Gates of Vienna News Feed 3/18/2022

Three men opened fire on a crowd of people outside a lounge in Edmonton, Alberta, killing one person and wounding six others. The suspects are identified as Mohamod Mohamod, Said Ibrahim, and Said Osman, two of whom have been captured. The incident has a Mohammed Coefficient of 66.7%.

In other news, the first new nuclear reactor in Europe for 15 years has been brought online in Finland.

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

Thanks to Dean, Hellequin GB, 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
» EU Inflation Hits Record 6.2% During First Month of Russia-Ukraine War
 
USA
» Alabama Government Apologizes, Allows Man to Keep ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Licence Plate
» Biden Taps Pro-BLM Advocate of Vaccine Passports for New White House COVID Response Chief
» Breaking: Fauci Says He’s Considering Retiring
» Breaking: Trump Says New York Times ‘Admitted That it Participated in an Effort to Rig the Election for Joe Biden’
» California Bill Aims to Allow Parents to Sue Social Media Companies for Their Kids’ “Addiction” To Platforms
» Conservative Organization CPAC Says it Will Push for Government Regulation of Big Tech
» Driver Hailed as Hero in Shooting on Bus That Killed 2, Injured 2 Others. Suspect Identified and Heading Into Court
» GOP Congressman Calls for Investigation of Media, Big Tech for Stifling Hunter Biden Scandals
» Issues and Insights Criticize Google Censorship
» NewsGuard Responds After Hunter Biden Laptop Story is More Widely Confirmed
» Privacy Company Purism Introduces More Affordable Sim/Mobile Plan
» Some Port Authority Workers Protest Vaccine Mandate as Others Get Their Shots
» Stacey Abrams’ Star Trek ‘Discovery’ Appearance Used to Fundraise for Georgia Gubernatorial Campaign
» Truck Convoy Returns to DC Friday on Day 24 of Protest COVID Mandates
» U.S. Quietly Assists Ukraine With Intelligence, Avoiding Direct Confrontation With Russia
» Victim Hospitalized After Virginia School Covers Up Sexual Assault
» Videos: Stooge Psaki Repeatedly Refuses to Answer Questions About Bombshell Hunter Biden Laptop TRUTH
» Watch: Andy Ngo Discusses How the Media and Leftist Activists Ignore Hate Crimes Against Asians
 
Canada
» B.C. Doctors Plead With Bonnie Henry to Stop COVID-19 Mandates for Health-Care Workers
» Calgary Obtains Court Order “To Address” Weekend Freedom Protests
» Canada’s State-Run Broadcaster Must Pay Millions in Damages for Not Reporting in a ‘Fair’ Manner
» Edmonton ‘Mass Shooting’ Sees 60 or 70 Shots Fired, One Dead, Six Wounded
» Four Times Justin Trudeau Has Ruled Canada by Decree
» GoFundMe Lawyer on Freedom Convoy: ‘There Was a Lot of Misinformation Around This Campaign’
» Healthcare Workers “Going Back With Heavy Hearts” After Alberta Drops Vax Mandate
» Hollywood Actors Demand End to Funding of Canadian Energy Projects
» Interview: Justin Trudeau’s Brother, Kyle Kemper, On How to Do Away With Government Tyranny
» ‘Man’ Who Allegedly Tortured Cats, Women, Has Non-Binary Pronouns Respected by Toronto Police
» Ottawa Teacher Convicted of Sex Crimes Against Seven Girls Gets 15-Month Sentence
» Pastor Artur Pawlowski’s Son Calls Alberta Premier ‘A Liar’ While His Father Remains in Jail
» Quebec’s Health Minister Insists Bill to End State of Emergency is ‘Fine’, Opposition Parties Disagree
» Quebec’s Punitive Approach to Dealing With the Pandemic Criticized
» Roman Baber Says His ‘Democratic Conservatism’ Will Grow the Conservative Base
» Trudeau Gov’t Commits $75m to Vaccine Injury Compensation Program
» Viva Frei Tells His Story of Covering the Freedom Convoy
 
Europe and the EU
» Austria to Reintroduce COVID Mask Rules Just Two Weeks After They Were Abolished
» British Broadcast Regulator Officially Bans Russian News Network RT
» Elon Musk Defends Russell Brand From Corporate Media Smears
» Finland Opens Europe’s First New Nuclear Reactor in 15 Years
» France Considers Granting Island of Corsica Autonomy After Riots
» Great Reset: Germany Wants EU Ban on Sale of Petrol and Diesel Cars by 2035
» Hungary: Pro-Fidesz “Peace March” Protests Against War and in Support of PM Orban
» Memorandum for Next Conclave Calls Francis Pontificate a ‘Catastrophe’
» Netherlands: Willem Engel Arrested for Posting Incendiary Corona-Related Messages
» Poland: President Signs Homeland Defence Bill
» Sweden: Apartment Building Targeted in Grenade Attack
» UK Media Regulator Revokes Broadcasting Licence of Russia’s RT News
» UK Online Safety Bill, That Will Censor Some “Legal But Harmful” Content, Presented to Parliament
» UK to Deploy Sky Sabre Air Defense System in Poland
 
Russia
» Latest Developments
» Major Space Conference Removes Name of First Man in Space Because He Was Russian
» Pics: Cities Across Ukraine Rocked by Missile Strikes, Shelling
» Polish Army Deserter Who Fled to Belarus Found Dead
» Putin Rallies Supporters at Moscow Event
» Russian Instagram Model Targeted by New Censorship Law After Posts Supporting Ukraine
» Russia Could Block YouTube as Soon as Today
» Russia Begins Bombing Ukraine’s Far-Western City of Lviv
 
South Asia
» India: Muslim Girl in Odisha Embraces Hinduism to Marry Lover
 
Far East
» “We Will Never Forget Who Bombed Our Embassy in Yugoslavia”: China Chides NATO Moral Exhibitionism
» China Steps Up Censorship of Douban by Installing Government Employees On-Site
 
Australia — Pacific
» Google Will Soon Ask Australian Users to Show ID to View Some Content
» Twitter Pushes Back Against Australia’s Proposals to Unmask Users Accused of “Trolling”
» WA Premier Launches ‘COVID Army’ To Perform Door-to-Door Tests
 
Latin America
» Brazil’s Supreme Court Orders Telegram Ban
» Google Complains About Brazil’s “Fake News” Bill, Says it Ignores “Negative and Unintended Consequences”
 
Immigration
» Switzerland: North African Migrant Sentenced for Raping Underage Pregnant Girl
» Ukraine Refugee Wave Into Poland Tops Two Million
 
Culture Wars
» Jordan Peterson Slams Lia Thomas After First Place ‘Win’ of Women’s 500-Yard Swimming Championship
» Title IX Complaint Filed Against NCAA Over Lia Thomas’ Participation, Win in Women’s Swimming
 
General
» Start Walking: International Energy Agency Calls for Urgent Restrictions on Domestic Oil Supplies
» VPN Providers
 

EU Inflation Hits Record 6.2% During First Month of Russia-Ukraine War

During the first month of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, inflation across the European Union hit a record high 6.2%, largely driven by rising costs of energy, the EU’s statistics agency Eurostat reported Thursday.

