Gates of Vienna News Feed 3/19/2022

The Latvian parliament voted to support the imposition of a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Meanwhile, the Polish prime minister called for a total ban on trade between the EU and Russia.

In other news, at least ten people, including at least one child, were shot during a mass shooting at a car show in Arkansas.

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

Thanks to Dean, 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
» UK Central Bank Warns of 8 Per Cent Inflation by Next Month as They Hike Interest Rates
» Ukraine War Pushes Inflation Up, Growth Down in Baltic States
 
USA
» At Least 10 People Including Children Are Shot in Mass Shooting at Car Show in Dumas, Arkansas
» Biden Declines to Take Questions About Call With President Xi Before Flying to Delaware Beach Home
» Biden Low: 60% Disapprove, 50% ‘Strongly’
» Bill Clinton, George W. Bush Lay Flowers Outside Ukrainian Church in Chicago
» Bipartisan Group of Senators Visits Ukraine Border Amid Refugee Surge
» CDC Quietly Cuts a Quarter of Child COVID-19 Deaths, Blames ‘Coding Logic Error’
» Data Shows San Francisco District Attorney Lax on Burglary, Assaults, Retail Theft
» Disgraced Intelligence Officials Who Lied About Hunter Biden’s Laptop Refuse to Apologize
» Federal Judge Allows Defamation Claims in Jussie Smollett Suit
» Google Censors Tulsi Gabbard
» House Passes CROWN Act Banning Discrimination Based on Hairstyle, Texture
» Kennedy Center Quietly Renames Its ‘Russian Lounge’ After Ukraine Invasion
» Los Angeles Unified School District Announces End to Indoor Mask Mandate
» Mayor of Madison, Wisconsin, Charged With Election Bribery by Accepting Mark Zuckerberg’s Money
» New ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Store Opens in NJ: ‘I Wish Trump Was Back’
» Porn Star Ron Jeremy’s Sex Crimes Trial Paused for Psychiatric Evaluation
» Professor Forces Conservative Group to Delete Post Spotlighting ‘Whiteness’ Assignment at BYU
» Republicans Demand New Probe Into Hunter Biden Laptop Following New York Times’ Validation of Authenticity
 
Canada
» Breaking: ‘Several Arrests’ Made at Competing Calgary Protests
» Justice Centre Sues B.C. To End Vaccine Mandate for Healthcare Workers
 
Europe and the EU
» Bulgarians Protest During US Defense Sec. Austin’s Visit, PM Says No Ukraine Military Aid
» COVID: Italy to Lift Green Pass and Mask Rules on 1 May
» German Minister Heads to Qatar to Seek Gas Alternatives
» Hungary: Two Weeks to Go: Fidesz Clear Favorite, Orban’s Popularity Rising
» Iceland Bets on Herd Immunity
» Italy Seizes $116 Million Building From Russia’s Richest Man
» Latvian Parliament Supports Imposing No-Fly Zone in Ukraine
» Polish PM Appeals for Total EU Ban on Trade With Russia
» Polish PM to Call on EU Summit for Recovery Plan for Ukraine
» Thousands Gather Spain’s Capital to Protest High Prices
» UK: Khan’s London: Satanist ‘Ripper’ Murderer Raped ‘Dead or Dying’ Victim
» UK: Manchester Arena Bomber’s Mosque Turned ‘Blind Eye’ to Islamists, Inquiry Hears
 
Middle East
» Turkish Interior Minister: NATO is Bankrupt and EU Under Soros’ Control
 
Russia
» Belarus President Lukashenko Dismisses Concerns About Putin’s Health
» Boris Claims Putin ‘In a Total Panic’ Over Possible ‘Colour Revolution’ In Moscow
» Corporate Media Spreads Hoax That Russian Cosmonauts Wore Yellow Suits to ‘Support Ukraine’
» Kremlin Takes Jab at Biden’s ‘Irritability, Fatigue, And Forgetfulness’
» Latest Developments
» Russia Claims it Deployed Nuke-Capable Hypersonic Missile
» Russian General Killed After Ukrainian Forces Destroy Command Post in Kherson
» Russia Will Likely Take Kyiv, But Losses Could Run Into the ‘Tens of Thousands, ‘ Says Military Historian
» Watch: ‘Allahu Akbar!’ — Chechens Open Fire on Apartment Block in Azov Stronghold Mariupol
 
South Asia
» ISKCON Temple in Dhaka Vandalized by Islamist Mob Screaming “Allah Ho Akbar”, 3 Injured
 
Australia — Pacific
» Sydney Woman Calls for More Support for Those Battling ‘Infuriating’ Side-Effects
 
Sub-Saharan Africa
» Scientists Reportedly Obtain Full Sequence of Dodo Genome; Extinct Bird May Make a Comeback
 
Immigration
» About 208,000 Ukrainian Refugees Arrive in Germany
» Czech Republic Hosts Over 150,000 Ukrainian Refugees
» Ministry: Tens of Thousands of Ukrainians to Arrive in Finland
» More Than 9,000 Ukrainian Refugees Have Arrived in Ireland
» Over 3.3 Million Have Fled Ukraine Since War Broke Out: UN Report
 
Culture Wars
» Biological Male Lia Thomas Finishes Fifth in NCAA Women’s Freestyle 200
 

UK Central Bank Warns of 8 Per Cent Inflation by Next Month as They Hike Interest Rates

The Bank of England has warned that inflation could hit 8 per cent by as early as next month in Britain as it raised interest rates to pre-pandemic levels on Thursday.

