Gates of Vienna News Feed 2/3/2022

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney announced that COVID restrictions will be eased and vaccine passports eliminated in the province. The premier of Saskatchewan also said that he is planning to lift Corona restrictions. Meanwhile, Quebec Premier François Legault said that he is open to meeting with the organizers of a provincial freedom convoy that is approaching Quebec City.

In other news, protesters surrounded Pfizer’s headquarters in Paris while chanting “Assassins!”

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

Thanks to Dean, MM, 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.

Financial Crisis
» Facebook Suffers Biggest One-Day Value Drop of Any US Company in History
 
USA
» Biden in ‘Worst President Ever’ Territory
» Black Voters Sue NYC Over Noncitizen Voting, Claim it Violates Civil Rights Law
» Black Actress Cries, Apologizes to ‘Darker-Skinned Actresses’ For Not Being Black Enough
» BLM Shuts Down Fundraising After States Threaten Legal Action Due to Lack of Transparency
» Georgia Parent Calls Out School District for Deleting Syllabus Mentioning Marxism, CRT: ‘Admission of Guilt’
» Gov. Youngkin, Virginia Officials File Motion to Join Mask Lawsuit Against Loudoun County Public Schools
» House OKs Anti-Critical Race Theory Bill Banning ‘Racially Divisive’ Curriculum
» Hundreds of Students Segregated in Gyms After Protesting School Mask Mandates
» Joe Rogan Outrage Did Little to Affect Spotify User Numbers
» Lynchburg Police Chief Reflects After Former Police Chief Found Dead in Thursday Shooting
» Media Cartel Hearing: Senator Blackburn Criticizes Big Tech Partnerships With Mainstream Media
» MSNBC Broadcast Interrupted by ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Flag
» NY High School Student Spent Hours Out in the Cold After She Refused to Wear a Mask
» One Dead, Four Wounded in Greyhound Bus Shooting in California
» Pennsylvania Macy’s ‘Grab and Run’ Suspects Steal Thousands of Dollars in Merchandise
» Report: Rudy Giuliani ‘Masked Singer’ Reveal Prompts Judges Robin Thicke, Ken Jeong to Walk Off in Protest
» Rumble Announces Record Monthly Watch Time and Uploads, Significant User Growth
» Video: Johns Hopkins Prof. Slams Media, Own Institution for Hiding Bombshell Study That Found Lockdowns Are Ineffective
» Watch: Biden’s State Dept Spokesman Struggles to Provide Evidence of Russian ‘False Flag’ Claims
» Waukesha Parade Suspect Darrell Brooks in Court on Charges of Intimidating a Victim
» Wisconsin Republicans Seek Higher Bails After Waukesha Parade Deaths
 
Canada
» B.C. Admits That Half of “COVID Hospitalizations” Aren’t Because of COVID
» Bergen Advised Against Telling Truckers to Leave Ottawa, Said Protests Should be Made ‘PM’s Problem’
» Breaking: Alberta to Ease COVID Restrictions, Eliminate Vaccine Passports
» Breaking: Freedom Convoy Organizers Expect GoFundMe to Lift Suspension on Campaign
» Convoy Organizers Determined to Stay, Thank Ottawa Residents for ‘Support’
» Coutts Blockade Protest Intensifies as Local Government in Alberta Seeks to Find Agreement With Truckers
» Faulkner: Truckers for Freedom Convoy Stands Their Ground in Ottawa
» Freedom Convoy’s GoFundMe Suspended Following Complaints From Ottawa Government
» In Ottawa, It’s the Police Who Are Restricting Traffic — Not the Truckers
» Lawyer Chad Williamson is Representing the Truckers Blockading in Coutts, Alberta
» Ottawa Mayor Wants Apology From Conservatives Who Met With Truckers
» Ottawa’s Convoy Protest Continues With Strong Momentum
» Police Allow Commercial Traffic Through Coutts Blockade After Blocking Supplies and Supporters
» Quebec Premier Open to Meeting With Quebec Freedom Convoy
» Rebelcopter Heads to the Coutts, Alberta Border Blockade
» Saskatchewan Premier Says ‘It is Time’ To End COVID Restrictions
» Some Truckers in Support of the Border Blockade Will Take Their Protest to Edmonton
» Teenager Suffers Vaccine Reaction, Now Wheelchair Bound
» The Democracy Fund Bringing Free Legal Advice to Ottawa Protesters
» Toronto Mayor John Tory Wants to Prevent a Protest Planned for Queens Park From Winding Up Like Ottawa Convoy Protest
» Weekend Freedom Protests Planned in Cities Across Canada
» Where Did All of the Thousands of Trucks End Up in Ottawa? Diverted by Police Away From Downtown
 
Europe and the EU
» 21-Year-Old Greek Footballer Suffers Sudden Cardiac Arrest During Game
» Fidesz and Allied Parties Open Joint Office in Brussels
» French Court Dismisses Case Against Two Egyptian Sailors Accused of Raping 14-Year-Old Frenc Girl After Egypt Refuses to Cooperate
» French Journalist Put Under Police Protection After Islamism Documentary
» Germany’s CDU Considers Dropping ‘Christian’ From Name to Appeal to More Diverse Demographic
» Historic Dutch Bridge to be Dismantled So Jeff Bezos’ Superyacht Can Pass Through
» Hungarian Bank Helps Rescue Marine Le Pen’s Campaign With €10.6 Million Loan
» Major COVID-19 Ruling: Czech Government Cannot Indirectly Force Citizens to be Vaccinated, Says Top Court in Decision Against ‘Green Passes’
» Netherlands: 140,000 People Fined for Breaking Curfew or Social Distancing Rules
» Protester Interrupts Pope to Assert Face Masks Are “Not of the Church of God”
» ‘Time to Open Up’ Sweden Scraps Vax Passes, Becoming the Latest European Nation to Abandon Lockdown
» Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest: Austrian Health ‘Experts’ Linked to Pfizer
» Victory for Czechia, Poland and Hungary in EU Energy Battle
» Video: French Protesters Surround Pfizer HQ Chanting “Assassins”
» You’re Much Less Likely to be Robbed in Hungary, Poland, And Czechia Than in Western Europe
 
