Police in New York City and Washington D.C., along with the ATF, are co-operating in a manhunt for a gunman suspected of shooting a number of homeless people in both cities. Three of the DC victims died of their wounds, as did two in New York. All are thought to have been shot by the same assailant.
In other news, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck announced that Germany would not join the United States and other countries in banning energy imports from Russia.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Dean, DV, LP, MM, Reader from Chicago, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.
Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.
Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. I check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.
Canada: Taxpayer Group Debuts New Debt Clock After Old One Runs Out of Digits
The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has launched a nationwide tour of its new debt clock to raise awareness about Canada’s ballooning $1.1 trillion national debt.
The CTF’s debt clock has been making its way across Canada since the 1990s. Last year, however, the organization had to retire the original clock when it ran out of digits, which topped out at $999,999,999,999.99.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Joe Biden’s Handling of the Economy Met With Record Disapproval: Poll
Almost three-quarters of Americans said they’re unhappy with President Joe Biden’s handling of inflation, which is now widely considered the country’s top priority for voters.
A record high of 70 percent of the general public said they disapprove of Biden’s response to inflation, according to an ABC News/Ipsos poll.
The figure, recorded after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has helped push up oil prices globally, is slightly higher than the 69 percent disapproval Biden received for his handling of inflation in previous ABC/Ipsos polls from the end of January and mid-December.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Two Seattle Antifa rioters were sentenced Friday in King County Superior Court Friday for the attempted arson of a Seattle police precinct. One of the rioters, who is the son of a former Democrat lawmaker, was also sentenced in the assault of a police officer with a metal baseball bat during race riots that rocked the city following the death of George Floyd in 2020.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: Antifa, Far-Left Protesters Confront Attendees of Georgia Tech Matt Walsh Speech
The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh held an event at Georgia Tech on Monday in the lead-up to the NCAA women’s swimming championships this week, and was protested by left-wing activists who are in favor of allowing biological males to compete in women’s sports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Covington Police Officer, Two Others Killed in Shooting in Covington
Police said the shooter is among those dead
COVINGTON, Va. — Three people, including a Covington police officer, are dead following a shooting on Monday afternoon, according to Virginia State Police.
Police also confirmed that the suspected shooter is also among those dead.
The third person killed was a civilian, according to police.
Authorities have not yet released the identities of any of the three individuals.
The shooting happened shortly before 5 p.m. at Covington Farm & Fuel on Alleghany Avenue, about 2 miles off exit 14 of Interstate 64 onto Route 154.
At this time, Alleghany Avenue is blocked off while authorities work on the scene.
Virginia State Police, the Covington Police Department and the Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene. However, VSP’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Salem Field Office is investigating the shooting.
| — Hat tip: MM | [Return to headlines] |
Dancing Grannies Perform for the First Time Since Waukesha Attack
MILWAUKEE — The return of the Milwaukee St. Patrick’s Day parade meant the city is turning a page, but for one of the dance groups it marked an entirely new chapter.
“We’re going to survive and we’re going to do this,” said Jean Knutson, a member of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies. “Everyone is just keeping us going and keeping us motivated to keep moving forward.”
Three members and a volunteer with the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies died in the Waukesha Christmas Parade attack nearly four months ago.
The Milwaukee St. Patrick’s Day parade marked the first time the group performed in a parade since the attack.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
DC Police, NYPD, ATF Investigating String of Shootings, Homicides Targeting Men Who Are Homeless
Five men who are homeless were shot, two of which were killed, in a string of attacks in D.C. and New York that police say were committed by the same suspect.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and New York City Mayor Eric Adams have released a joint statement on Sunday encouraging people without housing to seek shelter after the shootings…
D.C. Police are working alongside the New York City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) after five separate shootings in Northeast and New York involving men without homes, two of which were fatal.
D.C. police announced that they would be working alongside the NYPD and ATF in an additional news release, acknowledging that similar shootings occurred in New York on March 12…
| — Hat tip: DV | [Return to headlines] |
DeSantis Foresees Return to COVID Rules if Democrats Stay in Power After Midterms
In a roundtable discussion in Doral, Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis warned that COVID rules will suddenly return after the midterm elections if Democrats are allowed to remain in power.
“The minute those elections are over,” he said, “they will impose mandates if they feel the need to do that. They will impose restrictions.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
DHS Increases Efforts to Identify “Misinformation” And “Conspiracy Theories” On Social Media
Last Spring, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas ordered an internal review to identify how to best detect, prevent, and respond to threats related to domestic violent extremism within the department.
A component of this was based on online activity. “DVE [domestic violent extremist] attackers often radicalize independently by consuming violent extremist material online and mobilize without direction from a violent extremist organization, making detection and disruption difficult,” the unclassified initial report stated.
The report (obtained here) said that extremists, “exploit a variety of popular social media platforms, smaller websites with targeted audiences, and encrypted chat applications to recruit new adherents, plan and rally support for in-person actions, and disseminate materials that contribute to radicalization and mobilization to violence.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
House GOP Demands Investigation Into Alleged Russian Influence in US Environmental Groups
As many Americans are seeking an increase in domestic energy output amid skyrocketing prices across the country, Republicans are calling on Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to investigate if Russian money has financed American environmental groups that advocate against US fossil fuels.