The central bank of the United Kingdom raised interest rates to 0.75 per cent, marking the first time that interest rates rose to such heights since the start of the Chinese coroanvirus pandemic.

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

Ukraine War Pushes Inflation Up, Growth Down in Baltic States

Fitch Ratings-London-18 March 2022: The war in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia and Belarus aggravate already high inflation in the Baltic states through sharply higher oil and natural gas prices, damping private consumption and weakening growth prospects, Fitch Ratings says in a new report.

Eurostat data for February showed annual inflation as high as 14.0% in Lithuania and 11.6% in Estonia. Inflation in Latvia is lower due to labour market slack following the Covid-19 pandemic, but still in the high single digits (8.8% in February).

Lithuania is particularly exposed to international energy price volatility after it phased out domestic nuclear energy in 2009, with imports accounting for three-quarters of its energy supply. Latvia is undertaking plans to reduce its reliance on Russia, which provides all of its natural gas imports, by accessing Lithuania’s LNG terminal, but the required pipeline expansion will take until next year. Estonia is the least reliant of the Baltic states on energy imports due to domestic coal and shale oil production.

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

At Least 10 People Including Children Are Shot in Mass Shooting at Car Show in Dumas, Arkansas

At least 10 people were shot at an Arkansas car show on Saturday evening, according to the Arkansas State Police.

The incident took place at about 7:25 p.m. at the Delta N.E.Y.O. Hood-nic Foundation car show in the town of Dumas, about 85 miles southeast from the state capital of Little Rock.

Arkansas State Troopers were sent to Dumas following an initial report of a shooting outside a local business where the show took place.

Authorities said that ‘as many as 10’ people were wounded…

           — Hat tip: Dean [Return to headlines]
 

Biden Declines to Take Questions About Call With President Xi Before Flying to Delaware Beach Home

Ahead of the NATO summit, President Joe Biden left Friday evening and headed to his Delaware beach home to spend the weekend amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Biden was expected to arrive at 6 pm Friday, leaving Washington behind as the war in Ukraine intensifies. Meanwhile, signs of “Support for Ukraine” appear all over Sussex County and throughout the First State, according to WRDE Coast TV.

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

Biden Low: 60% Disapprove, 50% ‘Strongly’

It’s hard to imagine it getting any worse for President Joe Biden.

For 209 straight days, his approval rating has been underwater, and on Friday, he hit his low point.

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

Bill Clinton, George W. Bush Lay Flowers Outside Ukrainian Church in Chicago

Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush visited a Ukrainian Church in Chicago together on Friday in a show of solidarity for the country amid the Russian invasion.

The ex-presidents each laid bouquets of sunflowers — Ukraine’s national flower — at Saints Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church, located in the middle of the Windy City’s vibrant Ukrainian Village neighborhood.

“America stands united with the people of Ukraine in their fight for freedom and against oppression,” both Clinton and Bush posted on their respective social media accounts.

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

Bipartisan Group of Senators Visits Ukraine Border Amid Refugee Surge

A bipartisan group of senators traveled to Poland and Germany this weekend to meet with leaders from NATO countries and U.S. military officials as Russia continues its military offensive into Ukraine.

The delegation of 10 lawmakers, led by Republican Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, were the second group of U.S. lawmakers to visit the Ukrainian border in recent weeks, as Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to draw down his troops. The group included Democratic Sens. Jacky Rosen of Nevada and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, as well as Republican Sens. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Roger Marshall of Kansas, Susan Collins of Maine, John Cornyn of Texas, Steve Daines of Montana, and Jerry Moran of Kansas. Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine who caucuses with the Democrats, is also present. In addition to the meetings with NATO partners, the group also gathered with Ukrainian refugees while visiting a Polish refugee processing center.

[Comment: I bet that those Democratic Senators didn’t visit the US southern border.]

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

CDC Quietly Cuts a Quarter of Child COVID-19 Deaths, Blames ‘Coding Logic Error’

With little fanfare, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) removed tens of thousands of COVID-19 deaths from its online tracker this week, in the latest apparent instance of the “science” being massaged in accordance with the political needs of Democrat leadership.

The Epoch Times reports that prior to March 15, the CDC’s data tracker website “listed 1,755 children as dying from COVID-19 along with approximately 851,000 others,” but on that date “cut 416 deaths among children and over 71,000 elsewhere, arriving at a total of just under 780,000.”

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

Data Shows San Francisco District Attorney Lax on Burglary, Assaults, Retail Theft

San Francisco’s District Attorney Chesa Boudin is facing a recall effort over his office’s policies in how they take action against various crimes. A new batch of data made available this month showcases the general public’s concerns as it proves how Boudin has chosen to divert assault, robbery, and drug cases under his tenure.

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

Disgraced Intelligence Officials Who Lied About Hunter Biden’s Laptop Refuse to Apologize

A number of ex-intelligence officials who reviewed Hunter Biden’s laptop in the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election and dismissed its authenticity as “Russian information” have declined to comment and apologize to the New York Post, the outlet that published the bombshell report in October of that year.