Middle East
» Islamic State Leader Abu Ibrahim Al-Qurayshi Killed in Syria, US Says
 
Russia
» Russia Mocks ‘Stupidity and Ignorance of Anglo-Saxon Politicians’ As Foreign Sec Confuses Baltic and Black Sea
 
South Asia
» India: Protest Against Illegal Namaz at Bengaluru Railway Station
 
Australia — Pacific
» Dan Andrews Reveals One Hated COVID Rule Could Remain Indefinitely Despite Tumbling Infection Rate — and Failure to Obey Will Bring an Eye-Watering $21,909 Fine
 
Latin America
» Cubans as Young as 16 Face Harsh Sentences Over Protests
 
Immigration
» African Migrants Convicted in Slew of Brutal Robberies in France
» Feds Gave U.S. Citizenship to Azerbaijan National as He Molested His Children
» In France, Emmanuel Macron Calls for New Rules to Halt Migrant Flows
» Suspect in Swastika Graffiti Vandalism Was Illegal Mexican Immigrant That Biden Admin Won’t Deport
» UK Hotel Bill for 37,000 Migrants Actually £4.7m a Day, Home Office Says
» UK: Ministry of Defence Tells Priti Patel the Royal Navy and Marines Will Not Turn Round Channel Migrants and Send Them Back to France When They Take Over Crossings Next Month
 
Culture Wars
» Google and Yelp Remove Business Reviews That Criticize Vaccine Passport Rules
» Noem Signs Bill Banning Transgender Participation in Girls’ Sports
» USA Swimming Updates Transgender Eligibility Rules After Male-Born Swimmer Beats Rivals by 38 Seconds
 

Facebook Suffers Biggest One-Day Value Drop of Any US Company in History

Facebook parent company Meta shed more than $220 billion in market capitalization on Thursday, the largest such single-day decline for a U.S. company in history.

Meta’s stock closed down more than 26% on Thursday, an 85-point decline. The drop was largely driven by a quarterly earnings report that found the company was hemorrhaging daily users for the first time in its history. CEO Mark Zuckerberg personally lost about $24 billion.

Meta’s crash drove declines across the stock market, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite dropping by 3.74%.

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

Biden in ‘Worst President Ever’ Territory

Yup. President Joe Biden has finally gone there.

Battered by horrible approval ratings and just today whacked in a Gallup survey showing that voter satisfaction has hit a “gloomy” new low, Biden in just a year is being kicked to the side of the road by voters.

Or, as Rasmussen Reports said in its latest analysis, “Most voters think President Joe Biden is one of the worst ever to hold the office, and rank him below his two immediate predecessors in the White House.”

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

Black Voters Sue NYC Over Noncitizen Voting, Claim it Violates Civil Rights Law

A group of Black New Yorkers sued the Big Apple’s Board of Elections, claiming that the new law allowing noncitizens to cast ballots in local elections violates federal civil rights law because the New York City Council passed the law in order to strengthen the voting power of certain racial groups, diluting the votes of other groups.

“They explicitly used race as a factor of demarking the voter groups that they wanted to give this privilege to and that is a direct violation of the 15th Amendment,” former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, a member of the board of directors at the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF), which filed the lawsuit, told Fox News.

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

Black Actress Cries, Apologizes to ‘Darker-Skinned Actresses’ For Not Being Black Enough

A black actress who landed a lead role in a film that was originally written for an old white man broke down and cried on camera because she felt guilty about not being dark skinned enough.

Yes, really.

Indeed, Thandiwe Newton says she is so mortified at not being black enough, she wants to “apologise every day to darker-skinned actresses.”

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

BLM Shuts Down Fundraising After States Threaten Legal Action Due to Lack of Transparency

Black Lives Matter shutdown online fundraising on Wednesday after liberal states threatened legal matter over lack of transparency with finances.

According to Washington Examiner, the states of Washington and California ordered BLM to cease all fundraising activities after Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation failed to disclose the organizations finances in 2020.

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

Georgia Parent Calls Out School District for Deleting Syllabus Mentioning Marxism, CRT: ‘Admission of Guilt’

Gwinnett County, home to the largest school district in Georgia, is facing harsh criticism after posting and then removing from the district’s website a controversial syllabus that said AP classes will teach critical race theory and Marxism. While the school district maintains the syllabus was never used for any classes, parents are sounding the alarm on what their children are actually being taught.

Sheri Mitchell is calling for transparency. Her two children attend school in Gwinnett County, and she said the immediate removal of the syllabus is an “admission of guilt.”

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

Gov. Youngkin, Virginia Officials File Motion to Join Mask Lawsuit Against Loudoun County Public Schools

A number of Virginia officials, including Governor Glenn Youngkin, have asked the court to include them as plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed by parents against Loudoun County Public Schools for their mask mandate.

On Tuesday, a lawsuit was filed against Loudoun County Public Schools for ignoring an Executive Order signed by Youngkin that allowed parents to opt their kids out of having to wear a mask at school.

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

House OKs Anti-Critical Race Theory Bill Banning ‘Racially Divisive’ Curriculum

Arizona Republican lawmakers are seeking to ban so-called “critical race theory” education in Arizona schools after the state Supreme Court last year struck down a law barring such education because it was unconstitutionally added to the state’s annual budget.

Schools could be fined and teachers could lose their certification for teaching that people inherently bear blame or responsibility for something based on their race, ethnicity or gender under legislation that received preliminary approval Thursday from the Arizona House of Representatives.

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

Hundreds of Students Segregated in Gyms After Protesting School Mask Mandates

Hundreds of students were segregated in gyms and cafeterias after protesting against school mask mandates in schools throughout Oakland, California.

After images emerged of Gov. Gavin Newsom maskless at the 49ers-Rams football game over the weekend, parents and students coordinated to stage the demonstration.

“Our own governor doesn’t follow these rules, so why should our children have to be wearing a mask?” asked parent Jennifer Henry. “He’s at this football game with all these people.”