[Comment: Some claim that Saudi money has financed environmental groups.]
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Investigation Launched After 5 Homeless People Shot in DC, NYC
Since the beginning of March, at least five homeless people have been shot, three in the DC metro area, and two more in New York City. Both police forces have created a joint task force to protect the cities’ homeless and to find the suspect.
It is believed that a lone assailant is responsible for all five (and possibly more) of these incidents.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Lindsey Graham AGAIN Calls for Putin’s Assassination
GOP Senator Lindsey Graham has called for Vladimir Putin’s assassination for the second time in as many weeks, despite criticism that it will only succeed in inflaming the situation with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Graham stated “I’m calling for the crushing of the Russian economy,” adding “Putin is a war criminal. He is no longer a legitimate leader.”
Graham then declared “It is time for us to get him gone,” further urging that “This is the best chance in 20 years to take this guy out. And the Russian people are the vehicle to do it.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New York, D.C. Police Open Joint Investigation Into Recent Shootings of Homeless Men
The New York Police Department and Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department announced a joint investigation Sunday into a string of shootings in the cities that left three people inured and two people dead. The departments say one person is likely responsible for the shootings in both cities.
Five men who are thought to be homeless were shot in separate incidences within a week and a half. Two of the men died, one in each city, according to a joint statement released by both departments.
On March 12 in New York, a 38-year-old man was shot in the arm while sleeping at about 4:30 a.m. At 5 p.m. the same day, a different man was pronounced dead after being found with gunshot wounds to the head and neck, according to the statement.
“Our homeless population is one of our most vulnerable and an individual praying on them as they sleep is an exceptionally heinous crime,” said NYPD Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell.
Days earlier, three men were shot in Washington, D.C.
One man was shot March 3, and another shot March 8. Both victims in those incidences were shot in northeast D.C. and sent to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. On March 9, an officer saw a tent fire and later found a man dead inside. The autopsy listed the cause of death as multiple stab and gunshot wounds..
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
NYPD Commissioner Demands End to Bail Reform Laws That Allow Criminals to Go Free
New York’s new Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell called for an end to the state’s bail reform laws, passed in early 2020, which she says have been disaster for New York City, which has seen skyrocketing crime rates over the past few years.
Sewell opposes the decriminalization of what are commonly called “quality of life crimes,” such as fare-jumping, littering and public consumption of alcohol, saying that these crimes lead to bigger ones.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Rand Paul Introducing ‘Fauci Amendment’ To Prevent ‘Health Dictatorship’
Senator Rand Paul has announced that he intends to introduce an amendment in the Senate to prevent anyone from ever again becoming a health ‘dictator in chief’.
In an op-ed for Fox News, Paul noted that the action “would eliminate Dr. Fauci’s position as NIAID director,” as well as “divide his power into 3 separate institutes.”
Paul explained that “Each of these three institutes will be led by a director who is appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate for a five-year term.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Seattle Man Pleads Guilty to Trying to Join ISIS
A Seattle man has pleaded guilty to allegedly trying to leave the U.S. and join the terrorist organization ISIS.
In a statement on Monday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Elvin Hunter Bgorn Williams was arrested by authorities following a lengthy investigation.
The FBI has closely monitored Williams’s activity, saying he began communicating with what he believed were ISIS recruiters who could get him into an Islamic State terror cell in the Middle East and other parts of the world, according to the statement.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Senator Sees ‘Powerful’ Moment for Zelensky on Wednesday
Sen. Bob Menendez, the Democratic chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky could be most effective in his planned remarks to Congress on Wednesday by pitching lawmakers on making sure that his country can maximize its air defenses “and continuing to close the economic noose around Putin’s neck,” referring to Russia’s leader.
The New Jersey senator said Mr. Zelensky is trying to ensure that the attention of the world doesn’t wane and turn away from Ukraine’s plight.
“That’s part of what he’s doing” in addressing Congress, Mr. Menendez said. “He’s to make sure that people don’t get desensitized to the bombs that they see on TV and prick their conscience…This opportunity is a unique one, will be a powerful one. But, you know, he’s going to have to keep reminding not only us, but the rest of the world, of the realities of the brutality, the criminality and the human loss of life that Putin is putting upon his people. That’s going to be a constant effort.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sr. Deirdre Byrne Granted Religious Exemption to COVID Shot by DC Court
WASHINGTON, D.C. (LifeSiteNews) — Sr. Deirdre Byrne, a surgeon and family doctor, was granted a religious accommodation Friday morning for her moral opposition to COVID jabs by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Thomas More Society attorneys filed a suit on March 9, 2022 against the District of Columbia (D.C.), its mayor, Muriel Bowser, and the director of its Department of Health, LaQuandra Nesbitt, on behalf of Byrne for their joint refusal to grant her a religious exemption from mandatory “vaccination” for D.C. health workers.
