctor who diagnosed her with myocarditis.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
An elderly Anglican priest and two other Christian environmentalists ‘went too far’ in their climate change protest by stopping a busy train during the morning rush hour, a court has heard.
Father Martin Newell, 54, former reverend Sue Parfitt, 79, and Phillip Kingston, 85, were part of an Extinction Rebellion demonstration at Shadwell station on October 17, 2019.
Angry passengers who were caught up in the disruption begged the three activists to move from the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) train, but the Extinction Rebellion protesters refused until the police arrived.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Eight Face Trial for Extinction Rebellion Protest at Amazon Darlington
EXTINCTION Rebellion protestors are due to stand trial after pleading not guilty to trespassing at Amazon in Darlington on Black Friday.
Eight people appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court today.
Seven people pleaded not guilty to aggravated trespass following the incident at the Amazon warehouse at Symmetry Park, Darlington on November 26.
The action was organised by Extinction Rebellion to coincide with Black Friday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: NHS Denied Woman With Down Syndrome Life-Saving Coronavirus Treatment: Report
A British woman with Down Syndrome was refused life-saving emergency medical treatment by the NHS due to her disability, a report has claimed.
Britain’s socialised National Health Service refused to provide treatment to Susan Sullivan, 56, who had Down syndrome, citing her disability as grounds to deny her the medical treatment she needed, which resulted in her subsequent death, it is claimed in a Sky News report.
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UK: Two Thirds of Brits Say Boris Should Quit Over Partygate, And Tory MPs Left ‘Humiliated’
A growing number of Tories have lashed out at the Prime Minister amid the fresh allegations with one saying the revelations have left him “humiliated” and forced him to apologise to constituents.
Plymouth MP Johnny Mercer was asked by one resident: “Any comments for the people of Plymouth you represent about the party at No 10 whilst I was missing my Dads 80th birthday and my wife was working 60 hours a week in a hospital?”
Mr Mercer replied: “I’m sorry. It’s humiliating, and does not reflect the majority of my colleagues who *at least try* and lead by example. Thank you for your sacrifice and your wife’s work. I will always represent you above all else.”
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UK: The Downing Street P*** Up “Outrage”
The media tells us to be outraged about a government garden party piss up while it simultaneously demonizes millions of people over a personal medical choice.
I’m more outraged about that.
I’m more outraged about COVID passports & devastation caused by lockdown.
They’re re-directing your anger.
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Vaccinated Can Volunteer to Wear Coloured Identity Mark to Prove Jab Status in German City
Vaccinated and recovered people in one German city will soon be able to wear a special wristband in order to convey their status as obviously as possible.
The city of Saarbrücken in Germany is to introduce a system of coloured wristband wearing for vaccinated and recovered individuals in order to make the process of shopping under the strict lockdown rules easier for those who are allowed to do so under the nation’s COVID restrictions.
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India: In a First, Ex-Muslim Day in Kerala
Members of ExMuslims of Kerala, who met in Kochi on January 9, also decided to declare January 9 as Kerala ExMuslim Day.
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Common Office Desk Phone Could be Leaking Info to Chinese Government, Govt Report Alleges
A major Chinese phone maker could be putting U.S. consumers, companies, and even national security data at risk, and a U.S. senator wants to know what the Commerce Department is going to do about it.
As DefenseOne first reported, in a Sept. 28 letter obtained by Defense One, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., described a report that “raises serious concerns about the security of audio-visual equipment produced and sold into the U.S. by Chinese firms such as Yealink.”
Yealink doesn’t have the name recognition of the controversial Chinese telecom giant Huawei, but its phones are widely installed across the United States, including in government agencies. In September, Yealink and Verizon announced plans to sell “the nation’s first 4G/LTE cellular desk phone.”
In the letter, Van Hollen asked Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo whether her agency is aware of the report by Chain Security, a Virginia-based company that analyzes electronics for security. He asked whether she considers its analysis credible, and if so, what she wants Commerce to do about it.
Many of the security issues raised in the report are similar to those that the U.S. government has had for years about Huawei. In essence, there are a number of big—but possibly unintentional—security flaws that an adversary could use to steal data. But with the Yealink T54W phone in particular, there are also some concerning features that are clearly built in on purpose.
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Japan Welcomes in 2022 With Grimmer Demographic News
Japan will welcome 2022 with grimmer demographic news regarding the next generation. This concerns the lowest number of adults aged 20 since the government began to take records in 1968.
According to the Internal Affairs Ministry, the number of people aged 20 on January 1, 2022, will be 1.2 million adults. Hence, approximately 40,000 below the number last year. Therefore, the demographic ticking-bomb keeps on ticking in Japan.
Equally alarming, people aged 20 accounts for 0.96 of the overall population. A trend that keeps on happening in recent times. Hence, given the alarming debt of this nation, the younger generation faces an enormous tax burden in the future if no changes to alter the demographics of Japan aren’t forthcoming.
In 2019, fewer than 900,000 babies were born in Japan. This was a decline of 5.9 percent from 2018. Therefore, the lowest number since records began in 1899.
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‘Lying… Sneaky… A***hole’ — Aussie Journalists Trash Novak Djokovic on Hot Mic
Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic was trashed on a television network in Australia on Monday night, with a live pre-broadcast microphone catching two presenters unleashing on the visiting player.
The pair slammed the world number one off-air, questioning the legitimacy of his positive PCR test and branding him a “lying, sneaky a***hole.” Their entire expletive-filled exchange was caught on a “hot” microphone.