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

Joe Rogan Outrage Did Little to Affect Spotify User Numbers

Most Spotify users are decidedly not on board with the Joe Rogan bashing, spearheaded by some media and entertainment elites. At least that’s what the latest app store data shows.

While the impression one could get from the anti-Rogan hype created and peddled by mainstream outlets is that Spotify would be bleeding both users left and right because it refused to kick its top talent off the platform to appease Covid vaccine enthusiasts — the actual numbers tell a different story.

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

Lynchburg Police Chief Reflects After Former Police Chief Found Dead in Thursday Shooting

LYNCHBURG, Va. (WDBJ) — A shooting along Golf Park Drive Thursday morning sent Perrymont Elementary School into a temporary lockdown.

Police arrived along the roadway about 8:15 a.m. Thursday.

There, they found former police chief Calvin Robertson, Jr. dead, while his wife Gloria died shortly after.

“Obviously, this hits home a little bit. I’m not gonna sit here and tell you otherwise. This is somebody who spent 32 years of his life at the police department,” said Ryan Zuidema, Lynchburg Police chief.

Zuidema says right now they’re carefully investigating the incident. LPD says no suspects are being sought.

“We have two victims. We’re not ruling anything out at this point. Our evidence will lead us to where it leads us,” said Zuidema…

           — Hat tip: MM [Return to headlines]
 

Media Cartel Hearing: Senator Blackburn Criticizes Big Tech Partnerships With Mainstream Media

Republican Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn accused Big Tech and mainstream media of colluding to control online content and the news Americans see. She expressed her concerns during the hearing of the controversial Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA).

“Big News and Big Tech team up and filter the news,” said Senator Blackburn. “And really take control of what you hear and what you see when it comes to news. When I go to Tennessee I hear a lot about this from Tennesseans. And they don’t like it. They feel that their views are not being represented. And they’re very concerned about whether they can or cannot trust mainstream media.”

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

MSNBC Broadcast Interrupted by ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Flag

Biden protesters held up a “Let’s Go Brandon” flag and chanted in the background of an MSNBC live report on Thursday during President Biden’s visit to New York.

Biden traveled to New York City to discuss a “comprehensive strategy to combat gun crime” with Adams. This followed two funerals for fallen NYPD officers Jason Rivera and Wilbert Mora who were shot and killed while responding to a domestic violence call in January.

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

NY High School Student Spent Hours Out in the Cold After She Refused to Wear a Mask

A 16-year-old high school student sat in a cold vestibule for hours because her New York high school wouldn’t allow her in the building without a mask, even though the state’s mask mandate had been struck down as unconstitutional the day before. While the police department said the girl remained in the school’s vestibule for a kind of sit-in protest, the girl’s father claimed the school mistreated her by refusing to give her food, water, or access to a bathroom.

“She was getting treated definitely worse than a prisoner,” Vincent Igoe, the girl’s father, told Fox News Digital on Sunday. “Even inmates in jail get offered food and water.”

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

One Dead, Four Wounded in Greyhound Bus Shooting in California

A shooting on a Greyhound bus in Northern California on Wednesday left one person dead and four others, including an 11-year-old girl and a pregnant woman, wounded, officials said.

The gunfire broke out around 7:35 p.m. inside a Greyhound bus outside a convenience store on Oroville-Dam and Feather River boulevards in Oroville, which is about 65 miles north of Sacramento, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

Officers with the Oroville Police Department and deputies with the sheriff’s office found several people suffering from gunshot wounds at the scene, according to the release. In total, five people were shot, authorities later confirmed.

“Despite lifesaving measures, one person was pronounced dead at the scene and others were transported to local hospitals,” the release said.

Authorities did not release the name of the person killed.

During a news conference Thursday, Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea identified the suspect as Asaahdi Elijah Coleman, 21, of Sacramento.

According to the sheriff, Coleman boarded the bus in Redding, California, heading toward Los Angeles. Officials said he’s had “somewhat of a transient lifestyle.”

The suspect was exhibiting “paranoid behavior” on the bus and may have thought another passenger was an undercover law enforcement officer that resulted in a confrontation between the two of them, Honea said.

At one point during the ride, he showed people the firearm he had in a bag on the bus, according to the sheriff.

When the bus parked in Oroville and people began to exit, Coleman fired his weapon, Honea said.

Butte County District Attorney Michael Ramsey said 12 9mm shell cases were recovered from the scene…

           — Hat tip: Dean [Return to headlines]
 

Pennsylvania Macy’s ‘Grab and Run’ Suspects Steal Thousands of Dollars in Merchandise

Police in Pennsylvania have released video footage of a “grab and run” theft that happened at a Macy’s on Wednesday night.

The West Whiteland Township Police Department released footage showing multiple individuals running out of a Macy’s store with bags of merchandise without paying. It happened in Exton, Pennsylvania at 5:30 p.m on Wednesday, police said.

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

Report: Rudy Giuliani ‘Masked Singer’ Reveal Prompts Judges Robin Thicke, Ken Jeong to Walk Off in Protest

FOX’s The Masked Singer judges Robin Thicke and Ken Jeong reportedly bolted the stage in protest during last week’s taping after Donald Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani was unmasked as a costumed contestant.

According to Deadline, the two judges “quickly left the stage in protest” just “as soon as they saw Giuliani” unveiled.

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

Rumble Announces Record Monthly Watch Time and Uploads, Significant User Growth

Neutral video sharing platform Rumble has reported record user engagement and video uploads for January 2022 with approximately 10.8 billion minutes watched and an average of 4,383 hours of video uploaded per day.

In addition to these record stats, Rumble also announced substantial monthly active user (MAU) growth of 19% over the previous month, reaching 39 million MAUs for January 2022.

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

Video: Johns Hopkins Prof. Slams Media, Own Institution for Hiding Bombshell Study That Found Lockdowns Are Ineffective

A Johns Hopkins professor slammed his own university and the establishment media for failing to report on a major study that concluded lockdowns have been almost completely ineffective at curbing COVID mortality rates.

As we reported yesterday, the study was authored by multiple eminent researchers at the University and concluded that lockdowns “are ill-founded and should be rejected as a pandemic policy instrument.”