The previous 25-year high of 5.6% occurred in January.

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

Alabama Government Apologizes, Allows Man to Keep ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Licence Plate

Alabama man Nathan Kirk ordered a vanity licence plate for his truck which featured the Gadsden flag and the letters LGBF JB (Let’s Go Brandon, F*ck Joe Biden), paying $700 for the privilege.

As reported by Rebel News, Kirk was ordered to remove the license plate and face revocation of his vehicle registration and possible fines. The Alabama Department of Revenue’s Motor Vehicle Division deemed the language “objectionable.”

“The department does not allow the ‘F-word,’ or any acronym for such, on a personalized license plate. That is the department’s only issue with this plate,” said a spokesperson for the department to AL.com at the time.

Since Kirk’s complaint about his treatment by the government department went viral on social media, Kirk received a second letter from the Alabama Department of Revenue last week, apologizing for its decision to recall the plate, and allowed him to keep it.

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

Biden Taps Pro-BLM Advocate of Vaccine Passports for New White House COVID Response Chief

This week, President Joe Biden named Brown University School of Public Health dean and ardent vaccine passport advocate Dr. Ashish Jha as the new White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator.

“Dr. Jha is one of the leading public health experts in America, and a well known figure to many Americans from his wise and calming public presence,” Biden said Thursday, announcing that Jha would replace outgoing response coordinator Jeff Zients. “And as we enter a new moment in the pandemic — executing on my National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan and managing the ongoing risks from COVID — Dr. Jha is the perfect person for the job.”

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

Breaking: Fauci Says He’s Considering Retiring

White House chief medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci says he’s considering retiring.

During an interview with ABC podcast “Start Here”, Fauci was asked if he has considered scaling back his responsibilities as the health crisis eases, to which he says that he has.

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

Breaking: Trump Says New York Times ‘Admitted That it Participated in an Effort to Rig the Election for Joe Biden’

Former President Donald Trump commented on The New York Times’ admission that the Hunter Biden Laptop story was legitimate. He released a statement saying “The New York Times just admitted that it participated in an effort to rig the election for Joe Biden.”

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

California Bill Aims to Allow Parents to Sue Social Media Companies for Their Kids’ “Addiction” To Platforms

In another move to outsource parenting to Big Tech, two lawmakers in the state of California have introduced a bill that will make tech companies responsible for “social media addiction” in children.

The bill (obtained for you here) is another example of a proposal that is, in theory, aimed at children but would have a wide-sweeping impact on many aspects of the internet.

The bill follows testimony by former Facebook employee Frances Haugen that Facebook was aware that Instagram affected the mental health of teenage girls.

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

Conservative Organization CPAC Says it Will Push for Government Regulation of Big Tech

Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) chairman Martin Schlapp has criticized Google for removing a video of President Donald Trump’s speech at the recent CPAC event.

Schlapp criticized the decision by Google in a letter to Google’s CEO. The letter, according to Breitbart, began by stating that the censorship was disappointing but not surprising.

YouTube said the video was removed for misinformation about the 2020 presidential elections. Schlapp insisted there are credible reasons to question that election.

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

Driver Hailed as Hero in Shooting on Bus That Killed 2, Injured 2 Others. Suspect Identified and Heading Into Court

FORT LAUDERDALE — A Broward County Transit driver has been hailed as a hero for her quick actions after a man started shooting on her bus Thursday afternoon, killing two people and injuring two others.

The suspect in the shooting just outside the Fort Lauderdale police station was identified on Friday as Jamal Meyers, according to Fort Lauderdale police.

Meyers, 34, faces two premeditated murder charges and two attempted murder charges, according to the court documents. He also faces charges of possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon and a probation violation. He’s scheduled to face a judge Friday morning.

Meyers is considered a serious habitual felon and has had numerous encounters with the legal system since 2003, according to a Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

[…]

The shooting was reported at 2:33 p.m. in the 1300 block of West Broward Boulevard. Once the shooting began, the driver forced her a way into a turn lane and pulled into the Fort Lauderdale police station parking lot.

Police raced out of the building, and the gunman got off the bus and surrendered.

As the bus driver was heading west in the 1100 block of West Broward Boulevard, she heard multiple gunshots from inside the bus, Acting Police Chief Luis Alvarez said. After the shots were fired, she pulled in front of the police station, where an officer who was on an unrelated call also heard shots coming from inside the bus…

           — Hat tip: Dean [Return to headlines]
 

GOP Congressman Calls for Investigation of Media, Big Tech for Stifling Hunter Biden Scandals

A Republican congressman is calling for a federal investigation into Big Tech companies, legacy media outlets, and prominent Democrats for allegedly colluding to censor and discredit the deeply incriminating story about the contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop, which was broken by the New York Post just weeks before the 2020 election.

Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California issued his call for a congressional investigation in a March 17 tweet, just hours after The New York Times confirmed the authenticity of emails found on the infamous laptop.

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

Issues and Insights Criticize Google Censorship

Market analysis website Issues & Insights has criticized Google for flagging one of its articles. The site suggested that the article was censored for violating the policy on election integrity.

In a blog post reporting the censorship, I&I said that the article that was censored was a poll, where respondents were asked about the 2024 presidential election.

“This new article wasn’t about climate change. It wasn’t about COVID. It also wasn’t about election fraud. It wasn’t about the Jan. 6 riots. It wasn’t about anything controversial,” I&I reported. “It was an article about the results of our own monthly I&I/TIPP poll, which asked registered voters ‘who do you want to see run for president in 2024.’“

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

NewsGuard Responds After Hunter Biden Laptop Story is More Widely Confirmed

Now that it has been widely accepted in some circles, the move to police the internet is growing at a rapid rate and companies are popping up to capitalize on the modern trend. One such company is NewsGuard.

NewsGuard, which gives outlets a rating depending on what it decides is the quality of their reporting, defended its co-founder for claiming that the Hunter Biden laptop story was a hoax.

This comes after The New York Times admitted that Hunter’s “laptop from hell,” was real.

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

Privacy Company Purism Introduces More Affordable Sim/Mobile Plan

The privacy-focused mobile carrier Purism has announced the launch of a more affordable mobile plan, the Librem SIMple. The plan comes with monthly data and unlimited talk time at $39.