That initial evaluation of as many as 51 former intelligence officials has depreciated remarkably over the past two years. After adamant assertions, requests for comment from the New York Post have been met with radio silence now that those claims have been show to be little more than unfounded opinions.

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

Federal Judge Allows Defamation Claims in Jussie Smollett Suit

A federal judge ruled Friday that two witnesses in the Jussie Smollett case had grounds to sue the actor’s legal team for defamation, a day after Smollett’s lawyers filed a counter-suit.

Olabinjo and Abimbola Osundairo, brothers who were paid by Smollett to help him stage a hate crime, were potentially defamed when Smollett attorney Tina Glandian went on the Today show and suggested the pair had been in “whiteface,” U.S. District Judge Mary Rowland said.

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

Google Censors Tulsi Gabbard

An interview with Tulsi Gabbard and Fox News host Laura Ingraham was censored Wednesday, displaying a message asking people to verify their age before watching. On a video posted to the Fox News YouTube channel on March 9, titled “Tulsi Gabbard: They want this to continue,” users that are not logged in to the Big Tech video-sharing platform are asked to verify their age by logging in.

Once logged in, viewers are greeted with the message: “The following content has been identified by the YouTube Community as inappropriate or offensive to some audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.”

Users are required to hit a button stating, “I understand and wish to proceed,” before continuing to watch.

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

House Passes CROWN Act Banning Discrimination Based on Hairstyle, Texture

The House of Representatives approved legislation Friday that would codify actions deemed to discriminate against black people who have certain styles or textures of hair — such as Afros or cornrows — as federal civil rights violations.

Fourteen Republicans joined all 221 Democrats in supporting the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act, sending it to an uncertain fate in the Senate. President Biden has expressed support for the measure.

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

Kennedy Center Quietly Renames Its ‘Russian Lounge’ After Ukraine Invasion

The Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, DC, quietly renamed the room located on the Box Tier of the Opera House this past week—a space formerly called the “Russian Lounge.” It is now called the “Opera House Circles Lounge.”

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

Los Angeles Unified School District Announces End to Indoor Mask Mandate

The Los Angeles Unified School District announced Friday that it will scrap its mask mandate for students and staff starting next week.

The second-largest school district in the country, with over 600,000 students and 30,000 teachers, said masks will now only be “strongly recommended” indoors.

The new policy still needs to be formally ratified by union groups, but is expected to go into effect no later than March 23, district officials said in a press release.

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

Mayor of Madison, Wisconsin, Charged With Election Bribery by Accepting Mark Zuckerberg’s Money

The mayor and city clerk of Madison, Wisconsin, are being accused of election bribery in a complaint filed March 17, 2022, in the State of Wisconsin before the Elections Commission. Thomas More Society attorneys acted on behalf of a Madison, Wisconsin, voter to levy allegations against Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Madison City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl, stating that these officials acted in violation of Wisconsin’s election bribery law, Statute § 12.11, by accepting private money from the Center for Tech and Civic Life in order to facilitate in-person and absentee voting.

The complaint filing comes on the heels of a trend, in which 16 states have now passed legislation to ban or regulate the acceptance and use of private funds by public election officers. Thomas More Society attorneys have litigated this issue successfully in eight states.

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

New ‘Let’s Go Brandon’ Store Opens in NJ: ‘I Wish Trump Was Back’

Let’s go, capitalism.

This week, a new store called “Let’s Go Brandon” opened in Toms River, NJ, and it’s hawking Trump-centric and pro-law enforcement gear.

After the Ocean County shop was written up on a local blog, co-owner Vinny Scuzzese said he saw a fair amount of negative comments. But it also brought in a flood of new customers.

“I’ve had my best two days,” he told The Post.

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

Porn Star Ron Jeremy’s Sex Crimes Trial Paused for Psychiatric Evaluation

Pornography star Ron Jeremy has had his sex crimes trial paused until he undergoes a full mental health evaluation, according to Global News.

The adult film star, accused of multiple sex crimes, was reportedly “too incoherent” to proceed with the critical hearing at a Los Angeles court Thursday.

Stuart Goldfarb, Jeremy’s lawyer, told Judge George Lomeli that his client was seemingly confused and could not recognize his own lawyer prior to the hearing.

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

Professor Forces Conservative Group to Delete Post Spotlighting ‘Whiteness’ Assignment at BYU

A right-wing campus group at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah, posted a page from a “whiteness” assignment offered at their school. But after an irate professor stepped in and threatened to take various actions against the students, they were forced to take it down.

They made claims that ranged from “harassment” to copyright infringement.

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

Republicans Demand New Probe Into Hunter Biden Laptop Following New York Times’ Validation of Authenticity

Republicans are demanding a new probe into Hunter Biden’s laptop following the New York Times‘ validation of the authenticity of the New York Post‘s 2020 report on the matter.

Although the Post revealed in September 2020 the existence of the U.S. President’s son’s laptop and the compromising material contained therein, the story was quickly dismissed by the rest of the media, supported by intelligence experts who falsely declared the story to be a form of “Russian disinformation.”

“More than 50 intelligence agency officials publicly attempted to discredit the coverage saying it had “the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation” — and none offered any apology when contacted by The Post this week,” the New York Post reported.