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

Watch: Biden’s State Dept Spokesman Struggles to Provide Evidence of Russian ‘False Flag’ Claims

A heated exchange occurred between an Associated Press reporter and State Department spokesperson Ned Price on Thursday over unsubstantiated assertions that Russia was planning to stage a “false flag” incident in Ukraine or Russia.

During a briefing providing updates on the escalating tensions in Ukraine, Price referenced a report by intelligence officials last month that suggested Russia was trying to create a pretext for an invasion in Ukraine. Price said US intelligence suggested Russia was planning a “false flag” propaganda effort through the release of a “very graphic” fake video, but failed to provide evidence backing up his claims.

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

Waukesha Parade Suspect Darrell Brooks in Court on Charges of Intimidating a Victim

MILWAUKEE COUNTY (CBS 58) — Darrell Brooks, the suspect in the Waukesha parade attack, had a court appearance in Milwaukee County on Wednesday, Feb. 2.

Brooks appeared on Zoom from the Milwaukee County Jail for his initial appearance. He was transferred from the Waukesha jail because they do not have Zoom capabilities. He is charged, most recently, with three felonies including threatening a witness and bail jumping.

“He has demonstrated through his conduct, if these allegations prove to be true, that he commits crimes whether he’s in custody or out of custody,” said prosecutor Matthew Torbenson.

In early November, Brooks was charged with running over the mother of his child with a car. Then, according to a criminal complaint, recordings prove he repeatedly called that woman from jail, threatening her and pushing her to drop the charges.

Brooks got out of jail on bail and then allegedly committed the crimes in Waukesha.

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

Wisconsin Republicans Seek Higher Bails After Waukesha Parade Deaths

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin Republicans are pushing to amend the state constitution to make it harder for criminal defendants to get out on bail. The efforts come as Darrell Brooks, the suspect in the Waukesha Christmas Parade tragedy, was out on $1,000 bail from a case in Milwaukee County when he allegedly drove into the parade, striking dozens and killing six people.

The Assembly’s judiciary committee scheduled a public hearing on the amendment for Wednesday. Republicans have focused much of their anger over the Waukesha parade deaths on the $1,000 bail that Democratic Milwaukee County District Attorney John Chisholm’s office recommended for the defendant in an earlier case. They’ve called for tougher bail assessments and for Chisholm’s job.

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

B.C. Admits That Half of “COVID Hospitalizations” Aren’t Because of COVID

Despite continuing reports of record COVID-19 cases and hospital numbers, British Columbia data now shows that half the province’s COVID hospitalizations since Dec. 1 were not people admitted because of COVID, but people who incidentally tested positive for the virus after being admitted for other reasons.

“So, it’s not COVID that’s driving them into hospital,” provincial health officer Bonnie Henry said at a briefing on Tuesday.

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

Bergen Advised Against Telling Truckers to Leave Ottawa, Said Protests Should be Made ‘PM’s Problem’

Newly elected interim Conservative Party Leader Candice Bergen advised senior Conservative MPs not to tell members of the trucker convoy to leave Ottawa and instead make the protests the prime minister’s problem, according to an internal email obtained by CTV News.

In an email sent on Monday, the then deputy leader told her colleagues “I don’t think we should be asking them to go home.”

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

Breaking: Alberta to Ease COVID Restrictions, Eliminate Vaccine Passports

The UCP government is planning on lifting its COVID restrictions, beginning with the elimination of the vaccine passport. According to CTV, Alberta’s premier expects to relax COVID-19 restrictions in February.

“Once we begin to see a sustained reduction in COVID pressure on the hospitals, I am looking forward to being able to make decisions on relaxation on public health measures,” said Kenney.

“I believe that will happen this month, in February… including the elimination of the restriction exemption or the proof of vaccination program. I just ask people to be a little more patient.”

According to City News on Thursday, Provincial Medical Officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw said COVID is now becoming endemic. While there will still be risks for some members of society, the system is unlikely to be overwhelmed.

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

Breaking: Freedom Convoy Organizers Expect GoFundMe to Lift Suspension on Campaign

The leaders of the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa is held a press conference on Thursday, where they provided updates regarding their plans to depart, their requests to the federal government, and the situation with the movement’s GoFundMe, which was recently suspended by the platform.

The conference was held by Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) lawyer Keith Wilson, who are assisting the convoy, former RCMP officer Danny Olford, and Tamara Lich.

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

Convoy Organizers Determined to Stay, Thank Ottawa Residents for ‘Support’

Some of the main organizers for the “Freedom Convoy” decried Thursday that they had been painted as “racists, misogynists…and even terrorists,” and that no one from the federal or provincial government had met with them.

Tamara Lich, one of the leaders of the convoy, read a prepared statement “calling on all levels of government to lift all COVID-19 restrictions and mandates,” and vowed to stay on until there is a “solid plan” to see action on their demands.

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

Coutts Blockade Protest Intensifies as Local Government in Alberta Seeks to Find Agreement With Truckers

The growing blockade protest at the U.S.-Canada border continues to intensify, as the local government in Alberta is reportedly discussing a response to the truck drivers who are asking the government to lift its COVID-19 mandates.

As detailed by Rebel News‘ Kian Simone, who interviewed one of the protest organizers on Wednesday morning, the organizer said the RCMP came to the blockade to offer aid to truckers whose rigs were frozen, including mechanics and vehicle technicians. The organizer praised the RCMP’s show of consideration and made clear that the truckers wanted to speak to Alberta Premier Jason Kenney.

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

Faulkner: Truckers for Freedom Convoy Stands Their Ground in Ottawa

True North’s Harrison Faulkner spoke with protesters at the #TruckersforFreedom convoy in the nation’s capital to hear their thoughts on the Ottawa police considering calling in the military to disband the protest.

Harrison also spoke with the Conservative MP John Barlow to get his thoughts on this historic protest.