Byrne’s rejection of the COVID shots is based on their connection to aborted babies via testing on fetal cell lines, which she denounced during a speech at the August 2021 Truth for Health‘s “Stop the Shot” conference.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Student of Color Reportedly Behind Racist Graffiti at a Rochester Girls’ School
A student of color is reportedly behind racist graffiti found Monday morning in a bathroom at a private Catholic all-girls school in Brighton, New York.
Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women, a grade 6 through grade 12 school located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, announced Thursday that its investigation into the graffiti containing a racial slur has ended with a student coming forward and taking responsibility for writing the offensive message.
[Comment: Another hate hoax!]
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The View Says Biden’s DOJ Should Investigate Tucker Carlson, Tulsi Gabbard for ‘Russian Propaganda’
On Monday’s edition of “The View” talk show, the co-hosts openly floated the idea that the Biden administration’s Department of Justice should investigate former Democrat congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard and Fox News host Tucker Carlson for “Russian propaganda.” The mainstream talk show at times openly suggested the “Red Scare” McCarthy-era investigation tactics should make a comeback.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Three Dead, Including Covington Police Officer, After Shooting at Gas Station
COVINGTON, Va. (WDBJ) — Three people are dead, including a Town of Covington Police Officer and the shooter, after an incident at Covington Farm & Fuel, according to Virginia State Police.
“The Virginia State Police, Town of Covington Police Department and Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene. VSP’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Salem Field Office is investigating the shooting.”
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
Trucker Protests Over COVID-19 Mandates Hit D.C., Snarling Local Traffic
WASHINGTON — Hundreds of truckers and other motorists who have been doing rolling protests on highways encircling Washington made their way into the nation’s capital Monday, snarling already-congested traffic in a demonstration against COVID-19 mandates and other grievances.
The D.C. Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency issued a traffic advisory shortly before 2 p.m. that suggested motorists delay travel or use alternative transportation “due to ongoing demonstration activity on I-395, I-695, and I-295.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tulsi Gabbard Labeled a ‘Russian Asset’ For Pushing U.S. Biolabs in Ukraine Claim
Former Democratic Representative Tulsi Gabbard has been condemned as a “traitor” and accused of being a “Russian asset” for comments her detractors said lent credibility to Kremlin propaganda that U.S.-funded laboratories are working on bio weapons in Ukraine. Gabbard had asserted, accurately, that the U.S. funds bio labs in Ukraine, not bio weapons labs.
In a tweet posted on Sunday, the 2020 presidential hopeful cited the risk posed by biological laboratories at a time Moscow has been pushing a consipiracy theory that they are working on bio weapons in an apparent attempt to justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In a video, Gabbard said the “undeniable facts” are that 35 to 40 “U.S. funded bio labs” in Ukraine are conducting research into dangerous pathogens. Gabbard went on to express concerns that these “deadly pathogens” could be released if the labs in Ukraine are targeted amid the conflict with Russia.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Vanced, A 3rd-Party YouTube App, Shuts Down After Google Legal Threat
The popular YouTube Android app Vanced has been forced to shut down, after Google sent a legal threat.
Vanced works like YouTube, with the added advantage that it allows users to block ads.
In a tweet, Vanced said: “Vanced has been discontinued. In the coming days, the download links on the website will be taken down. We know this is not something you wanted to hear but it’s something we need to do. Thank you all for supporting us over the years.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Waukesha Christmas Parade Attack: October Trial for Darrell Brooks
WAUKESHA, Wis. — A judge set an October trial date Friday for a man accused of driving his SUV into a Christmas parade in Waukesha last year.
Prosecutors allege Darrell Brooks Jr. drove through the parade in downtown Waukesha on Nov. 21, running over spectators and marchers indiscriminately. Six people were killed and scores more hurt. Brooks has pleaded not guilty to more than 70 charges, including six homicide counts.
Waukesha County Circuit Judge Jennifer Dorow scheduled Brooks’ trial to begin Oct. 3 and run through Oct. 28. Prosecutors told her they would likely need five to seven days to present their case. Brooks’ attorneys said they didn’t know how much time they would need.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Waukesha Parade Attack Fundraiser Raises More Than $6.2 Million for Victims
WAUKESHA, Wis. — The United for Waukesha Community Fund announced Monday they have raised more than $6.2 million for the victims of the Waukesha Christmas Parade attack in which six people were killed and dozens were injured last year.
Now, nearly four months after the tragedy funds will be distributed to the families impacted. Waukesha County Community Foundation President Melissa Baxter said the goal is to get funds out be the end of March.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
B.C. Premier John Horgan All Insults Toward Victoria Protests
A major convoy protest planned for Victoria failed to materialize on Monday, but not without NDP Premier John Horgan letting British Columbians know what he thought of people protesting his government’s ongoing COVID restrictions.