On Saturday, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) joined a growing number of Republicans now calling for an investigation into the contents of the laptop.

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

Breaking: ‘Several Arrests’ Made at Competing Calgary Protests

Multiple arrests have been made at the freedom rally and counter-protest demonstrations in Calgary today, following a court injunction which placed restrictions on protesting in the city.

Earlier in the week, Calgary’s city council voted 13-2 in favour of sending a letter to the police commission asking officers to prioritize bystanders and businesses in the downtown core. An injunction forbidding the blocking of traffic on roads and sidewalks, walking on the road and restricting pedestrians accessing amenities was granted. It also placed a ban on using parks in a way that may disrupt others’ use, as well as a noise restriction barring the unnecessary use of horns or other noise-making devices.

Calgary police confirmed ‘several arrests’ were made at Central Memorial Park in a statement posted to Twitter.

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

Justice Centre Sues B.C. To End Vaccine Mandate for Healthcare Workers

The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms (JCCF) has filed a petition in the British Columbia Supreme Court seeking to strike down the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers who have lost their jobs.

“The Charter is the highest law in the land, and no order or legislation outranks and outweighs the Charter’s protection of fundamental freedoms such as freedom of religion and freedom of conscience,” said JCCF lawyer Charlene Le Beau in a press release on Thursday.

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

Bulgarians Protest During US Defense Sec. Austin’s Visit, PM Says No Ukraine Military Aid

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was confronted by protestors in Bulgaria Saturday as he met with Prime Minister Kiril Petkov to discuss the ongoing security crisis with Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Demonstrators appeared to protest any military assistance for Ukraine as they held up Bulgarian and Russian flags as Austin and Petkov met for a joint press conference.

Top players in the 30-member NATO alliance, like the U.S., U.K., France, Canada and 17 other European nations, have provided military aid to Ukraine and have encouraged other allies to follow suit.

But Bulgaria on Saturday again refused to engage in discussions of sending defensive arms to Kyiv.

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

COVID: Italy to Lift Green Pass and Mask Rules on 1 May

Italy’s covid stage of emergency ends on 31 March.

The Italian government has unveiled a roadmap for the lifting of covid-19 restrictions, including the Green Pass and the wearing of masks, under a new decree approved on Thursday.

Covid restrictions will be lifted in phases following the expiry of Italy’s state of emergency legislation on 31 March, after more than two years of sweeping rules designed to stem the spread of the virus.

From 1 May, there will no longer be any need for the Green Pass — the digital certificate proving the holder has been vaccinated or recently recovered from covid — which is currently required to access most services and activities in Italy, including restaurants and public transport.

The news was announced by premier Mario Draghi and health minister Roberto Speranza at a press conference on Thursday evening following a cabinet meeting at Palazzo Chigi in Rome.

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

German Minister Heads to Qatar to Seek Gas Alternatives

German Economy Minister Robert Habeck flew to Doha on Saturday as part of efforts to help Germany diversify from Russian gas imports in light of the Ukraine war.

The visit to Qatar, a major supplier of liquified natural gas (LNG), follows Habeck’s trip this week to Norway, another gas exporter.

Germany’s search for alternative gas sources comes in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the severing of major economic ties with Moscow, including the suspension of approval for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which was set to add to Germany’s Russian gas supply.

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

Hungary: Two Weeks to Go: Fidesz Clear Favorite, Orban’s Popularity Rising

With two weeks to go until the elections, it seems that the war in Ukraine has not done much to the support of the two major sides despite the government’s formerly friendly attitude towards Russia. Two different pollsters found that the opposition alliance’s PM candidate is struggling, while a third one found that the opposition came a little closer to the ruling forces. However, one political analyst warns against foregone conclusions, pointing to the high number of undecided voters. In addition, he predicts that Orban’s victory may be costly.

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

Iceland Bets on Herd Immunity

LAST FRIDAY, ICELAND lifted all restrictions against Covid—no quarantining for the infected, no testing at the border, and no size limits on gatherings. The same day, the country broke its single-day record for the highest number of cases, with over 4,300 reported.

On that day, too, Landspitali, the country’s largest hospital, declared it was at emergency levels, with 55 Covid patients admitted and three of them in the ICU. Hildur Helgadóttir, project manager of the hospital’s epidemic committee, told the national broadcaster RUV that the government had not consulted with the hospital before dropping restrictions and that the move was too abrupt. The epidemic could be severe in the coming weeks, she said.

But what shocked the country even more was the words of Iceland’s chief epidemiologist, Thorolfur Gudnason. In his memo to the Minister of Health laying out the rationale for dropping restrictions, Gudnason said the main way out of the epidemic is natural herd immunity, or when enough people are immune to the virus that its transmission ceases. In order to achieve this, Gudnason wrote, “as many people as possible need to be infected with the virus” because vaccines alone are not enough.

[Comment: Article dated March 3, 2022.]

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

Italy Seizes $116 Million Building From Russia’s Richest Man

Italy seized a large building complex from the richest man in Russia on Friday as the West continues to penalize oligarchs for their reported ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin amid the invasion of Ukraine.