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

Freedom Convoy’s GoFundMe Suspended Following Complaints From Ottawa Government

GoFundMe has frozen the campaign of the Freedom Convoy in Ottawa, after it raised over $10,000,000 Canadian dollars following demands from Ottawa city officials for the crowd-funding platform to seize their funds and redirect them to the city to pay for the costs of policing and PR, in what can literally be described as fascism.

As detailed by the Freedom Convoy’s GoFundMe page, the fundraiser is currently paused and under review to “ensure it complies with our terms of service and applicable laws and regulations.”

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

In Ottawa, It’s the Police Who Are Restricting Traffic — Not the Truckers

On last night’s episode of The Ezra Levant Show, we looked at the “little tyrants” taking over Canada.

Here’s a bit of what Ezra had to say about the Ottawa mayor’s reaction to the Freedom Convoy this weekend:

By the way, the city is not in fact shut down by the truckers. They’re taking up the street in front of Parliament Hill, it’s true. But I was there — and in fact, police have blocked off most of the downtown. It’s the police who are restricting traffic.

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

Lawyer Chad Williamson is Representing the Truckers Blockading in Coutts, Alberta

On last night’s episode of The Ezra Levant Show, Chad Williamson joined Ezra to talk about Coutts, Alberta trucker blockade.

Chad is representing the truckers thanks to the generous donation of Rebel News viewers via the website TruckerLawyer.ca.

“The support is tremendous,” said Chad. “To label these folks as a minority or a small fringe movement — this is southern Alberta. And it seems like everybody’s on board.”

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

Ottawa Mayor Wants Apology From Conservatives Who Met With Truckers

Ottawa mayor Jim Watson wants a group of Conservative politicians who met with some of the truckers parked outside Parliament Hill to say they’re sorry.

“This is an absolute disgrace that you would come out & praise this illegal action that has caused stress and hardship to residents who have been putting up with horns blasting throughout the night and residents harassed for wearing a mask & businesses forced to close,” said Watson in a tweet on Wednesday. “Apologize.”

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

Ottawa’s Convoy Protest Continues With Strong Momentum

Today, most eyes have been glued to the constantly changing situation at Coutts, Alberta at the Sweetgrass U.S./Canada border, where truckers and RCMP have been in negotiations and stand-offs for the better part of 2 days.

However, that doesn’t mean that the events and energy in our nation’s capital have ceased!

While the massive crowds in Ottawa from the weekend having dissipated somewhat, there are still large crowds at Parliament Hill and trucks parked as far as the eye can see, refusing to go anywhere until freedom wins.

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

Police Allow Commercial Traffic Through Coutts Blockade After Blocking Supplies and Supporters

At approximately 11 p.m. Wednesday night, authorities at the Coutts, Alberta border blockade marshalled through at least three commercial tractor-trailers, including one belonging to Fed-Ex.

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

Quebec Premier Open to Meeting With Quebec Freedom Convoy

Quebec Premier François Legault said on Tuesday that he is open to meeting with organizers of a provincial freedom convoy now making its way to Quebec City.

Legault made the comments at a press conference on Tuesday, where he also announced that his government would abandon its controversial plan to tax the unvaccinated.

“I am always available to meet people who are in good faith to try to see how we can help them answer their questions, their concerns,” said Legault in French.

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

Rebelcopter Heads to the Coutts, Alberta Border Blockade

Rebel News has been providing unparalleled coverage of the Coutts, Alberta border crossing trucker protest since its beginning. Our reporters Kian Simone and Syd Fizzard headed down immediately when this story began to unfold, and they have been embedded with the protesters ever since — and the world has been watching.

This all started with the Freedom Convoy, in which thousands of Canadians rolled in unity and ever-growing numbers from across Canada and into Ottawa.

The actions of those truckers kick-started other freedom convoys around the world, even as far as Australia. A group of Albertan truckers, fed up with Charter-violating mandates and overreaching medical tyrants, decided they have had enough of the government trampling on our rights and freedoms, and took to the border town of Coutts and set up a blockade.

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

Saskatchewan Premier Says ‘It is Time’ To End COVID Restrictions

Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe hinted that the province is considering doing away with all remaining COVID safety precautions.

On Thursday, Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe held a virtual event, in which he discussed the province’s plans for dealing with COVID going froward.

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

Some Truckers in Support of the Border Blockade Will Take Their Protest to Edmonton

Update February 3, 2022: Truckers at the border blockade now tell Rebel News they have resolved to stay at Coutts. Earlier statements about ending the blockade were a miscommunication. Supportive protests are expected to happen in cities across Alberta including Edmonton.

But the protest isn’t over. It’s just moving to Edmonton, Alberta — Premier Jason Kenney’s place.

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

Teenager Suffers Vaccine Reaction, Now Wheelchair Bound

In this interview, I feature another story of vaccine injury. The same kind of injury that is censored or downplayed by mainstream media, TV doctors and second-rate public health bureaucrats as “rare.”

Jasmine Comeau is a 17-year-old Grade 12 student from Miramichi, New Brunswick.

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

The Democracy Fund Bringing Free Legal Advice to Ottawa Protesters

The Democracy Fund (TDF) is a registered non-partisan charity with the goal of promoting constitutional rights in Canada through litigation and education.

Rebel News has worked extensively with TDF on many of our Fight The Fines and Fight Vaccine Passports cases. Their lawyers have been working hard throughout the pandemic response to stand up for the civil rights of Canadians, and have had many successes.

Rebel has also worked alongside TDF’s Dr. Julie Ponesse, an accomplished and well-respected PhD specializing in ethics and ancient philosophy who has hosted the charity’s freedom-oriented town hall events and delivered several speeches surrounding the ethics of forced COVID-19 injections.

Now, with the world watching the truckers’ convoy in Canada, and in particular the flurry of events continuing at Ottawa, TDF is focusing in on how it can help those who are standing in solidarity with that movement.

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

Toronto Mayor John Tory Wants to Prevent a Protest Planned for Queens Park From Winding Up Like Ottawa Convoy Protest

On Thursday, John Tory, Toronto’s mayor, talked about his concerns regarding a protest being planned for this coming weekend in the city’s Queen’s Park.

“Any protest in the area of Queen’s Park absolutely cannot block off access to the hospitals around the legislature,” commented Tory over Zoom.