“If people want to drive around and honk their horns, then fill your boots,” said Horgan on Friday. “And at $2.00 a litre (for gas) that’s not only bad judgment, that’s stupidity.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Calgary Mayor Calling for Police Enforcement Against Continued COVID Restriction Protests
Calgary’s mayor is calling for enforcement against anti-mandate marches through a downtown neighbourhood. Police say approximately 2,000 people took part in opposing protests Saturday.
Jyoti Gondek posted in a series of tweets that the disruption occurring every weekend in the Beltline neighbourhood is a “parade” and not a “protest,” yet it has no permits or licences.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
CityNews Reporter Fired After Harassing, Insulting Ottawa Convoy Protesters
In early March, not even two weeks following the dismantling of the Freedom Convoy, a CityNews reporter went to a private property to find the place where the Freedom Convoy had relocated.
Michelle Kluet, who was present that day, recorded the interaction between the man and the other protesters. In the video, we can clearly see the man from CityNews harassing, insulting, and threatening them, telling them that the police would come to raid the place.
CityNews has sent Michelle some apologies and have told her that said employee had been fired. How many other mainstream media employees are acting like this against protesters who aren’t following the government’s narrative?
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A Canadian Conservative Party (CPC) MP has backed an official House of Commons petition demanding the Canadian federal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “abolish” a rule which bans the vaccine-free from traveling by air.
“We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Minister of Transport to abolish the domestic vaccine passport requirement for Canadian citizens and permanent residents taking domestic flights in a safe and orderly manner,” reads the petition sponsored by Alberta CPC MP Tom Kmiec.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Counter-Protesting Freedom? Calgary Police Merge Duelling Demonstrations
Calgary has been host to the “United for Freedom” rally since the beginnings of the ‘pandemic’; however, over the last few weeks, a group of counter-protesters have showed up to call for the weekly freedom rallies to come to an end.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Doug Ford Tells Ontario School Boards to Drop Masks as Ordered
The Ontario government has advised school boards to follow the province’s plan to end mask mandates in schools on March 21, despite pushback from some of them.
Ontario chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore released the province’s plan to live with COVID-19 on Wednesday, which included dropping the mask mandate for schools after March break.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Freedom Convoy Leader Tamara Lich Given Hero’s Welcome Upon Release From Jail
Trucker Freedom Convoy organizer Tamara Lich was met with a hero’s welcome upon returning home to Medicine Hat, Alberta, this Saturday. Lich had just spent almost three weeks in jail for opposing the COVID edicts of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government before getting bail.
Video of her arrival posted on Twitter Saturday by Keean Bexte of the Counter Signal shows a large crowd greeting Lich with hugs, tears, as well as an impromptu singing of Canada’s national anthem, “O, Canada.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
This past weekend marks the two year anniversary of the first COVID lockdowns back in March, 2020, where they promised it’ll only be “two weeks.” Toronto’s freedom crowd continues their demonstration throughout the province’s capital against all COVID and vaccine restrictions left in Canada.
Prime Minister Trudeau meanwhile left last week for an European NATO trip undeterred by domestic issues revolving around his discrimination policies to speak on his fight against “disinformation and misinformation” both around the world and in Canada.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Liberals Want Canada to be a Leader in Bug-Based “Lab Meat” Production
During a Commons industry committee meeting, Liberal MPs lamented the fact that Canada was not a leader in producing alternative sources of protein including insect-based “lab meat.”
On Mar. 4, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Francois-Philippe Champagne was testifying before parliamentarians on his mandate letter when the discussion turned toward climate change and the purported threat to global temperatures caused by the agricultural sector.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
MP Marc Dalton Speaks Out Against British Columbia’s Healthcare Worker Vaccine Mandates
In this report, I sit down to interview the twice-elected Conservative MP for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows, Marc Dalton, about the province of British Columbia’s ongoing vaccine mandates for healthcare workers.
While many provinces across the country are returning normalcy to their citizens by repealing COVID-19 mandates, British Columbia created a new mandate for all regulated healthcare workers. Additionally, the province has also shown no intention of revoking their orders from last year, that resulted in B.C. losing more frontline healthcare workers to vaccine mandates than any other province in Canada.
“Is this really the correct path for healthcare in our province?” Dalton asked in a letter he addressed to the province’s premier, John Horgan, dated March 7, 2022.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Peterson Says Trudeau Would Resign if He Had ‘An Ounce of Integrity’
Dr. Jordan Peterson responded to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s tweet wherein he congratulated newly elected president of Chile Gabriel Boric, specifically against Trudeau’s pledge to “defend democracy.”
“‘Defending democracy’ says the man who bought the lies of his paid stooges at @CBCNews, froze bank accounts, falsely claimed foreign interference & brought in an act meant only to be used for war or utter catastrophe and then photo-opped around Europe to escape the consequences,” wrote Peterson, referring specifically to the CBC pulling two articles that said funding to the trucker convoy was largely American.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poilievre Says Canada Will be ‘The Freest Country in the World’ When He is Prime Minister
Conservative leadership candidate Pierre Poilievre laid out his plan to counter government gatekeepers which he says are keeping skilled immigrants from working in professions and trades they’re qualified for.