Traditional mobile carriers sell data collected from users to advertisers. They also create “unified customer identifiers” so that they can identify users even if they change devices. They use this so that they can make unknown amounts of money off their customers.

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

Some Port Authority Workers Protest Vaccine Mandate as Others Get Their Shots

PITTSBURGH — As workers from the Port Authority of Allegheny County gathered in downtown Pittsburgh Friday to protest a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, the company announced nearly 150 additional employees provided proof of vaccination this week.

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

Stacey Abrams’ Star Trek ‘Discovery’ Appearance Used to Fundraise for Georgia Gubernatorial Campaign

It has been revealed that donations are now being solicited for the campaign of Georgian gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams after her cameo appearance on an episode of “Star Trek: Discovery.”

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

Truck Convoy Returns to DC Friday on Day 24 of Protest COVID Mandates

WASHINGTON (7News) — Truckers with The People’s Convoy have been in the DC area for more than two weeks. They continued their protests again on Friday afternoon.

Truckers told 7News that they were leaving Hagerstown at 11 a.m. and were expected to be on the D.C. beltway by 12:15 p.m.

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

U.S. Quietly Assists Ukraine With Intelligence, Avoiding Direct Confrontation With Russia

As hawkish members of both parties and the press call on President Joe Biden to pursue military involvement in Ukraine, including by implementing a “no-fly zone,” a complicated tightrope act by U.S. intelligence is receiving relatively little public attention. Current and former U.S. officials knowledgeable about the operations told The Intercept that the U.S. military has deployed extensive ISR, or intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, assets to countries neighboring Ukraine to monitor developments within the embattled nation. The sophisticated intelligence regime requires the Biden administration to walk a fine line in which one wrong step could spell disaster: providing Ukraine with as much assistance as possible without becoming an active participant in the war and risking a direct conflict with nuclear-armed Russia. The balance relies on the assumption that Russia will recognize and respect the United States’s compliance with its self-imposed rules.

The assets are largely aircraft tasked with flying along the borders between Ukraine and its NATO-allied neighbors, which must be careful not to cross into Ukrainian airspace.

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

Victim Hospitalized After Virginia School Covers Up Sexual Assault

A public high school in Alexandria, Virginia is now at the center of a scandal after the school allegedly withheld information regarding a multiple-assailant sexual assault on school grounds from parents.

In a fashion similar to recent incidents occurring in nearby Loudoun County, the school board and school district is accused of withholding information from parents, many of whom are now angry and demanding answers.

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

Videos: Stooge Psaki Repeatedly Refuses to Answer Questions About Bombshell Hunter Biden Laptop TRUTH

Turns out the Hunter Biden laptop story wasn’t all a big Russian conspiracy and was actually factual. Awkward. So what does any good Biden administration spokesperson do? Parrot a line about Hunter not working for the government and repeat ad infinitum.

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

Watch: Andy Ngo Discusses How the Media and Leftist Activists Ignore Hate Crimes Against Asians

The Post Millennial’s Editor-at-Large recently went on Drew Hernandez’s “Frontlines” show to discuss current events.

The main theme of their discussion was surrounding the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes within the United States, especially how among leftist circles seem to be wilfully ignorant in addressing the problem when the perpetrators of these crimes are black.

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

B.C. Doctors Plead With Bonnie Henry to Stop COVID-19 Mandates for Health-Care Workers

In today’s report, I sit down to interview a pair of new faces to the public concerns being raised about B.C. Provincial Health Officer Bonnie Henry’s reluctance to revoke her vaccine mandates for health-care workers.

Vancouver’s Dr. Monica Fofie and 100 Mile House’s Dr. Gerald Lubbe are both general practitioners who have over 50 years of experience combined between them caring for patients in a broad range of medical capacities.

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

Calgary Obtains Court Order “To Address” Weekend Freedom Protests

Calgary city officials and Calgary Police are urging “all citizens to reconsider participating in any unpermitted events” after Mayor Jyoti Gondek and City Council secured an emergency court injunction to respond to weekend freedom protests.

According to the City of Calgary’s news release, the injunction allows the city to better enforce bylaws and legislation and to give law enforcement more power to respond to demonstrators.

Every Saturday, thousands of protesters march through downtown Calgary in opposition to pandemic restrictions, mandates and the erosion of civil liberties.

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

Canada’s State-Run Broadcaster Must Pay Millions in Damages for Not Reporting in a ‘Fair’ Manner

State-run Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) was ordered to pay nearly $2 million in costs and damages in a defamation case for failing to report in a “fair” manner, a judge has ruled.

According to Blacklock’s Reporter, Justice Herbert Rempel of the Manitoba Court of Queen’s Bench ordered the CBC to pay $295,017 in additional costs (legal fees) along with $1,659,403 in damages that were awarded in December 2021.

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

Edmonton ‘Mass Shooting’ Sees 60 or 70 Shots Fired, One Dead, Six Wounded

Two people have been charged and police are combing the country for a third suspect after dozens of rounds were fired outside a lounge in North Edmonton at around 2:45am on Saturday.

Seven people were wounded by the bullets at the time, and one of them, since identified as Imbert George, 28 years old, has since died in hospital of his multiple injuries. Two of of the other victims are still in serious condition, and continue to be treated in hospital.

The incident occured just outside of the Ertale Lounge in the vicinity of 124th Street and 118th Avenue, and local authorities suspect that gang-related activities and issues may have had something to do with the shooting.

Police Chief Dale McFee commented during an audio interview the following day that “There [were] approximately 60 or 70 shots fired at a crowd.”

“The video, obviously, is evidence so I can’t show it, but it’s horrific,” continued an obviously shaken McFee.

Mohamod Mohamod, 22 years old, and Said Ibrahim, 23 years old, were both later found, arrested and charged with first-degree murder, as well as multiple counts of discharging a firearm with the intent to endanger life.

The third suspect has been positively identified as Said Osman, 27 years old. Police are conducting a “Canada-wide” search for Osman, who is wanted for the same crimes as the other two suspects.

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

Four Times Justin Trudeau Has Ruled Canada by Decree

In recent weeks Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has repeatedly lauded the merits of democracy despite the fact that his governing record shows a repeat pattern of ruling by decree and bypassing the House of Commons.

Most recently, Trudeau’s comments have come within the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Just last week, while travelling through Europe, Trudeau affirmed his commitment to standing up for democracies everywhere.

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

GoFundMe Lawyer on Freedom Convoy: ‘There Was a Lot of Misinformation Around This Campaign’

A top lawyer for GoFundMe told Canadian lawmakers ‘that there was a lot of misinformation’ surrounding the crowdfunding efforts of the Freedom Convoy that held a nearly month-long demonstration in Ottawa.