The $116.2 million complex, owned by sanctioned Russian oligarch Alexei Mordashov, was located in Portisco on Sardinia’s Emerald Coast, per the Wall Street Journal. Mordashov, who is considered the richest man in Russia by some estimates, had his $72 million yacht Lady M snatched by Italian officials earlier this month.

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

Latvian Parliament Supports Imposing No-Fly Zone in Ukraine

On Thursday, 17 March, Latvia’s Saeima invited members of the United Nations to take immediate measures in order to impose a no-fly zone in Ukraine to protect people’s lives there.

The parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee prepared an announcement On Establishment of No-Fly Zone in Ukraine and Measures to Limit Russian Aggression for the parliament. In it, members of the committee explain that establishment of a no-fly zone in Ukraine should include guarantees for the safety in the skies above Ukrainian nuclear power plants.

In its announcement the Saeima also voiced full support for Ukraine, its defenders and people in the fight against Russia’s war of aggression, affirming Latvia’s unbending support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

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

Polish PM Appeals for Total EU Ban on Trade With Russia

Mateusz Morawiecki, Poland’s prime minister, has urged tougher sanctions on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine and called on the European Union to impose a total ban on trade with Russia.

“Poland is proposing to add a trade blockade to this package of sanctions as soon as possible, both for seaports — a ban on entering Russian-flagged ships with Russian goods — but also a ban on land trade,” Morawiecki told a press conference during his visit to Telesystem-Mesko, Poland’s ammunition and rockets R&D centre in Lubiczow near Warsaw.

In his opinion, such a step “will additionally force Russia to consider whether it would be better to stop this cruel war”.

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

Polish PM to Call on EU Summit for Recovery Plan for Ukraine

Mateusz Morawiecki, the Polish prime minister, has said that it is necessary to prepare a recovery plan for Ukraine, and added that it should be co-financed by the richest European countries.

“I will be speaking about an all-European recovery plan for Ukraine during the forthcoming meeting of the European Council,” Morawiecki said in Lubiczow, near Warsaw on Saturday.

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

Thousands Gather Spain’s Capital to Protest High Prices

Thousands of demonstrators hit the streets across Spain in protest at the soaring cost of food, light and fuel, which have been exacerbated by Russia’s incursion of Ukraine.

Saturday’s rallies, which took place in Spain’s main cities, were called by the far-right Vox party which sought to tap into growing social discontent over the spiralling cost of living that has left many families struggling to pay their bills.

Outside City Hall in Madrid, a crowd of several thousand people gathered, waving hundreds of Spanish flags and chanting angry slogans calling for the resignation of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

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

UK: Khan’s London: Satanist ‘Ripper’ Murderer Raped ‘Dead or Dying’ Victim

A Satan-worshipping necrophiliac who murdered and raped a “vulnerable” woman in London was jailed for a minimum of 42 years at the Old Bailey on Friday.

Brian Sengendo, 26, repeatedly beat and stabbed 44-year-old Therasia Gordon before raping her “dead or dying” body in a random attack in London in 2020, having decided to “sacrifice” an “innocent”.

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

UK: Manchester Arena Bomber’s Mosque Turned ‘Blind Eye’ to Islamists, Inquiry Hears

The Manchester mosque attended by Salman Abedi, the suicide bomber who killed 22 mostly children and young people dead and maimed scores more at an Ariana Grande concert in 2017, has been accused of burying its “head in the sand” regarding radical Islamic extremism.

The inquiry into the Manchester Arena bombing heard from the lawyer representing the families of the victims of the terror attack that the Didsbury Mosque had “prefered to turn a blind eye” to Islamist rhetoric from its members and even from one of its own imams in the lead up to the attack.

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

Turkish Interior Minister: NATO is Bankrupt and EU Under Soros’ Control

In an interview with the Turkish pro-government daily Sabah, Soylu underlined that “Turkey has not surrendered to globalization”. Rather, it has “well-established regional trade links, presented to it by history”. Had Turkey “surrendered” to globalization, it would have gotten the country into more trouble than Ukraine.

In an interview on March 14, Soylu said: “We are altogether seeing the collapse of global organizations like the United Nations and NATO… I also think Europe carries no meaning as a community. Europe is being managed with Soros’ rules.”

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

Belarus President Lukashenko Dismisses Concerns About Putin’s Health

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has said Russian President Vladimir Putin is healthy, sane and “in better shape than ever.”

“He and I haven’t only met as heads of state, we’re on friendly terms,” Lukashenko said in a recording of the interview shared by state news agency BelTA.

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

Boris Claims Putin ‘In a Total Panic’ Over Possible ‘Colour Revolution’ In Moscow

Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson pilloried Vladimir Putin following the Russian’s 81,000-200,000-strong rally celebrating eight years since the annexation of Crimea.

Johnson’s speech on Saturday was delivered to a much smaller crowd at the Conservative Party’s spring conference in Blackpool and consisted of a cutting attack on President Putin, suggesting that the Russian is in a “total panic” about a political revolution against his rule.

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

Corporate Media Spreads Hoax That Russian Cosmonauts Wore Yellow Suits to ‘Support Ukraine’

When photos began to circulate online of Russian cosmonauts boarding the International Space Station (ISS), media outlets online quickly spread the hoax that the group had deliberately chosen to wear yellow and blue flight suits in solidarity with Ukraine by wearing the country’s national colors.