Poilievre made the announcement at a press conference on Monday morning, where he laid out points on how he would make Canada the “freest country in the world” under his leadership.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Truckers Rally to Protest B.C.’s Surging Gas Prices
A surge in gas prices in B.C. prompted a truckers’ rally Monday morning.
About one hundred trucks could be seen on Highway 1 in the Lower Mainland during the morning commute.
One of the organizers of the protest, Ryan Hess, owns a trucking company. He said this event has nothing to do with the protest convoy that occupied downtown Ottawa.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Victory! Judge Deems Toronto Hotel Employee Can’t Assault Rebel News Employees
For a few years now, we’ve been trying to document what’s really going on behind closed doors at the Radisson Hotel Toronto East. This property — which no longer carries the Radisson brand — is home to some 600 refugee-claimants. And over the past four years, there have been several disturbing reports regarding what is occurring behind closed doors at this hotel.
Alas, the management and owners of this former-Radisson have been uncooperative in terms of disclosure. Little wonder: during a visit back in 2018, we happened upon a small group of elementary-age children roaming the hallways of the hotel. The kids said they were locked-out of their rooms by their parents. It was a disturbing sight to see, given these kids could’ve easily have wandered off the property with no one to look after them.
There have been other disturbing reports, too, ranging from sanitation issues to female employees being harassed. And since the rooms in this hotel are being paid for via taxpayer dollars, we figured this story was surely in the public interest.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Corsica Explodes After Assassination Attempt Against Jailed Separatist
After the attempted assassination of Yvan Colonna by a jihadist in prison, the island has erupted. Corsicans believe President Macron ordered the attack.
Regional daily La Provence last week reported that a 35-year-old Franco-Cameroonian, a former jihadist who had been convicted of terrorism, and captured by the Americans in 2012 had been held in the same prison as Colonna. He was responsible for the attack on Colonna.
The jihadist had been transferred to the same institution a year earlier because he had become radicalized in prison in Bordeaux. After two years of detention in a Kabul prison for having fought with the Taliban, he was handed over to France in 2014 and tried in 2016. He was sentenced to 9 years in prison in view of his association with criminals preparing a terrorist act.
Gratuitous crime or special operation?
The Corsican nationalist Gilles Simeoni, the lawyer for Yvan Colonna, does not believe the attempted murder was a coincidence.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Czech Republic will provide Ukraine with more military aid, announced Minister of Defense Jana Cernochova, but for security reasons is not specifying what kind of materials are being prepared.
So far, Czechia has provided weapons worth 725 million korunas (€28.89 million), and the newly planned deliveries will be worth a similar amount. Czechia’s government disclosed that the aid being provided is based on specific requests from Ukraine.
“We are in daily contact and we try to meet their needs,” she said.
According to the minister, the date of delivery to Ukraine will depend on when the Ukraine manages to buy the material, which will be bought with EU money.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Dramatic Increase in Attacks on Russians in Germany
More than 300 attacks on Russian-speaking people in Germany have been registered since the beginning of the events in Ukraine, and the number of threats of violence against Germans of Russian origin and Russian citizens in Germany has increased sharply. Russians are threatened, insulted and even physically attacked.
Several German media outlets have been reporting on hostile sentiment expressed towards Russians or Germans with Russian roots living in Germany.
At the beginning of March, the SWR magazine Report Mainz asked the interior ministries of the federal states and several police headquarters in Germany for relevant information. Authorities said they were expecting more “incidents of property damage, vandalism, verbal provocation and physical altercations” as a result of recent events.
The Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of the Interior spoke of an “emotionally heated situation”. According to Der Spiegel, in the first week and a half since the events in Ukraine began, the Federal Criminal Police Office registered “318 ‘criminal-relevant events’, ranging from damage to property and insults to threats on the Internet and on the street”. Since February 24, 86 incidents have been reported to the Berlin police.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU Head: If NATO Gets Involved in Russia-Ukraine Conflict, It’s World War Three
The head of the European Council Charles Michel told reporters at the weekend that if NATO enters the conflict between Russia and Ukraine it will almost certainly lead to a third world war, which will be nuclear.
In underreported comments, Michel told the Spanish newspaper El Pais “Russia is a nuclear power and we are well aware that if this conflict turns into [a conflict] between NATO and Russia, we will roll down into the Third World War.”
The former Belgian prime minister added that any global conflict would mean a “dimension of a different nature” because of nuclear weapons.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany Won’t Boycott Russian Energy Imports
BERLIN—Germany reaffirmed its refusal to boycott Russian energy imports because the costs would be too high for the German economy.
Economy Minister Robert Habeck said his country wouldn’t follow the U.S. and the U.K. in stopping imports of coal, oil and natural gas from Russia because of its heavy energy dependence on Moscow.
An immediate energy import stop would cause “deep economic and social damage. We’re talking about…supply shortages next winter, about an economic slump and high inflation, about hundreds of thousands who would lose their jobs, about people who could barely afford to drive to work, to heat their homes or to pay for electricity,” Mr. Habeck told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung daily in an interview published Monday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poland’s Conservative Law and Justice (PiS) Surging in the Polls
If parliamentary elections were held in Poland last Sunday, Law and Justice (PiS) would win them with 39.6 percent of the vote. This is a 3.2-percentage point increase compared to the previous survey carried out in mid-February by Estymator research center for news portal Dorzeczy.pl.