Kim Wilford, the general counsel for the crowdfunding platform, explained to Conservative MP Ed Fast during a House of Commons finance committee meeting that over February 2—4, her team spoke to Ottawa’s police chief and the city’s mayor to “gather information” about the Freedom Convoy.

“How did you establish that there was a credible evidentiary problem with this convoy?” the MP asked GoFundMe’s lawyer.

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

Healthcare Workers “Going Back With Heavy Hearts” After Alberta Drops Vax Mandate

A paramedic back to work after Alberta Health Services (AHS) dropped its vaccine requirement for existing workers last week is calling the situation “a victory with losses.”

“We’ve forced Alberta Health Services to admit that what they were doing was not only ridiculous but wrong,” Kate King told True North. “But for people trying to get into AHS, they still have to get the shot or give up on their profession.”

King is a primary care paramedic serving communities east of Edmonton. After ten years on the job, she was forced onto unpaid leave in December after refusing to comply with the AHS vaccine mandate and having her religious exemption request denied.

The Alberta government announced on Mar. 8 that it was scrapping the rule requiring existing healthcare workers be vaccinated against COVID. The requirement still applies to people hoping to work for AHS going forward.

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

Hollywood Actors Demand End to Funding of Canadian Energy Projects

Hollywood actors are joining together to oppose the Coastal GasLink pipeline in Canada. According to Fox News, Mark Ruffalo, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Stiller and other stars have signed letters to the Royal Bank of Canada, demanding it cease funding the project.

The letter urges the Royal Bank of Canada to “withdraw support from the Coastal GasLink pipeline, effective immediately.” It continues to say the “City National Bank’s parent company Royal Bank of Canada is bankrolling the climate crisis and violating the rights of Indigenous Peoples.”

[Comment: Libtards.]

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

Interview: Justin Trudeau’s Brother, Kyle Kemper, On How to Do Away With Government Tyranny

Kyle Kemper, the son of Margaret Trudeau and her second husband, Fred Kemper, loves his brother, but he has very different opinions than the prime minister does about COVID regulations, vaccines, free speech and Canada’s financial systems.

He is the former executive director of the Blockchain Association of Canada, and is a self-described Bitcoin evangelist.

He’s also the author of a new booklet, CANADAO: How We Return Power to The People. The booklet describes the reasons why he thinks Canadians are primed and ready for broad scale systemic change in the way we do democracy and finances.

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

‘Man’ Who Allegedly Tortured Cats, Women, Has Non-Binary Pronouns Respected by Toronto Police

Toronto police arrested a man accused of human trafficking and causing pain and suffering to animals, though the Toronto Police Service’s official press release opted to use the accused’s preferred pronouns of “they/them.”

Police say that a woman met with “a person” (the accused) and began a relationship, when the suspect, referred to as a “man” by CP24, allegedly attempted to traffic the woman within the Toronto sex trade.

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

Ottawa Teacher Convicted of Sex Crimes Against Seven Girls Gets 15-Month Sentence

Former Ottawa teacher Majed Turk has been sentenced after pleading guilty in February to sex crimes against high school students aged 14 to 17.

The teacher has been sentenced to 15 months in jail for luring, sexual interference, sex assault and criminal harassment, the Ottawa Sun reports.

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

Pastor Artur Pawlowski’s Son Calls Alberta Premier ‘A Liar’ While His Father Remains in Jail

The son of Canadian Christian Pastor Artur Pawlowski alleged that Alberta Premier Jason Kenney is lying about the reasons his dad is still behind bars.

“The double standard and hypocrisy is clear as day. Artur is right now being presumed guilty, so we no longer have the presumption of innocence in Alberta. Thanks to Jason Kenney,” said Pawlowski’s son Nathaniel while speaking at a prayer vigil at the Calgary Remand Centre where his father is being held, as reported by Rebel News.

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

Quebec’s Health Minister Insists Bill to End State of Emergency is ‘Fine’, Opposition Parties Disagree

Earlier this week, Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé tabled a new bill proposing an end to the public health state of emergency named “Bill 28, An Act to terminate the public health emergency.”

However, when taking a closer look at the bill, it seems to propose everything but lifting the emergency, all while seeking to let the CAQ government maintain most of its emergency powers until the end of the year.

The bill received immediate backlash and criticism from opposition parties, with Dominique Anglade, leader of the Liberal Party of Quebec, saying it was “deliberately vague” and that there was “an element of dishonesty in this bill, because it aims to prolong the state of emergency, instead of lifting the state of emergency.”

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

Quebec’s Punitive Approach to Dealing With the Pandemic Criticized

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many measures were put in place to restrict the population from gathering with the intention of slowing the spread of the virus. However, some provinces in Canada took a much stricter approach than others regarding the police enforcement of these measures.

Back in June 2020, the Canadian Civil Liberties Association and the Policing the Pandemic Mapping Project released an initial report concluding that between April 1, 2020, and June 15, 2020, 66% of all fines issued in Canada were issued in Quebec during the first wave of the pandemic.

A recent report released by the ‘Observatoire des profilages’ (ODP) revealed that a whopping 46,563 COVID-related fines were issued in Quebec between September 21, 2020, and October 3, 2021. During that period, the province’s police force issued more than 123 statements of offence per day on average.

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

Roman Baber Says His ‘Democratic Conservatism’ Will Grow the Conservative Base

Independent Ontario MPP Roman Baber is seeking the Conservative Party of Canada’s leadership. Baber, who was elected as a PC MPP in Ontario in 2018 and expelled from caucus over criticism of Doug Ford’s pandemic response, calls himself a “democratic conservative,” a view he says leaves room for everyone in the so-called Big Blue Tent of the Conservative party. In this interview, he and True North’s Andrew Lawton talk about lockdowns, free speech, caucus management, and more.

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

Trudeau Gov’t Commits $75m to Vaccine Injury Compensation Program

The Canadian federal government has launched the Vaccine Injury Support Program. It aims to “ensure that all people in Canada who have experienced a serious and permanent injury as a result of receiving a Health Canada authorized vaccine, administered in Canada on or after December 8, 2020, have fair and timely access to financial support.”

This aligns with Health Canada’s media advisory from December 9, 2020, when the agency first approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Pfizer submitted hundreds of thousands of pages of safety data to Health Canada on October 9, 2020 as part of the regulatory process in seeking Emergency Use Authorization. Health Canada stamped the approval exactly 60 days later.

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

Viva Frei Tells His Story of Covering the Freedom Convoy

David Freiheit (follow @theVivaFrei on Twitter) is a Canadian lawyer who creates YouTube videos under the pseudonym of “Viva Frei”.