The connection between the color of the attire and the conflict in Ukraine spread to outlets like the BBC, Bloomberg Quicktake, The Times, and NPR.

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

Kremlin Takes Jab at Biden’s ‘Irritability, Fatigue, And Forgetfulness’

Kremlin officials delivered a sly blow to U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday, responding to his “personal insult” of Vladimir Putin by casting aspersions on his cognitive ability.

“We do hear and see statements addressed to President Putin that in fact constitute a personal insult,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in response to President Biden branding the Russian leader a “murderous dictator, a pure thug… waging an immoral war against the people of Ukraine” during the Annual Friends of Ireland Luncheon in the U.S. capital.

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

Latest Developments

In Ukraine: Fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces reached the streets of the port city of Mariupol, a strategic objective for Moscow as it attempts to open an overland corridor to Crimea and shift momentum in its three-week-old invasion.

“The fighting is already in the city itself,” an official from the mayor’s office said via text message. “But Mariupol remains a Ukrainian city.”

The capture of Mariupol would be key for Russia, which has so far failed to take any major Ukrainian cities. It would free up its forces to encircle Ukrainian army units in eastern regions and push farther toward the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

In the southern city of Mykolaiv, Russian missile strikes hit the headquarters of the Ukrainian army’s 79th brigade. Footage from the scene showed a child being dug out from the rubble. Ukrainian officials said at least 40 people have been killed.

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

In Washington: President Biden warned China that its relations with the U.S. would suffer consequences if Beijing provides substantive assistance to Russia in its military assault on Ukraine.

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

Russia Claims it Deployed Nuke-Capable Hypersonic Missile

Russia unleashed nuclear-capable hypersonic missiles for the first time ever in combat, obliterating an ammunition depot in western Ukraine, its defense ministry said Saturday, as embattled President Volodymyr Zelensky made an urgent plea for “meaningful and fair” peace talks and the strategic port city of Mariupol was on the precipice of falling to the invaders.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said the high-tech Kinzhal missiles, carried by MiG-31 fighter jets, destroyed a large underground ammunition warehouse Friday in the village of Delyatyn, near the western Ivano-Frankivs region of Ukraine.

US officials confirmed Saturday that hypersonic missiles were used, telling CNN they were tracked in real time as they headed toward the former Soviet nuclear base, which is about 380 miles from Kyiv and extends 150 feet below ground. No information on casualties, if any, was available.

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

Russian General Killed After Ukrainian Forces Destroy Command Post in Kherson

Another Russian general has been killed in Ukraine, the country’s military claimed Saturday, the fifth senior leader to fall since the invasion began 23 days ago.

Lieutenant-General Andrey Mordvichev, commander of the 8th army of the southern military district, was killed when armed forces destroyed a command post at an airfield in Kherson, a port city in southern Ukraine, officials said.

His death came as thousands of civilians attempted to flee another port city, Mariupol, which has been under bombardment for weeks, and as Ukraine’s president said Russia is trying to starve his country’s cities into submission.

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

Russia Will Likely Take Kyiv, But Losses Could Run Into the ‘Tens of Thousands, ‘ Says Military Historian

The ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russia without a political solution could last months, with the death toll of Russian soldiers running into the tens of thousands, a renowned military historian has warned.

Prof. Dr. Martin van Creveld, an Israeli military expert who has advised the armed forces of various nations and teaches at the Universities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, predicted in an interview with German weekly Junge Freiheit that Russian forces would eventually take Kyiv but warned it could come at a heavy price.

“I assume that the Russians will take Kyiv, even if it will take some time,” van Creveld told the publication. “However, Ukraine is a large country — about twice the size of Germany — with many towns and villages scattered far and wide.

“It is by no means certain that Putin can muster the strength to occupy them all. And even if he does, resistance in the form of guerrillas and terrorism is unlikely to end.”

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

Watch: ‘Allahu Akbar!’ — Chechens Open Fire on Apartment Block in Azov Stronghold Mariupol

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has shared footage of his men opening fire on an apartment block and shouting “Allah Akbar!” in Mariupol, the encircled coastal stronghold of Ukraine’s neo-Nazi Azov Battalion.

The coastal city on the Sea of Azov is currently the scene of the fiercest fighting in the war between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, with Mayor Vadym Boichenko describing “Tanks and machine-gun battles” in the street and “Everybody… hiding in bunkers” last night.

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

ISKCON Temple in Dhaka Vandalized by Islamist Mob Screaming “Allah Ho Akbar”, 3 Injured

ISKCON sharply condemned the attack on Radhakanta Jiu Temple in Dhaka and also criticized the UN move to observe 15th March as International Day against Islamophobia including UN’s inaction to save the minorities in Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Sulochan Das | HENB | Dhaka | March 19, 2022:: A frenzy Muslim mob of 200 people allegedly vandalized the ISKCON Radhkanta temple in Bangladesh’s Dhaka on Thursday, news agency ANI reported. This comes as a regular attacks on religious places of Minority Hindus in the country. Indian government sources told ANI that the High Commission in Dhaka is in touch with the authorities there.

The mob was reportedly led by one Haji Shafiullah with many criminal activities on record.