The Civic Platform (PO) would be second with 25.1 percent of the vote (a 2.4-percentage point decrease, followed by Poland 2050 with 12.2 percent of the vote, representing a 2.7-percentage point increase.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Polish PM: Russia’s Gas Blackmail of Europe Will be a Thing of the Past
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki highlighted the importance of the Baltic Pipe gas line for Poland’s energy security during a visit on Saturday to the site for the expansion of the gas compressor station in Goleniów.
Upon an inspection of the construction site in Poland, Morawiecki revealed how many European countries, including Germany, have now begun to readjust their energy policy to alleviate their dependency on Russian gas.
“Not so long ago, the EU lived in a kind of energy bliss, but this has all changed due to what has happened in Ukraine,” he said.
“It is now clear that for Vladimir Putin, the gas delivered to the West is not only income, but it also concerns making Europe dependent on Russia. Using the money which Europe pays for gas, Russia is destroying sovereign states, international law and innocent nations. EU politicians are currently speaking the language of Law and Justice,” he added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Pro-Ukraine Protests Sweep Across Europe
Tens of thousands of people rallied Sunday in cities across Europe to protest against Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, with small vigils taking place in Russia as well despite a crackdown by authorities against such demonstrations.
German trade unions called a protest in Berlin, where sunny weather boosted the turnout. The march led from the city’s Alexanderplatz — a large square named after Russian Tsar Alexander I — to a site near the Brandenburg Gate.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Return of Freedom’: France Drops COVID Vaccination Pass and Forced Mask Wearing
After months filled with controversy, France has finally dropped its regime of COVID vaccination passes, as well as forced mask-wearing.
France has officially abandoned its regime of vaccine passes and forced mask-wearing as the country drops a number of COVID lockdown restrictions on Monday.
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‘The British Have Been Slaves’ — Comedy Icon Cleese Has Mic Taken for Mocking Reparations
British comedy legend John Cleese had his mic taken by woke co-panellists at an event in Austin, Texas, after pointing out that British imperialism was not unique and that the British, too, were once slaves.
Cleese, of Monty Python and Fawlty Towers fame, made the remarks at a South by Southwest festival even titled ‘John Cleese in Conversation’, according to a highly-slanted Hollywood Reporter article.
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UK: Northampton: Four Arrests at Extinction Rebellion Barclaycard HQ Protest
Four arrests have been made after Extinction Rebellion protestors climbed on to the roof of Barclaycard’s Northampton headquarters.
Eighteen people staged the protest, which also saw them occupy the foyer of the building in Pavillion Drive.
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UK: Riot Police Called in Over Protesters at Russian Oligarch’s London Mansion
Riot police on Monday were called to a London mansion linked to billionaire Oleg Deripaska, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, after it was taken over by squatters who said they were reclaiming the property for Ukrainians.
As the BBC reported, protesters were seen on the balconies of the central London mansion where they had hung banners declaring the property to be “liberated” and decrying Putin.
The group that took over the property is reportedly called the London Makhnovists, named after Ukrainian anarchist Nestor Makhno, who revolted against the Russian White Army.
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UK’s Highest Court Denies Assange Attempt to Appeal US Extradition
Britain’s highest court denied Julian Assange’s request on Monday to appeal a decision to extradite him to the United States.
The court said the request “didn’t raise an arguable point of law,” according to NBC News.
Assange’s attorneys, given their limited options, might seek to take the case to the European Court of Human Rights or challenge the original judge’s findings, NBC reported.
Barry Pollack, Assange’s U.S.-based attorney, said in a statement to The Hill that the British Supreme Court’s decision was “extremely disappointing.”
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Croatian Crashed Drone Contained Bomb, Minister Reveals
The majority of the six-tonne drone that crashed from the sky near Croatia’s capital Zagreb on Thursday last week, stunning the country, was recovered on Sunday — as Defence Minister Mario Banozic said traces of explosives had been found in the crater, as well as parts of a bomb, which means the drone was not a scouting craft.
“The bomb was of Soviet origin and was taken away from the area. After analysis we will be able to say more about its type and purpose,” Banozic said. He added that elements suggest the drone could have come from either the Ukrainian or Russian side.
Croatia’s national broadcaster HRT reported that Defence Ministry sources had said a 120-kilogram bomb was found in the drone. But, since the drone hit soft soil, it detonated deeper into the ground, avoiding a major catastrophe.
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China Amplifies Russian Claims About Secretive US Bio-Weapons Research in Ukraine
China has amplified Russian claims, dismissed as “disinformation” in the west, that the United States has a network of biological labs in Ukraine that are being used to research how to spread pathogens through animals.
The US State Department insists that the secretive biolabs are purely focused on “securing Cold War era Soviet bioweapons,” although this hasn’t stopped accusations flying about more nefarious purposes.