During the Freedom Convoy, Viva Frei was on the ground reporting and interviewing people, speaking with truck drivers and on-the-ground supporters. He was present during the three weeks of the main protest, and it was interesting to hear his opinion, legally speaking, about all the tactics and measures used by the government against the demonstration.

In this video, we discuss the seizure of bank accounts, cancellation of licence plates, the state of emergencies called in Ontario and Ottawa, and the use of the federal Emergencies Act.

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

Austria to Reintroduce COVID Mask Rules Just Two Weeks After They Were Abolished

After a surge in COVID cases caused by the BA.2 Omicron sub-variant, Austria is set to re-impose mask mandates that were dropped just two weeks ago.

And there you were thinking the technocrats had finally let it go.

Mask mandates in every area of the country apart from the capital Vienna were lifted as part of the general continent-wide trend of finally learning to “live with COVID.”

That included ending the requirement for Austrians to show proof of vaccination or a negative test to enter most premises.

However, despite the BA.2 variant proving even less dangerous than the original Omicron variant in terms of hospitalisations and deaths, restrictions are being brought back.

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

British Broadcast Regulator Officially Bans Russian News Network RT

British broadcast regulator Ofcom has officially withdrawn the license of RT News in the UK, the English language version of the Russian News network, despite a clean record and after weeks of lobbying by government ministers.

Ofcom stated that the “Russian Federation’s current conduct in Ukraine” was a justification for revoking RT’s license, adding that it is “difficult to see how a Russian state-funded news broadcaster could credibly avoid covering the events in Ukraine, or could expect to remain funded if it failed to convey the narrative that the Russian Federation seeks to impose on its own people and the rest of the world.”

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

Elon Musk Defends Russell Brand From Corporate Media Smears

Billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk defended Comedian Russell Brand Friday, after The Independent and The Telegraph launched a cancel culture campaign against the British comic.

Replying to the outlet, Musk tweeted: “With so many mainstream media companies saying Russell Brand is crazy/dangerous, I watched some of his videos. Ironically, he seemed more balanced & insightful than those condemning him!”

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

Finland Opens Europe’s First New Nuclear Reactor in 15 Years

Finland has opened Europe’s first new nuclear reactor in 15 years in a step which ministers say is “sorely needed” to boost electricity supply.

The opening of the Olkiluoto 3 reactor has been long delayed and comes at a time when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is exacerbating a wider energy crisis in Europe.

It is also expected to contribute to Finland’s climate neutrality targets by increasing the share of zero-carbon electricity production in the Nordic country to 90 per cent.

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

France Considers Granting Island of Corsica Autonomy After Riots

After Corsica was rocked by a number of violent riots, French interior Minister Gerald Darmanin suggested the French government may be open to discussing autonomy for the island for the first time.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin spoke of a possible openness of discussing autonomy for Corsica, best known for being Napoleon Bonaparte’s homlenad, during a visit to the island this week.

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

Great Reset: Germany Wants EU Ban on Sale of Petrol and Diesel Cars by 2035

Motoring may be set to see a Great Reset in 2035, with the German government announcing they want an EU-wide ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars.

Combustion engine cars should go the way of the dinosaur from 2035, according to the German government, who have announced they are backing a plan to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars in the EU from that year on.

Despite the country initially resisting Europe-wide legislation pushing for zero-emission cars, the Federal Republic has since about-faced on the idea of a motoring Great Reset, and will join others in the bloc looking to begin phasing out hydrocarbon-burning vehicles by 2035 or earlier.

According to a report by POLITICO, the announcement that Germany will be supporting a Europe-wide ban was to be made during a meeting of EU environment ministers, according to the German Green party’s Steffi Lemke.

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

Hungary: Pro-Fidesz “Peace March” Protests Against War and in Support of PM Orban

Hundreds of thousands of people are estimated to have participated in the “Peace March” — organized by the pro-government NGO CÖF and its foundation CÖKA — on the March 15 national holiday. This was the ninth such march. It is usually held before elections when the pro-government circles hold peaceful demonstrations of force, or when they want to show that there are a lot of Hungarians behind the Orban government. Fidesz supporters from all over the country travel to the event.

The March 15 peace march was announced back in January, originally to send a message to “Brussels” again. They also wanted to warn of the dangers they suspect in case the opposition wins the April elections. The president of CÖF, Laszló Csizmadia, said that they expected 680,000 participants, more than ever before. However, Russia’s war against Ukraine eventually led to a change of theme and the main slogan became peace and anti-war.

The Peace March started from Elvis Presley Square in Buda. The participants lined up behind a banner with the words “Peace March” and “NO WAR”.

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

Memorandum for Next Conclave Calls Francis Pontificate a ‘Catastrophe’

ROME — A memorandum circulating among the Catholic cardinals who will elect the next pope calls the Francis pontificate a “disaster” and a “catastrophe” while laying out essential tasks for the next successor to Saint Peter.

The nearly 2000-word memo, signed with the pseudonym of Demos (“people,” in Greek), declares that historically, “the Pope and the Church of Rome have a unique role in preserving the apostolic tradition, the rule of faith, in ensuring that the Churches continue to teach what Christ and the apostles taught,” a role that has been virtually abandoned since the installation of Pope Francis in March 2013.

Previously it was said: “Roma locuta. Causa finita est“ (Rome has spoken, the case is closed). Today it is: “Roma loquitur. Confusio augetur“ (Rome speaks and confusion increases), the memo states.

The text goes on to criticize the silence of the papacy in the face of public refutations of key elements of the Church’s moral teaching by high-ranking prelates, combined with a heavy-handed crackdown on conservatives and liturgical traditionalists.

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

Netherlands: Willem Engel Arrested for Posting Incendiary Corona-Related Messages

Anti-coronavirus rule activist Willem Engel has been arrested in Rotterdam and faces charges of incitement, a day after the Netherlands announced plans to lift the remaining regulations.

Engel, who was not named by the public prosecution department in its media release, is said to have ‘posted incendiary corona-related messages on social media over a long period of time’.

Engel, a dance teacher and founder of campaign group Viruswaarheid, will appear in court on Friday, when judges will decide if he should be remanded in custody. His girlfriend filmed the incident and placed it on social media.

His legal advisor Jeroen Pols said on Twitter the arrest is ‘a frontal attack on critics and opponents’ of the ‘Rutte regime’.

He later told broadcaster NOS that the arrest is part of a pattern of arresting people who ‘criticise the regime’ and accused the media of publishing articles which ‘sow hatred’…

           — Hat tip: Hellequin GB [Return to headlines]
 

Poland: President Signs Homeland Defence Bill

Andrzej Duda, the president of Poland, signed into law on Friday a defence bill that will increase the size of the Polish army to 300,000.