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

Weekend Freedom Protests Planned in Cities Across Canada

Several of Canada’s largest cities are expected to see a new wave of protests this weekend as calls to end vaccine mandates and other COVID restrictions sweep the country.

In addition to people returning to support the Truckers for Freedom Convoy which arrived in Ottawa last week, protests are also planned in cities including Toronto, Quebec City and Calgary.

While some of the protests will involve truckers, others will be stand-up demonstrations against the erosion of freedoms under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

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

Where Did All of the Thousands of Trucks End Up in Ottawa? Diverted by Police Away From Downtown

This past weekend, I had the privilege of reporting on the ground in Ottawa, where the Canadian Truckers’ for Freedom Convoy — consisting of tens of thousands of transport trucks from all corners of the nation — began to converge on Canada’s capital city. Hundreds of thousands of supporters came out in support, to protest the heavy-handed COVID restrictions still in effect across Canada, which happened primarily in Ottawa’s downtown, centred on Parliament Hill.

It was truly remarkable to see so many transport trucks parked up and down a number of the main streets in downtown Ottawa, including all down Wellington St, right outside of the Canadian Parliament building. But while all eyes were focused on Parliament Hill, the noisy trucks blockading downtown, and the massive protest underway there, I couldn’t help but think — “where are all of the other trucks?”

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

21-Year-Old Greek Footballer Suffers Sudden Cardiac Arrest During Game

A 21-year-old Greek footballer suffered a sudden cardiac arrest just five minutes into a game before subsequently dying.

The tragedy happened to Alexandros Lampis at the First Municipal Stadium yesterday while he was playing for third division team Ilioupoli.

Owing to there being no defibrillator, attempts to resuscitate Lampis at the stadium failed, and despite the ground being located within a suburb of the capital of Athens, an ambulance didn’t arrive for 20 minutes.

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

Fidesz and Allied Parties Open Joint Office in Brussels

Following a two-day summit in Madrid, the European right-wing parties agreed to set up an office in Brussels for coordination, said Jorge Buxadé, Member of Parliament and spokesman for the Spanish Vox party and organizer of the event.

The Vox spokesman also said that “the office would allow for continuous cooperation between the right-wing parties of the European Parliament, which currently belong to three different groups or are independent. It would serve to coordinate their policies, positions and voices while respecting the freedom of each party”.

Fifteen parties from 12 European countries participated in the conference “Protecting Europe”, reported MTI, Hungarian news outlet.

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

French Court Dismisses Case Against Two Egyptian Sailors Accused of Raping 14-Year-Old Frenc Girl After Egypt Refuses to Cooperate

The case against two Egyptian sailors accused of raping a 14-year-old French girl has been dismissed by the investigating chamber of the Court of Appeal of Riom, according to local reports.

The 20 Minutes news outlet reported on Wednesday that while the court recognized the offense had taken place, a lack of cooperation from Egyptian authorities has prevented the suspects from being prosecuted.

“I am immediately filing an appeal in cassation, and I will request an appointment with the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Foreign Affairs,” the victim’s lawyer, Me Gilles-Jean Portejoie, told Le Figaro.

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

French Journalist Put Under Police Protection After Islamism Documentary

A journalist who presented a documentary on Islamism in France has been placed under police protection after she was subjected to death threats.

Ophélie Meunier, the presenter of a “Forbidden Zone” documentary into Islamism in France, has been placed under police protection after becoming the target of death threats.

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

Germany’s CDU Considers Dropping ‘Christian’ From Name to Appeal to More Diverse Demographic

Germany’s CDU political party is considering dropping the word ‘Christian’ from its name in order to appeal to a more diverse demographic.

The party, which was in power for 16 years before last year’s election, is worried that the word is preventing it from attracting non-Christian members.

This is based on concerns surrounding a decline in trust in the Church as well as the Catholic pedophile scandal.

Such a move would not be unprecedented in Europe given that the Christian Democratic People’s Party in Switzerland rebranded itself to be called “Die Mitte” (The Central).

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

Historic Dutch Bridge to be Dismantled So Jeff Bezos’ Superyacht Can Pass Through

A historic bridge in Rotterdam, Netherlands, is to be dismantled so that Jeff Bezos’ superyacht can pass through.

The Koningshaven Bridge, nicknamed “De Hef” by locals, has been a landmark in Rotterdam since 1878. Originally a swing bridge, it was converted into a lifting bridge after several ships got stuck in the narrow passage, and a collision involving the German ship Kandelfels in 1918. Having been damaged in the bombing of Rotterdam, it was one of the first monuments to be restored in the city shortly afterward.

Now, it is to be dismantled to let the Amazon founder’s 127-meter (417-foot) long luxury sailing yacht — the Y721 — to reach the ocean.

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

Hungarian Bank Helps Rescue Marine Le Pen’s Campaign With €10.6 Million Loan

French presidential candidate and MEP Marine Le Pen will finance her presidential election campaign with a loan from a Hungarian bank, according to RTL radio station. Le Pen has so far conducted a low-cost campaign after her party was blocked by French and most European banks, but now her party, the National Rally, will be able to ramp up its campaign activity with the €10.6 million lifeline.

The politician will not reveal the bank’s name due to respect for a “confidentiality clause,” and the party will not comment further on the loan, according to RTL.

[Comment: Patriots got to stick together.]

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

Major COVID-19 Ruling: Czech Government Cannot Indirectly Force Citizens to be Vaccinated, Says Top Court in Decision Against ‘Green Passes’

Czechs will no longer need to prove their vaccination status in order to attend restaurants, cultural and sports events after Feb. 9, the country’s prime minister announced on Wednesday.

Czechia’s Supreme Administrative Court (NSS), the top court in the land, abolished the condition that residents must prove vaccination or recent illness from coronavirus to attend social events on Wednesday, postponing its decision for seven days to provide the government with an opportunity to respond to the ruling, according to Czech news outlet Seznamzpravy.