Such concerns were bolstered after Under Secretary of State Victoria Nuland expressed fears that the labs would fall into the hands of Vladimir Putin.
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Clearview AI’s Facial Recognition Tech is Being Used on Russian Soldiers
On Saturday, Ukraine’s ministry of defense started using Clearview AI’s facial recognition technology, according to the company’s chief executive.
Clearview AI is a controversial facial recognition company that accused of breaching privacy rights and has retaliated against its critics.
According to the company, its facial recognition technology could help Ukraine identify the dead, fight misinformation, and catch Russian assailants.
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Dozens of Foreign Volunteers Abandon Ukraine for Poland After Russian Missiles Strike Base
Dozens of foreigners who volunteered to fight for the International Legion in Ukraine have abandoned the country and recrossed the border into Poland following a Russian missile strike on their training base, according to reports.
At least 30 cruise missiles pounded the International Peacekeeping and Security Center in Yavoriv, just 15 miles from the border of Poland — a NATO and European Union member-state — over the weekend, with the Ukrainian authorities admitting to 35 fatalities while the Russians claim they inflicted “up to 180” fatalities on “foreign mercenaries” and destroyed a large stockpile of Western armaments.
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Kyiv Sending Teens to War ‘With Three Days Training’ — BBC
The Ukrainian government is deploying teenage volunteers in the capital city of Kyiv (Kiev) with just “three days training”, according to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).
In an article titled ‘Uni to uniform — Ukraine’s new teenage army recruits’ a correspondent for the publicly-funded broadcaster said he had spoken to a group of volunteers “in their late teens, not long out of school” who told him “that after three days’ basic training they would head for the front line — or very close to it.”
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Cease-fire talks: Diplomatic efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine resumed Monday, after a weekend missile strike by Moscow near the Polish border brought the fighting closer to Western Europe. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will address the U.S. Congress virtually on Wednesday.
Russian forces are killing civilians and looting stores and homes across occupied parts of southern Ukraine, residents said, as Moscow arrested elected local leaders and sought to replace them with pro-Russian collaborators.
U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan pressed a top Chinese official over China’s alignment with Russia during what U.S. officials said was an intense, seven-hour meeting that included discussion of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett continued his mediation efforts Monday night between Russia and Ukraine
Markets: U.S. stocks climbed, oil prices fell and Treasury yields hit their highest level in almost three years as investors surveyed developments in Ukraine.
In Russia: The state regulator banned Instagram, and Russian prosecutors have issued warnings to Western companies in Russia, threatening to arrest corporate leaders there who criticize the government or to seize assets of companies that withdraw from the country. Russia demanded that YouTube lift a ban on a set of channels that show old, Soviet-era television and radio clips
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Report: Moscow Warns of Arrests, Seizures, Confiscations Against Western Companies Leaving Russia
The Russian government on Sunday reportedly threatened foreign companies who plan to withdraw from the nation they could have their staff members arrested and assets seized, as Moscow seeks to mitigate the economic impact of sanctions.
Companies that have allegedly received this threat — via phone calls, letters and in-person visits — include U.S. outlets Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, and Yum Brands — who own KFC and Pizza Hut. All of whom announced last week they would be ceasing operations in Russia while the Ukrainian invasion continues, as Breitbart News reported.
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Russia Arrests Multiple People for Holding Up Blank Signs
Anti-war protesters in Russia are being detained by police for holding up blank posters as part of demonstrations protesting against President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
As mass demonstrations against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continue to intensify, a woman in in Nizhny Novgorod, in central Russia, was arrested on Sunday for protesting with a blank sign.
A video of the incident shared on social media, which has gone viral, shows the moment two police officers approach the woman and escort her away from a crowd in Russia’s sixth-largest city. The woman appeared to be the only person holding up a sign.
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Russian Founder of Telegram Promises to Protect Ukrainian Users Privacy
Pavel Durov, the founder of the Russian Telegram, promises data protection for Ukrainian users. He recalled that in the past, he had refused to pass on encryption keys to the Russian secret service, with which it would be possible to look into the privacy of clients.
“I protected the private data of Ukrainians, and I lost my company and my house. I will do it again without hesitation,” wrote Durov.
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Woman Interrupts Russian TV News Broadcast to Protest War
An anti-war protester ran behind a Russian news anchor and showed a sign protesting Russia’s war on Ukraine during the Russian state-run Channel One’s live broadcast on Monday.
The sign read: “Stop the war. Don’t believe propaganda. They’re lying to you here.”
Multiple journalists identified the protester as Marina Ovsyannikova, an editor at Channel One, one of Russia’s most popular news channels.
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Zelensky Thanks Zuckerberg for Helping Him Win the Propaganda War
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Facebook for its role in helping him win the propaganda war after the platform announced it would permit calls for violence against Russians.
Following its move to allow praise for the pro-Ukraine neo-nazi Azov Battalion last week, Facebook said they would permit ‘calls for violence against Russians’.