At the moment Poland has around 100,000 regular troops, but under the new Defence Act, that number is expected to increase to 250,000

The act, signed by the president, will also increase spending Poland’s defence budget.

Under the new law spending on defence will not amount to less than 2.2 percent of GDP in 2022, and then increase to at least 3 percent of GDP in 2023.

The ceremonial signing of the law at the Presidential Palace, in Warsaw, was attended by, among other officials, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski and representatives of the armed forces.

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

Sweden: Apartment Building Targeted in Grenade Attack

An apartment building in Sweden was the scene of a grenade attack this week, according to reports.

The explosive incident unfolded in the early hours of Friday morning in Angered, a borough in the in the culturally-enriched city of Gothenburg.

Two women were at home when a detonation rocked their flat in the Gårdsten district just after midnight.

Police and rescue services rushed to the neighborhood where they found an apartment had suffered significant damage, including blown out windows.

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

UK Media Regulator Revokes Broadcasting Licence of Russia’s RT News

The United Kingdom’s broadcasting regulator Ofcom has announced that “with immediate effect” Russia’s state-funded news channel RT will have its licence to broadcast in Britain revoked over its coverage of the war in Ukraine.

Russia’s RT, formerly Russia Today, was taken off British airwaves earlier this month following sanctions from the European Union which prohibited satellite providers in France and Luxembourg from broadcasting the station. Though the UK has left the EU, the feed for the state-controlled network was still transmitted to Sky, Freesat, and Freeview in Britain via the European providers.

Before RT could find another route of broadcasting in Britain, Ofcom announced on Friday that its licence has been revoked, stating that ANO TV Novosti — which held the licence as the owner of RT — is not “fit and proper to hold a UK broadcast licence.”

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

UK Online Safety Bill, That Will Censor Some “Legal But Harmful” Content, Presented to Parliament

The Online Safety Bill, the most far-reaching online censorship law to ever be proposed in the UK, has been presented to Parliament.

UK Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) Secretary of State Nadine Dorries, said her aim with the bill was to “make the internet, in the UK, the safest place in the world for children and vulnerable young people to go online.”

However, as with many bills that are positioned as a way to keep children safe, this Online Safety Bill contains sweeping speech restrictions that will affect all UK internet users.

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

UK to Deploy Sky Sabre Air Defense System in Poland

Britain’s Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace said that the deployment of one of the most modern air-defense systems should be a clear signal to Moscow that the United Kingdom would defend both its values and its Polish allies.

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

Latest Developments

In Ukraine: Rescue efforts for more survivors in the wreckage of a theater-turned-bomb shelter in Mariupol continued Friday, after 130 people were evacuated. About 1,300 remained trapped in the basement of the theater.

Russian missiles hit an aircraft repair facility in western Ukraine, striking a long-range target far from the battlefield while attacks continued on other cities.

Polish immigration authorities said the number of people who have fled Ukraine for Poland has now surpassed two million. More than three million Ukrainians have fled the country since the war began, according to the United Nations.

In Russia: Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to press on with his invasion of Ukraine, defending the assault in a rare public appearance before tens of thousands flag-waving supporters in a Moscow stadium.

In Washington: The White House said President Biden spoke with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, warning him that China and its relations with the U.S. would suffer consequences if Beijing provides substantive assistance to Russia in its attack on Ukraine.

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

Major Space Conference Removes Name of First Man in Space Because He Was Russian

The Space Foundation has stripped honours from Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first man to ever be in space.

The annual “Yuri’s night” at the yearly Space Symposium event has been replaced with “A Celebration of Space: Discover What’s Next.” The event is attended by dozens of space companies and has over 100 speakers, with thousands of participants.

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

Pics: Cities Across Ukraine Rocked by Missile Strikes, Shelling

LVIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces pressed their assault on Ukrainian cities Friday, with new missile strikes and shelling on the capital Kyiv and the outskirts of the western city of Lviv, as world leaders pushed for an investigation of the Kremlin’s repeated attacks on civilian targets, including schools, hospitals and residential areas.

The early morning barrage of missiles on the outskirts of Lviv were the closest strike yet to the centre of the city, which has become a crossroads for people fleeing from other parts of Ukraine and for others entering to deliver aid or fight.

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

Polish Army Deserter Who Fled to Belarus Found Dead

A Polish Army deserter who fled to Belarus and often made critical public statements about Poland’s conservative government has been found dead in Minsk.

Former 26-year-old soldier, Emil Czeczko, had abandoned his post near the Polish border in December 2021 before crossing the border into Belarus where he claimed asylum.

The deserter later gave an interview for Belarusian-state television in which he spoke about the alleged murder of migrants and volunteers by Polish Border Guard officers and soldiers.

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

Putin Rallies Supporters at Moscow Event

President Vladimir Putin addressed tens of thousands of flag-waving supporters at a Moscow stadium, justifying the invasion of Ukraine he ordered more than three weeks ago and arguing the operation where Russia is sustaining heavy losses is going to plan.

The gathering at Luzhniki Stadium, which hosted the men’s soccer World Cup final in 2018, marked the eighth anniversary of Russia’s seizure of Crimea from Ukraine. Russia followed the annexation by fomenting a rebellion in eastern Ukraine, a protracted conflict that had already cost more than 14,000 lives before Russia launched an all-out assault on its neighbor on Feb. 24.

“We will definitely implement all the expected plans,” Mr. Putin told the crowd to cheers and applause. “We have not had unity like this for a long time.”

Russia’s economy has been pummeled by far-reaching sanctions imposed by Western countries and others on Moscow for the invasion.

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

Russian Instagram Model Targeted by New Censorship Law After Posts Supporting Ukraine

Russian model and social media user Veronika Belotserkovskaya, aka Belonika, appears to be the target of Russian authorities under the new “fake news” law, which can land offenders in prison for 15 years.

Usually, Belonika posts her life on Instagram. However, her recent posts have been political. In one post, she was in a blue dress in front of a yellow dress, an obvious nod to the Ukrainian flag.

In other posts, she was more direct in attacking Russia’s President Putin and his invasion of Ukraine.

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

Russia Could Block YouTube as Soon as Today

Russia could soon move to block YouTube, state news agency RIA Novosti said Friday.

A move against the video-sharing platform likely would come by the end of next week, though could come as early as today, the news service said, citing a person it did not name, who it said was close to state-media regulator Roskomnadzor.

YouTube parent Google didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

A temporary ban by the state-media regulator would mark an escalation in its battle with tech platforms over content related to the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Moscow has already banned Instagram and Facebook.

Earlier on Friday, Roskomnadzor urged Alphabet Inc.’s Google to stop spreading what it called “anti-Russian” content through YouTube.