“The measure cannot aim to indirectly force citizens to be vaccinated. This would make voluntary vaccination mandatory through an emergency vaccination measure, as unvaccinated people would have no choice but to be vaccinated if they wanted to live normally,” said NSS Judge Petr Mikes

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

Netherlands: 140,000 People Fined for Breaking Curfew or Social Distancing Rules

In the two years since coronavirus reached the Netherlands, the Dutch public prosecution department says it has dealt with 1,475 criminal investigations relating to the pandemic. In 2020, most cases related to people spitting or coughing at the police and public sector workers in an effort to infect them, the department said on Thursday.

In 2021, most prosecutions involved people who had been taking part in demonstrations against government coronavirus policy. Most of those cases — 404 — stemmed from the riots which took place at the end of January 2021, when the curfew was brought in. In total, 91 of those cases involved teenagers under the age of 18.

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

Protester Interrupts Pope to Assert Face Masks Are “Not of the Church of God”

A protester interrupted Pope Francis during his weekly address at the Vatican, shouting “masks are not of the Church of God!”

The incident happened during the Pope’s General Audience yesterday morning.

“The Church is not the way God wants it,” the man asserted, before adding, “masks are not of the Church of God!” as he removed his face mask and held it aloft.

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

‘Time to Open Up’ Sweden Scraps Vax Passes, Becoming the Latest European Nation to Abandon Lockdown

Sweden’s Prime Minister has announced that the Nordic nation will be scrapping the internal use of vaccine passes, becoming the latest European nation to escape lockdown.

Sweden is to become the latest European state to escape lockdown, after the Nordic nation’s Prime Minister announced that vaccine passes, along with a host of other restrictions, will be dumped next week.

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

Undisclosed Conflicts of Interest: Austrian Health ‘Experts’ Linked to Pfizer

Eight “experts” who worked on the Austrian vaccination strategy against Covid are or were financially linked to the pharmaceutical industry. However, the Ministry of Health is apparently not interested in disclosing these possibly questionable relations. This was revealed by the research of an Austrian weekly magazine.

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

Victory for Czechia, Poland and Hungary in EU Energy Battle

The European Commission has handed countries such as France, Poland, Hungary, and Czechia a victory on energy policy by approving the temporary inclusion of nuclear and gas on its list of clean energy sources, it was revealed on Wednesday.

The European Commission went through with the decision despite strong protests from Germany, Luxembourg, and Austria. Notably, Germany has embarked on closing down all of its nuclear power plants, but has since faced down an energy crisis and critically-low natural gas reserves.

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

Video: French Protesters Surround Pfizer HQ Chanting “Assassins”

Video shot this past weekend in Paris France shows thousands of protesters surrounding the headquarters of Pfizer in the nation’s capitol and chanting “assassins!” in protest of vaccine mandates.

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

You’re Much Less Likely to be Robbed in Hungary, Poland, And Czechia Than in Western Europe

Although the Western media heaps ample scorn on Hungary and Poland, there is no denying that these countries are safer places to live in comparison to Western nations when it comes to crime and terrorism, with a data map from Landgeist revealing the vast difference in robbery rates between European nations.

The map, which is based on data from Statista, shows that in Hungary only six robberies occur per 100,000 people per year, while Czechia has 14 and Poland has 17 robberies for every 100,000 people. These figures are dramatically lower than other Western nations, such as Belgium and Spain, where a whopping 140 robberies occur every year for every 100,000 people. That means you are approximately 23 times more likely to be robbed in Belgium than if you are in Hungary.

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

Islamic State Leader Abu Ibrahim Al-Qurayshi Killed in Syria, US Says

The leader of the Islamic State (IS) is dead following a US raid in northern Syria that also killed a senior deputy of the terror group, US officials say.

Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi set off a blast killing himself and his family as special forces rounded on his hideout after a gunfight.

US President Joe Biden disclosed the overnight raid on Thursday.

Qurayshi’s death “removed a major terrorist threat to the world”, Mr Biden said.

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

Russia Mocks ‘Stupidity and Ignorance of Anglo-Saxon Politicians’ As Foreign Sec Confuses Baltic and Black Sea

Russia has mocked Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary for appearing to suggest the Baltic States are located on the Black Sea, suggesting the world needs to be saved from “the stupidity and ignorance of Anglo-Saxon politicians.”

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova pounced on Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, a former Liberal Democrat and Remain campaigner who has since managed to win over a chunk of her party’s grassroots by reinventing herself as a “Get Brexit Done” believer and posing on top of a tank like the late Margaret Thatcher, when she said the British government was “supplying and offering extra support into our Baltic allies across the Black Sea” amid ongoing tensions.

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

India: Protest Against Illegal Namaz at Bengaluru Railway Station

After protest from Hindu activists, illegal mosque at Bengaluru railway station converted back to the porters’ restroom.

Videos of the incident from the Bengaluru railway station have surfaced online.

Shishir Rao | TNM Online | Bengaluru | Feb 1, 2022:: Several members of the Hindu outfit Hindu Janajagruthi Samithi (HJS) barged into a resting room for railway porters on one of the platforms of the Kranthi Veera Sangolli Rayanna (KSR) Railway station in Majestic of Bengaluru that also happened to be used by Muslim porters as a prayer hall. The incident occurred on Sunday, January 30. Videos of the incident have surfaced online where one of the members shooting the video is heard saying that an arrangement has been made to wash their hands and feet like a masjid.

Meanwhile, a source with the Railways police told TNM that while prayers for different communities have been allowed in the said room for many years now, there has been no complaint so far about the prayer causing inconvenience to anyone. The source added that possible action based on the complaint will be taken only if instructions from senior officers are given.

In a letter written to the station manager of KSR, The HJS claimed that the resting room had been converted into a place of worship by Muslims and further claimed that it was a “threat from the national security point of view.” The HJS further went on to claim that providing permission for the prayer hall “seemed to be a conspiracy” and claimed that this would create chances of the Muslims demanding the creation of a masjid.

           — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari [Return to headlines]
 

Dan Andrews Reveals One Hated COVID Rule Could Remain Indefinitely Despite Tumbling Infection Rate — and Failure to Obey Will Bring an Eye-Watering $21,909 Fine

Daniel Andrews has hinted Victoria’s hated mask mandate could remain indefinitely as Covid still remains ‘challenging’ for the state to manage, despite infection rates tumbling in the last month.