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Teen to Face Court Charged Over Stabbing Death of Boy, 13, On Central Coast
A 13-year-old is dead and another is set to face court on murder charges following a “very tragic” school holiday stabbing on the NSW Central Coast.
Police arrived at Langford Drive in Kariong on Tuesday night to find a 13-year-old boy lying in the street with severe injuries, allegedly inflicted by a kitchen knife.
“Tragically a 13-year-od young male was killed after being stabbed in the chest a number of times,” Brisbane Waters Commander Detective Superintendent Darryl Jobson told reporters on Wednesday.
“This is a very tragic situation.”
Members of the public performed CPR on the boy before the arrival of paramedics, who took him to Gosford Hospital in a critical condition.
He died soon after arriving. Investigators arrested another teenager at a nearby home…
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France: Man Jumped by African Illegal in Attempted Robbery
A man was attacked and beaten by an illegal migrant known to authorities during a botched robbery near a train station in France last week, according to reports.
The disturbing incident unfolded at around 7:30 pm on Friday evening on rue de Tauzia in Bordeaux.
A 40-year-old man had just left Saint-Jean station and was walking along the street when he was assaulted from behind.
The suspect repeatedly punched his victim and attempted to steal his suitcase.
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Frontex: Illegal Migratory Flow in EU Surpassed Pre-Pandemic Levels in 2021
Illegal border crossings at the European Union external borders soared in 2021, as almost 200,000 detections were registered, marking the highest rate of the practice since 2017.
According to data issued by FRONTEX, the EU border agency, 36 per cent more illegal passages were noted compared to 2019 and 57 per cent more than in 2020. This indicates that factors other than restrictions relaxations on a global scale are the cause of migration rates, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
Notable mentions for the escalating migration situation include the situation at the borders to Belarus, in addition to safety conflicts nearby as Syrians, Tunisians, Moroccans, Algerians, and Afghans made up for the most reported nationalities for illegal border crossing for 2021.
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Novak Djokovic Being Investigated for Lying on Immigration Form
Novak Djokovic may have bigger problems than playing in the Australian Open.
The world’s No. 1 tennis player is being investigated by Australian border officials for potentially falsely filling out an immigration form. Djokovic stated in the form that he had not traveled in the 14 days before arriving in Australia, but photos and videos appear to have emerged showing him in Spain and Serbia.
Djokovic, who is based in Monte Carlo, has been at the center of an international sporting storm since arriving in Australia last week, having his visa canceled and being detained in a hotel while the matter was sorted out.
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Permanent Barrier Construction on Polish-Belarusian Border to Begin in January
Last week, the Polish Border Guard signed three deals connected with the construction of a barrier on the Polish-Belarusian border. The construction work will be completed by the Polish companies Budimex and a consortium as part of Unibep and subsidiary company Budrex.
The first contractor will complete the barrier on a 105.5-kilometer section and the second one on 80.7-kilometer stretch.
Border Guard spokeswoman lieutenant Anna Michalska told the Polish Press Agency that technical documentation from the contractors for the first sections that are no shorter than five kilometers will be received by the end of the week. This is also the moment in which construction is to begin on four construction sites.
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Spain’s National Police Arrests 24 People for Smuggling Migrants
Spain’s National Police officers have arrested a total of 24 members of a criminal network involved in the illicit trafficking of people between Spain and the Maghreb state.
As reported by La Razon, the investigation consisted of two criminal organisations based in the province of Alicante despite the fact that the investigation reached other national provinces as well as other Schengen Zone countries, such as France, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
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Uzbek Refugee Deported From U.S. After Being Convicted of Supporting Foreign Terrorist Group
Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on Friday deported to Uzbekistan a refugee and permanent U.S. resident who was convicted of providing support to the Islamic Jihad Union, a terrorist organization.
Jamshid Muhtorov and his family came to the United States in 2007 as political refugees after claiming to be prosecuted by the ruling regime of Uzbekistan. In 2012, Muhtov was arrested at O’Hare Airport in Chicago while en route to Turkey. He was convicted following a 19-day trial in Denver in 2018, according to an ICE press release.
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LGBT Associations Are Brain Washing Children, Says France’s Eric Zemmour
On Monday, French presidential candidate Éric Zemmour commented on school clubs fighting racism and homophobia. According to him, they brainwash children, and reveal the need for a return to a more conservative education system.
“In the last 40 years, our children have been indoctrinated,” said Zemmour.
“Schools cannot be a place where LGBT and anti-racist ideologies brainwash our children,” he added. Zemmour, who has praised Hungary and Poland in the past, has shown support for the country’s conservative positions on the issue of LGBT ideology, especially regarding Hungary’s attempts to halt the spread of LGBT topics being introduced to children in the education system.
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Nolte: Transwoman Winner Mj Rodriguez Robs Golden Globe From Woman-Woman
Michaela Jaé “Mj” Rodriguez, a guy who identifies as a woman, won a Best Actress Golden Globe Sunday night for a lead role in a television drama.
So a guy walked in and robbed an actual actress, not only from winning a Golden Globe but from being nominated for a Golden Globe.
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South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem called for banning “all abortions once a heartbeat can be detected” during her State of the State address on Tuesday, staking out a position that would bring her state in line with Texas on strict abortion restrictions.
“Science tells us that after conception, that any … child’s heartbeat starts at six weeks,” the Republican governor said during her State of the State address. “Any abortion at that point stops that heartbeat. It stops that life and it stops that gift from God. Today, I am asking all of you to protect the heartbeats of these unborn children. I am bringing legislation to ban all abortions once a heartbeat can be detected.”
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