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

Russia Begins Bombing Ukraine’s Far-Western City of Lviv

Russian missiles struck an airport near Lviv on Friday — the far-western Ukrainian city where hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Russian invasion have sought shelter, and hundreds of foreign journalists are based. Lviv is less than 50 miles from the Polish border.

Until now, Lviv has been one of the major Ukrainian cities least affected by the Russian attack. It has become a hub for Ukrainian refugees heading for Poland, with a “humanitarian village” sprouting on its outskirts.

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

India: Muslim Girl in Odisha Embraces Hinduism to Marry Lover

Born and raised under Islam faith, Saina has recently embraced Hinduism to marry the love of her life.

Rajendra Prasad Mohapatra | OTV Live | Bolangir | March 17, 2022:: As per a popular adage — love knows no religion, race or politics, for it rules the realms of the heart. And Saina Banu from Paikamal village in Bolangir district has proved the truth of this saying to the very best.

Saina has adopted Hinduism and taken up a new name Sonam Arya upon completion of some rituals under the authority of Bolangir Arya Samaj.

As per reports, Saina has always been fascinated by Hinduism, its faith, practices and customs, from her very childhood. When she grew up she fell in love with a boy from the Hindu community and wanted to marry him.

However, as religion was a major hindrance in her life’s motive, Saina mustered all courage and narrated her feelings before her family members. And what happened next sent her to cloud nine.

To her surprise, her parents heartily agreed to her proposal to convert and marry the boy she wanted so eagerly.

Subsequently, Saina took the guidance from Bolangir Arya Samaj who inducted her into Hinduism.

“I have converted myself to Hinduism as per my own wish. I have not succumbed to any kind of pressure from anybody. To marry my lover, change of my religion was necessary and I had no other option left,” said Sonam.

The Bolangir Arya Samaj too has expressed its pleasure over the change in Sonam’s life.

“We are so elated that one of our sisters has converted her to Hinduism. She was attracted towards Hinduism from her childhood and finally she followed her heart,” said Hitesh Sahu, Secretary of Bolangir Arya Samaj.

           — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari [Return to headlines]
 

“We Will Never Forget Who Bombed Our Embassy in Yugoslavia”: China Chides NATO Moral Exhibitionism

China responded to NATO’s moral exhibitionism on Ukraine by asserting, “We will never forget who bombed our embassy in Yugoslavia.”

Ouch, burn!

The reaction came as a response to NATO’s insistence that Beijing condemn Russia’s “brutal invasion” of Ukraine.

NATO probably wished they’d have never asked.

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

China Steps Up Censorship of Douban by Installing Government Employees On-Site

Douban, a forum-like platform resembling Reddit that allows users to discuss film, books, music, and recent events, will be directly supervised by the government because it is allegedly in a state of “chaos” and needs to be “supervised.”

In recent years, users have taken to the platform to express opinions the communist regime would not appreciate. For instance, users have not shied away from criticizing works they consider to be an extreme expression of patriotism.

The government responded by temporarily banning the app in December. The company was also fined for allegedly leaking user data.

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

Google Will Soon Ask Australian Users to Show ID to View Some Content

Governments all over the world have started pushing for ways to collect ID on social media users, often under the guise of providing a safe space for kids online.

In about a month, Australian users will be asked to provide age verification documents like a driver’s license, passport, or credit card to access age-restricted content on the Play Store and YouTube.

The move complies with the “Online Safety Declaration 2022,” which requires platforms to verify age before allowing users to see age-restricted content.

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

Twitter Pushes Back Against Australia’s Proposals to Unmask Users Accused of “Trolling”

Like other social media companies, Twitter has voiced its concerns over Australia’s proposed anti-trolling bill, claiming the bill is a privacy risk.

In a Senate hearing on Tuesday, Twitter Australia’s director of public policy, Kara Hinesley, expressed the platform’s concerns with the anti-trolling bill. The bill will make tech platforms liable for user-generated content and require companies to identify individuals accused of posting defamatory content.

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

WA Premier Launches ‘COVID Army’ To Perform Door-to-Door Tests

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan faces increasing criticism over his handling of Covid as the state remains isolated from the rest of Australia and its citizens endure the country’s toughest health orders.

Today McGowan has released what has been dubbed a ‘Covid Army’ also referred to as a ‘surveillance’ operation on Covid conducted by researchers.

Their job is to go door-to-door in Perth over the weekend to conduct random Covid testing on people who do not have symptoms to see if the Omicron variant is going unnoticed within the wider community.

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

Brazil’s Supreme Court Orders Telegram Ban

Brazil’s Supreme Court has ordered the banning of messaging app Telegram, following a request from the country’s federal police.

The news was first reported by local news outlets TV Globo and CNN Brasil.

The ban came after the messaging app ignored calls to censor certain accounts that posted what the court said is “disinformation.”

In January, Bolsonaro accused the country’s top electoral authority of “cowardice” for entertaining the idea of a ban of the app, amid concerns of its use for spreading “fake news.”

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

Google Complains About Brazil’s “Fake News” Bill, Says it Ignores “Negative and Unintended Consequences”

Despite, in many cases, making itself the arbiter of what is and isn’t true, Big Tech giant Google is now concerned that Brazil’s proposed anti-fake news bill will do more harm than good.

The bill has previously been criticized by other online platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, as well as free speech groups.

In an open letter, Google Brazil’s president Fabio Coelho, criticized the proposed legislation, whose purpose is to handle “misinformation” and disinformation on platforms with more than 2 million users.

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

Switzerland: North African Migrant Sentenced for Raping Underage Pregnant Girl

A Swiss court has sentenced a 20-year-old man from North Africa to just three years after finding him guilty of raping an underage pregnant girl who had taken refuge in his home.

The Arbon district court in northern Switzerland found the 20-year-old guilty of raping the pregnant girl, who is said to have been under the age of 18 at the time and was staying with the North African after looking for a place to sleep.

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

Ukraine Refugee Wave Into Poland Tops Two Million

More than two million people who are fleeing the fighting in Ukraine have now crossed the border with Poland, Polish immigration authorities said Friday.

“They are mainly women with children,” Poland’s Border Guard said.

The crossing from Ukraine into Poland has been the primary route for those trying to escape the war-torn country. The U.N. says more than 3.2 million people have now fled Ukraine since Russia launched its broad assault on the neighboring country on Feb. 24.

The rate of new arrivals in Poland has been slowing over the past week, and yet cities like Warsaw and Krakow have said their administrations are overwhelmed trying to sustain municipal services while creating accommodation and spots in local schools for the large number of Ukrainian refugees.