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China Ramps Up Coal Production in Bid for Energy Independence
Amid an energy scramble, China plans to massively increase coal mining, which would decrease its dependence on imports, according to a new Bloomberg reports. The US exported 15.3mn metric tonnes of coal to China in 2021.
The country’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), a macroeconomic management agency, which has broad administrative and planning control over the economy of Mainland China, told officials from major mining regions at a previous week’s meeting that it wants to boost domestic production capacity by about 300 million tons, sources told Bloomberg.
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Watch: Even Police REFUSE to Comply With Moomba COVID Rule
Rule 22 of Melbourne’s annual Moomba festival’s conditions of entry asked attendees to complete a COVID check-in before entering.
The only problem was that there wasn’t a QR check-in code anywhere in sight.
I asked festival-goers if they were aware of the rule or if they had any idea where exactly they were meant to check in.
Unsurprisingly, even the police patrolling on the day didn’t know about the rule or how to enforce it.
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Canada: Taxpayers Footing Hotel Bills for Illegal Roxham Road Crossers
Canadians are now literally paying the price for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s open border policy, with taxpayers being forced to cover the hotel quarantine stays of unvaccinated border crossers who enter Canada illegally via Roxham Road.
According to Deputy Minister of Citizenship and immigration Catrina Tapley, migrants and asylum claimants who are unvaccinated and have no quarantine plan will be housed free of charge by the government in designated rooms.
Tapley revealed the Liberal government’s policy during a Commons immigration committee meeting on Mar. 3, 2022.
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Czechia Asks EU for Help as Ukrainian Refugees Pour in
Through the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism, Czechia has requested assistance in providing accommodation for 50,000 refugees from Ukraine. According to Interior Minister Vit Rakusan, 25 modular bases need to be built.
The Czech Interior Ministry itself has seven modular bases, each of which can accommodate 150 people. The state would use the modular accommodation as soon as the capacities in the gyms and other buildings run out, said Rakusan. According to him, the Czech Republic will exhaust all possible options in two to three weeks.
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No Cap on Number of Ukrainian Refugees, Confirms UK Government
The British government has confirmed that there will be no limit on the number of Ukrainian refugees who can live with host families under a new visa scheme.
The government, which had previously opened up a pathway for up to 200,000 Ukrainians to come to the UK under family sponsorship visa regulations, announced on Monday that there will be no cap on the number of refugees who can live with a sponsor in the country.
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Refugee Exodus From Ukraine Reaches 2.8 Million
People fleeing what had been the relative safety of western Ukraine joined thousands crossing into eastern Europe on Monday, with the number of refugees reaching 2.8 million, United Nations data showed.
European Union officials have said 5 million may end up fleeing while others have put the figure higher.
Millions of people have also been displaced inside Ukraine, with many evacuated only as far as the quieter western regions, including to cities like Lviv.
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Sweden Democrats Want to Stop Asylum for Everyone Except Ukrainians
Sweden Democrats want to introduce asylum bans on everyone except for Ukrainian refugees, with the party stating that Sweden’s ability to absord new refugees is not unlimited and Ukrainians should take precedence.
The party also wants Sweden’s so-called refugee quota to be filled only with Ukrainians.
“All other asylum-related migration — and the entire quota we have in the refugee system — will go to Ukrainians,” said the leader of the Sweden Democrats, Jimmie Åkesson, according Swedish newspaer Afonbladet.
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Watch: Gov. Abbott Shows How Texas is Becoming the First State to Build Its Own Border Wall
Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) gave an exclusive interview on Monday at his state’s border with Mexico. The video of the interview shows some of the materials that will be used in the border wall Texas is now finishing since the Biden administration halted its construction.
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Over 60% of Americans Support DeSantis’ Anti-Grooming Law
Almost two-thirds of Americans support key features of Florida’s anti-grooming law, falsely dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill by opposing Democrats and the mainstream media, according to a new Daily Wire poll released Monday.
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While War Rages in Ukraine, European Parliament Votes on Gender-Neutral Toilets
At a time when war rages in Ukraine, the European Parliament is busy voting on gender-neutral toilets, Annika Bruna, MEP for the French National Rally, complained in a tweet.
“Dear friends, while there is a war raging in Eastern Europe, the healthcare crisis has consequences that could destroy the country and inflation threatens us, the European Parliament is busy discussing the issue of its own toilets,” Bruna said. “In fact, yesterday the majority of deputies voted on an analysis of the composition of the toilets in (the European) Parliament, on how to account for all person’s needs and the necessity of gender-neutral toilets.”
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Surveillance and Censorship Defense Kit
A simple resource to help journalists, protesters, activists, citizens of authoritarian regimes, and those in warzones protect themselves and their communities when using technology.
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https://twitter.com/MEMRIReports/status/1503320626123190281
Song Performed at a Palestinian Wedding Goads Putin to Increase Attacks, Banish Ukrainians so Palestinians Can Marry Ukrainian Women
Well this doesn’t bode well for the marry a Russian or Ukrainian woman business. You may even have to ask Putin in person for permission.