The mob vandalized and looted an ISKCON Radhakanta temple in Dhaka, Bangladesh while shouting ‘Naraye Taqbir, Allah ho Akbar’. According to reports, at least three members of the temple at 222, Lal Mohan Saha Street, in Wari, Dhaka were injured in the attack.

The Voice of Bangladeshi Hindus, an organization working for the welfare of the minority Hindu community in that country shared visuals of the attack on various social media platforms and appealed for help.

“On the night of Shab-e-Barat, extremists are again attacking the Wari Radhakanta #ISKCON temple in Dhaka. We are requesting to all the Hindus play their role in protecting the temple,” The Voice of Bangladeshi Hindus said in a tweet. The handle also shared images of the alleged act. The organization also claimed that the police did not take any action when the extremist groups were carrying out an attack on the ISKCON temple in Dhaka.

According to a press release on the official website of the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), 150 perpetrators led by one Haji Shafiullah attacked the ISKCON temple at 22 Lalmohon Saha Street of Wari Thana in Dhaka at 8 pm on March 17. “They vandalized the temple, murti, and looted money and other valuable things. At least 3 Hindu devotees were injured during this attack,” the HAF said in a release on its website.

Sharp reactions also came from ISKCON authorities condemning the attack and the callousness of the United Nations in the face of growing Islamic attacks on minorities in Bangladesh and Pakistan. ISKCON also criticized the UN move to observe 15th March as International Day against Islamophobia.

As hundreds of Muslim people vandalize, loot Radhakanta Jiu temple in Dhaka, ISKCON criticizes UN’s support for Islamophobia and condemns the inaction of UN to address attacks of Minorities in Bangladesh and Pakistan…

           — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari [Return to headlines]
 

Sydney Woman Calls for More Support for Those Battling ‘Infuriating’ Side-Effects

A Sydney banker says she has been left in pain out of pocket and searching for medical solutions to an adverse reaction to her first Covid jab.

The Daily Mail Australia reports that the woman, Daniella Lenarczyk, 34, has spent upwards of $4,000 on GPs, tests, and medical specialists since developing ‘infuriating’ migraines and neck pain since getting the Pfizer vaccine in September last year.

She has called on more research on the symptoms, explaining that she was eager to get the jab and does not consider herself as an ‘anti-vaxxer’ but hopes coming forward with her story will help start a conversation to help others in a similar situation.

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

Scientists Reportedly Obtain Full Sequence of Dodo Genome; Extinct Bird May Make a Comeback

The dodo bird may make a comeback in the near future after recent confirmation from one scientist that the extinct animal’s genome has been fully sequenced.

The dodo was first noted by Dutch sailors on the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius in the late 1590s. By the middle of the next century it had vanished from the island, having been hunted to extinction by humans and dogs; it also suffered a loss of its natural habitat due to travelers coming to the island.

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

About 208,000 Ukrainian Refugees Arrive in Germany

Almost 208,000 Ukrainian refugees, mostly children and women, have arrived in Germany since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

That’s according to the German Federal Police, Ukrinform reports.

According to official data, there are 207,742 Ukrainians in the country, but the real figure may be higher or lower, as checks at internal EU borders are not carried out, and the registration process, and thus the provision of assistance and the settlement of social issues, is not finalized. Calculations are made mainly on the basis of inspections on public transport used by refugees to get to German cities.

At the same time, the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI) launched the aid portal Germany4Ukraine.de in four languages. It is an information platform for refugees from Ukraine, thanks to which they receive a reliable source of verified information with basic recommendations on the first steps upon arrival in Germany.

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

Czech Republic Hosts Over 150,000 Ukrainian Refugees

Prague, Mar 15 (EFE).— The Czech Republic, a central European country with no borders with Ukraine, has welcomed over 150,000 Ukrainian refugees who fled their country since Russia began its invasion less than three weeks ago.

In Prague, an army of volunteers welcomes and distributes the refugees — mostly arriving by train from neighboring Slovakia, which borders Ukraine — through different absorption and basic needs centers.

The main entry point to the country is Prague Central Station, where trains arrive every hour, carrying over 700 people from Ukraine.

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

Ministry: Tens of Thousands of Ukrainians to Arrive in Finland

The Interior Ministry estimates that tens of thousands of displaced people from Ukraine will arrive in Finland. The number of arrivals has accelerated this past week, while those arriving are in poorer physical condition and more likely to be traumatised.

At least 7,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Finland since the Russian invasion began on 24 February. No exact figures are available as they are allowed to travel freely once they reach the European Union, and are not required to register on arrival in Finland.

Anna Rundgren, a senior specialist at the Ministry of the Interior, estimates that the actual number is several times higher. Ukrainians may stay in Finland for up to three months without filing any paperwork, and some are staying with relatives or friends here.

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

More Than 9,000 Ukrainian Refugees Have Arrived in Ireland

More than 9,000 Ukrainian refugees have arrived into the State so far, according to the latest figures from the Department of Justice.

A total of 657 new arrivals entered the Republic through Dublin Airport and other ports of entry on St Patrick’s Day, while a further 788 arrived on Friday, bringing the total number of Ukrainian refugees in Ireland to 9,109 so far.

The figures have been manually recorded across the country’s ports of entry by the Department of Justice since the visa requirements for Ukrainian nationals were removed.