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

Jordan Peterson Slams Lia Thomas After First Place ‘Win’ of Women’s 500-Yard Swimming Championship

Dr. Jordan Peterson made comments on swimmer Lia Thomas, a biological male who identifies as female, following the controversial athlete’s victory over women at the 500-yard freestyle in the NCAA women’s championships.

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

Title IX Complaint Filed Against NCAA Over Lia Thomas’ Participation, Win in Women’s Swimming

On Thursday, Concerned Women for America filed a formal complaint with the US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights against the University of Pennsylvania for allowing a biological male who identifies as a woman and goes by the name Lia Thomas to compete on the women’s swim team.

In a letter to Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine Lhamon, the group stated that the complaint was filed against the school “for its egregious violations of the protections for women on the basis of sex secured a half-century ago in the landmark passage of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.”

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

Start Walking: International Energy Agency Calls for Urgent Restrictions on Domestic Oil Supplies

Give up your car and start walking. That’s an order. The International Energy Agency (IEA) on Friday directed global governments to urgently cut oil supply to domestic consumers and encourage compliance with its call for lowered consumption.

The IEA 10-point plan to drive “changes in the behaviour of consumers” and reduce gas demand at the pump includes reducing speed limits, working from home three days a week, more electric cars, car-free Sundays, more cycle lanes, cheaper public transport and greater use of long-distance trains over planes.

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

VPN Providers

Virtual private networks (VPNs) are a useful tool for masking your real Internet Protocol (IP) address. They can be used to circumvent censorship, stop your internet service provider (ISP) snooping on your web activity, and prevent profiling based on your IP address.

While VPNs are a great tool for these purposes, be aware that they don’t protect you from all online security threats.

Even if you’re using a VPN, you still need to follow best practices such as avoiding suspicious links, using strong passwords, and only handing over your data to trusted sites.

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

13 thoughts on “Gates of Vienna News Feed 3/18/2022

  1. https://samnytt.se/haagdomstolen-ryssland-maste-omedelbart-avbryta-ukraina-krig/

    The Hague Tribunal: Russia must immediately stop the Ukraine warPhoto: ICJ/Frank van Beek
    The Hague Court: Russia must immediately suspend Ukraine war
    Foreign

    17 March 2022

    266 comments

    Russia must immediately suspend its warfare in Ukraine. This was announced by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague yesterday.

    By thirteen votes to two, the court ruled that Russia must both suspend its military activities in Ukraine, and ensure that the Russian-backed separatists also stop fighting.

    US President Joan Donoghue and 12 judges from Slovakia, France, Morocco, Somalia, Uganda, India, the UK, Lebanon, Japan, Germany, Australia and Nicaragua voted in favour of the ruling.

    Russian Judge and Vice-President of the Court Kirill Gevorgian voted against, as did Chinese Judge Xue Hanqin.

    However, all fifteen judges agreed that both parties have a responsibility to “refrain from any action which might aggravate or prolong the dispute before the Court or render it more difficult to resolve”.

    READ MORE: US confirms ‘biological research centre’ in Ukraine

    Allegations of genocide
    The ICJ has taken on the task of legally investigating the war at the request of Ukraine. The background is Russian allegations that the Ukrainian side committed genocide in the Donbass, and that Russia therefore had a legitimate reason to invade the country and stop the genocide.

    Ukraine is asking the ICJ to rule that “contrary to Russia’s claims, no acts of genocide as defined in Article III of the Genocide Convention have been committed in the Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts of Ukraine”.

    Wednesday’s ruling was a preliminary decision, aimed at bringing an end to the war pending an investigation into allegations of war crimes made against both Russia and Ukraine.

    Delivering the verdict, President Joan Donoghue placed the main blame on Russia for “countless civilian deaths and injuries” and “significant material damage, including the destruction of buildings and infrastructure”.

    Author of the text

    Mattias Albinsson

    • LN: Well, if the Hague says so, Russia has to do it, right? Another useless “international” organization.

    • The media cannot be relied on to report about what’s going on in Ukraine. Their COVID track record is proof they can’t do anything but lie. They are purposefully trying to entice Westerners to support an escalation.

  2. You sly devil Mr Baron, thanks for clarifying the coefficient. I stupidly presumed their Christian name wouldn’t count 😉

  3. Sweden. “Groups of men” entered shelters for Ukrainian women

    Signals and personal descriptions shine with their absence when P4 Örebro reports that “two groups of men” have broken into a hostel used by Ukrainian refugee women with children.

    – They said that Sweden was a safe country, but that is not what I see, says one of the women, Oksana, who was awakened by the men’s intrusion into the hostel.

    The two men somehow managed to get into the hostel and then knocked and demanded to be allowed into one of the women’s rooms, where she was sleeping with her two children, but the woman did not open.

    It is not clear what kind of “groups of men” are trying to break into refugee accommodation where Ukrainian women live. On the other hand, it appears from P4’s article that “the basis of our journalism is credibility and impartiality”.

    https://www.friatider.se/grupper-av-man-tog-sig-pa-flyktingboende-ukrainska-kvinnor

  4. Regarding Austria, at my Austrian vet last week and asked what was the rule about masking. Was told: we recommend masking as all of us here are covid positive (and all are vaccinated). So maybe this new mask mandate is to protect the unvacced from the vacced after all (sarcasm alert). Here in Hungary mask requirements and showing ‘passport’ are lifted. So nice and odd to see people full face!

    • Here in France the masque mandate was removed last Monday, but I still see 50 – 60% of people still wearing them whilst shopping. Some are still wearing them in the open-air.

      One supermarket chain are still mandating their staff to wear masques, the other one does not.

  5. Wonder what the “Mohammed coefficient” is, for this one:

    “Ukrainian women who fled the war to Sweden say they are afraid in the new country.

    Men [“Swedish”?] have on several occasions broken in at night into the building where they’ve been placed by the authorities.

    The men then aggressively banged on their bedroom doors, demanding to be let in.”

    https://mobile.twitter.com/visegrad24/status/1505162136309444613

    • It would seem by the comments that the people are getting it, the question remains? What the heck are they going to start doing something about it?

  6. In our small amateur conspiracy circle, Putin is called the “Scapegoat of the West” – he is clearly fulfilling someone’s order to bring down the world system. He can be called “information golem”. And he also staged a live production of Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse 5 – destroying the men of Russia and Ukraine.
    I don’t know who supports him there, but all my friends are in shock.
    I remembered at once, everything I knew about the Hindu Dharma, and I inspire myself: “It’s all Maya, it’s all Maya is so nasty.”

    • So he’s not actually the all-powerful, all-conquering supreme leader of Russia he portrays himself to be, but merely someone’s puppet?

      Would go totally against his alfa image.

Comments are closed.