Asked whether the rule would finally be dropped, the Victorian premier said it would not change ‘any time soon’ as Omicron was a ‘wildly infectious variant and we are being guided by safety, which has never been more important than it is right now’.

With the restriction to wear masks indoors unlikely to be eased for some time, it means anyone breaking the rule will continue to face a crippling $21,909 fine for breaching the pandemic order.

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

Cubans as Young as 16 Face Harsh Sentences Over Protests

PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. — Esmeralda Rodriguez is waiting in anguish for news of her 37-year-old son. He was among the young Cubans who are facing tough prison sentences for daring to protest against the government.

Rodriguez, who lives in Ecuador, said officers detained her son Dayron Rodriguez after the historic July 11 protests and he hasn’t been freed since.

“They accuse him of rioting because he threw a rock because he filmed,” she said in Spanish.

After a trial for sedition that didn’t allow him to defend himself with his own witnesses, a judge sentenced him to 30 years in prison. His distraught mother said her son had mental health issues before he was arrested and she is concerned that his condition will worsen in prison.

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

African Migrants Convicted in Slew of Brutal Robberies in France

A pair of migrants from African countries was convicted by a French court following a violent crime spree in which they targeted victims carrying iPhones, according to reports.

Two 19-year-old males, one hailing from the Central African Republic and the other from the Republic of the Congo, were sentenced to 18 months in prison, with 10 months suspended, and banned from French territory for five years.

The men were responsible for at least three attacks and robberies in the commune of Bourges over a span of seven months between October of 2020 and May of 2021.

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

Feds Gave U.S. Citizenship to Azerbaijan National as He Molested His Children

The federal government allowed an Azerbaijan national to secure naturalized American citizenship as he was molesting his children, the Department of Justice (DOJ) reveals.

Vyacheslav Fyodorovitch Rizkhov, a 44-year-old citizen of Azerbaijan, was found guilty of naturalization fraud last month after the federal government certified that he was of “good moral character,” and thus eligible for naturalized American citizenship, despite his sexual abuse of children.

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

In France, Emmanuel Macron Calls for New Rules to Halt Migrant Flows

French President Emmanuel Macron is taking aim at migration — a core issue in the country’s presidential campaign — by pushing to strengthen the European Union’s external borders against people illegally entering the bloc’s passport-free area.

Macron is expected to run for a second term in France’s April 3 presidential election. Conservative and far-right candidates have made migration a top campaign theme, criticizing what they see as Macron’s inaction on stemming migration.

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

Suspect in Swastika Graffiti Vandalism Was Illegal Mexican Immigrant That Biden Admin Won’t Deport

The person who defaced Washington DC’s Union Station with swastikas is an illegal migrant from Mexico with a lengthy criminal history. But even so, and despite being repeatedly apprehended by authorities, the suspected vandal doesn’t meet the Biden administration’s standards for deportation.

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

UK Hotel Bill for 37,000 Migrants Actually £4.7m a Day, Home Office Says

Some 37,000 asylum seekers and Afghan refugees are living in UK hotels at a cost of £4.7m per day, revised Home Office figures show.

A Home Office official said yesterday the total hotel bill was £1.2m a day but the department has since clarified the actual overall daily cost is £4.7m.

It it understood the £1.2m is to accommodate Afghan refugees and another £3.5m a day is spent on asylum seekers.

A spokesman said the use of hotels was unacceptable and a short-term solution.

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

UK: Ministry of Defence Tells Priti Patel the Royal Navy and Marines Will Not Turn Round Channel Migrants and Send Them Back to France When They Take Over Crossings Next Month

The Ministry of Defence has hit back at Priti Patel by saying the Royal Navy and Marines will not be turning back migrants who had crossed the Channel and sending them back to France when they take over the operational control of crossings this month.

The MoD said they would not be enforcing the Home Secretary’s push back policy — to turn migrant boats back towards France — after Ms Patel said one of its ministers was wrong to rule out the Navy’s involvement in the policy.

Ms Patel had told the Commons Home Affairs Committee on Wednesday that the armed forces minister James Heappey, who had ruled out navy involvement, was ‘wrong to say anything specific in regards to work operationally as they’re still being planned, that work is not competed yet’.

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

Google and Yelp Remove Business Reviews That Criticize Vaccine Passport Rules

Google has explained how it keeps user reviews on Google Maps free from “abuse” in a new blog post, that also mentions moderating comments from people criticizing businesses for forcing masks or vaccine passports.

Meanwhile, Yelp also admitted removing tens of thousands of reviews in 2021 for violating its policies and similarly removed reviews that mentioned vaccine passports.

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

Noem Signs Bill Banning Transgender Participation in Girls’ Sports

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem signed a bill that will ban transgender female athletes from participating in girls’ or women’s school sports.

“This bill’s about fairness,” the Republican said during a news conference Thursday after signing Senate Bill 46, which will prohibit transgender athletes from competing in girls’ sports. “It’s about allowing biological females… to compete fairly on a level playing field that gives them opportunities for success.”

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

USA Swimming Updates Transgender Eligibility Rules After Male-Born Swimmer Beats Rivals by 38 Seconds

The national governing body for swimming in the United States has updated its policy regarding the eligibility of transgender athletes in competitive events.

The new rules which were introduced on Tuesday and are effective immediately will see the establishment of a three-person medical panel used to determine the extent to which the “prior physical development of the athlete as a male” gives an individual an unfair advantage over their competitors.

USA Swimming also confirmed that male-born transgender swimmers will be required to prove they have possessed a low testosterone level for as long as 36 months prior to competing in events.

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

8 thoughts on “Gates of Vienna News Feed 2/3/2022

    • I have to laugh, for the only way the Germans will be able to do any of that is by military conquest, and they have no army, no Luftwaffe, nor a navy that can put to sea. So I would only get paranoid if the Germans all of a sudden had about 5-6 million troops and a buildup, and that just ain’t happening.

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