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

Over 3.3 Million Have Fled Ukraine Since War Broke Out: UN Report

More than 3.3 million refugees have fled Ukraine, a figure that has steadily increased since Russian President Vladimir Putin began dropping bombs on the neighboring country last month, according to the United Nations.

The Ukrainian refugees, which also include the nearly 6.5 million people who have been internally displaced, account for roughly 23% of the war-torn country’s total population, and the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees is sounding the alarm that the humanitarian crisis is rapidly growing.

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

Biological Male Lia Thomas Finishes Fifth in NCAA Women’s Freestyle 200

On Friday, at the NCAA Women’s Swimming Championship in Atlanta, biologically male swimmer Lia Thomas who identifies as a woman eked out a tie for fifth place in the Women’s Freestyle 200m race.

[Comment: Sandbagging.]

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

8 thoughts on “Gates of Vienna News Feed 3/19/2022

  1. “[Comment: I bet that those Democratic Senators didn’t visit the US southern border.]”
    As Jimmy said to Waco near the beginning of Sahara (1943, starring Humphrey Bogart), “Why, that’s a sucker bet. ”
    My father tried to teach me to avoid sucker bets.

  2. In the article titled “WATCH: ‘Allahu Akbar!’ – Chechens Open Fire on Apartment Block In Azov Stronghold Mariupol”, I could not tell at the end of the video whether the Chechens were rescuing female children and kissing them, or they were carrying off sex slaves. Does anyone have more information on this?

    • Those US trained snipers of the Ukies are doing one hell of a job of thinning the herd. LOL

  3. Re: “The Latvian parliament voted to support the imposition of a no-fly zone over Ukraine. Meanwhile, the Polish prime minister called for a total ban on trade between the EU and Russia.”

    I am normally predisposed towards the cause of Latvia and the Baltic states, as well as Poland, but both nations are treading upon dangerous ground with their respective actions.

    Do the Latvians know what they are doing, or are they fumbled around in the dark or maybe just taking orders from the U.S. & NATO alliance?

    To be clear, imposing a no-fly zone is de facto an act of war. It means that you and your allies are imposing a quarantine upon a given air space, one you are willing to use force to keep. In turn, that means if the Russians violate the no-fly zone, and a NATO aircraft or ground-based air-defense installation fires upon that aircraft, you have probably just tripped the switch for WWIII.

    If such an eventuality comes to pass, does tiny Latvia realize that it probably will be amongst the first targets of Russian long- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles? Or one of the first nations to be rolled-over by Russian ground forces?

    The Poles should also be very wary of imposing economic sanctions, for these, too, can be construed as an act of war, especially if those sanctions involve strategic materials. In the months leading up to the U.S. entry into the Second World War, the Roosevelt administration embargoed American oil sales to Japan. Dependent upon imported oil as the life-blood of her economy, Imperial Japan had purchased some eighty percent of her total oil requirement from the United States. By cutting that supply off, the U.S. made war with Japan virtually inevitable.

    The tables are turned somewhat, since Poland isn’t an energy supplier of Russia, but vice-versa: Russian oil and LNG are crucial to the well-being and prosperity of Europe. An embargo in either direction will harm Europe’s economy more than that of Russia.

    If American pressure is being applied for these sanctions, and it almost certainly is, Latvia and Poland would do well to remember the salient facts above in plotting their respective courses of action.

    I care a great deal about the welfare of the nations of eastern and northern Europe, as I have family ties to both regions. Call me cynical, but if the powers-that-be in the U.S. (and even some in Brussels) are fine with fighting Russia to the last drop of Ukrainian blood, they would not be adverse to doing the same with others. If they are willing to spill Ukrainian blood for geopolitical ends, they would probably not hesitate to do the same with Polish and/or Latvian blood. Forewarned is forearmed.

    • The view here in Poland is, that if Putin takes Ukraine, he will set his sights on other countries next. With Moldova, Poland or the Baltic States likely next in line.

      Therefore if we don’t want our countries destroyed and cities turned to rubble, we should help Ukraine as much as possible, to defeat Russia on its territory, or at least bleed it dry and make it go bankrupt, a la 1991 after its Afghanistan adventure.

    • NATO can’t impose a “no fly zone” without attacking SAM sites in Russian and Belarus.
      The Russians build some very effective long range SAMs, the SA-300 and S-400 “Galosh” missiles. They would be able to engage targets up to 250 miles inside the Ukrainian border.
      So we can’t impose a no-fly zone without starting another world war.

    • The EU leadership and the NATO leadership are operating on different ends of the spectrum and it is causing chaos. As for the Baltic states and Poles, they remember quite well that the allies threw them under the bus to make the Soviets allies against the Germans, blame Churchill for that. So with that being said, the Poles and Baltics are preparing for the invasion by Russia and they will either drag NATO kicking and screaming to defend them or NATO will fold and let them whither and die. Funny thing about wars when they start, nobody knows how it will turn out because the monster is lose and there is no caging him.
      There was a nice screaming/shoving match between the German Generals and the feminaxi Defense Minster/staff the other day that ended with lots of threats/punches/shoving and one General who remain unnamed almost strangling a feminaxi staff member with his bare hands, the security detail had to intervene and then the military security got into it with their security where lots of punches where thrown. Really fun stuff happening in Germany these days. Let the chaos rain!

Comments are closed.