Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has eliminated most Coronavirus measures in a bid to re-establish the country’s tourist industrty. Meanwhile, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern ordered an end to strict lockdown rules.
In other news, a gang of “youths” in the French city of Grenoble beat and robbed a man who asked for directions.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Dean, Nitzakhon, Reader from Chicago, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.
Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.
Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. I check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.
Poland: February Unemployment Flat at 5.5 Percent — Stats Office
Poland’s unemployment rate stood at 5.5 percent in February 2022, unchanged from January 2021, the Central Statistical Office (GUS) reported on Wednesday.
The number of registered unemployed measured 921,800 in February against 927,100 in the previous month, GUS also said.
Earlier, the Family and Social Policy Ministry estimated February’s unemployment at 5.5 percent.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK Inflation Hits Fresh Multi-Decade High of 6.2% on Surging Energy Prices
LONDON — U.K. inflation came in at an annual 6.2% in February, its highest since March 1992, as soaring food, fuel and energy costs continue to deepen the country’s cost of living crisis.
February’s Consumer Price Index print was above consensus expectations among economists polled by Refinitiv for a 5.9% annual figure, and vastly outstripped January’s previous 30-year high of 5.5%.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
DOJ Wants Google to be Sanctioned for Hiding Documents
The US Department of Justice (DoJ) antitrust case filed in October 2020, specifically related to the alleged monopoly in the search market, is still ongoing.
And the latest development is a brief this government department submitted to the judge conducting the proceedings on Monday, accusing the tech giant of purposefully hiding business documents during the discovery phase of lawsuits Google is involved in.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ex-FBI Agent Pleads Guilty to Tampering in Bungled Criminal Case Against Missouri Governor
An ex-FBI agent who led the bungled investigation into former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens pleaded guilty Wednesday to witness tampering in a deal that spared him from a trial and placed additional spotlight on the prosecutor behind the case.
William Tisaby appeared in a St. Louis Circuit Court and entered the plea to one count of misdemeanor evidence tampering and was sentenced to probation, which was immediately suspended. It was not immediately clear whether Tisaby was required to cooperate in any further investigation.
Tisaby had been facing trial on six counts of perjury and one count of evidence tampering in an indictment that accused him of hiding evidence and lying during the investigation into Greitens, a Republican who was forced to resign as governor after St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner charged him as taking a compromising photo of a woman he had an affair with.
The charges were dramatically dropped when Gardner admitted she did not have evidence the photo was taken and the woman testified she may have dreamed up the allegation.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Before my marriage, the last time I went to an art exhibit, was when I went to see an exhibit of Gauguin in Sodom by the Potomac Washington DC, but that was only because I was accompanying my parents on their annual snowbird migration to Florida.
They wanted to see it, so — because “culture” and “education” — they dragged me along.
| — Hat tip: Nitzakhon | [Return to headlines] |
Hendersonville Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison Following Arson of Metro Courthouse
A Hendersonville man was sentenced to five years in federal prison for his involvement in the arson of the Metro Courthouse on May 30, 2020 during city-wide protests, U.S. attorney Mark Wildasin said Wednesday.
Wesley Somers, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Aleta Tauger. His five-year prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release.
“On May 30, 2020, scores of local, state and federal law enforcement officers stood ready to protect the Constitutional right of every citizen to engage in peaceful protests,” Wildasin said. “Unfortunately, Somers and others interfered with a lawful assembly and resorted to violence and destructive behavior, which resulted in significant property damage and placed many at risk of harm.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
How Bad is Crime in L.A.? Here Are the Numbers Behind the Mayoral Race Rhetoric
Crime was one of the big issues discussed Tuesday during a debate by the top candidates running for mayor of Los Angeles.
While many of the candidates talked about an uptick in crime, billionaire businessman Rick Caruso gave a particularly dark view of public safety.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
An Indianapolis, Indiana, man who has been charged with three federal felonies after repeatedly and intentionally jeopardizing the lives of police officers, destroying public property, and encouraging others to commit violence during riots in Portland in the fall of 2020 is scheduled to plead guilty to the charges in federal court next week.
Kevin Sonoff, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon told the Willamette Week that the accused Malik Muhammad is scheduled to plead guilty on March 28. “The details of his plea are not yet public.” This was also confirmed by a spokeswoman in the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office and that Muhammad is expected to change his plea to guilty in state court on March 29.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Kyle Rittenhouse on Meeting Trump: ‘Normal Guy’ With ‘Some of the Best Cheeseburgers’
Recalling his visit with Donald Trump at the former president’s Mar-a-Lago resort just before Thanksgiving last year, 19-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse said he “had some of the best cheeseburgers I’ve ever had.”
Following the teenager’s acquittal of homicide charges for fatally shooting two men in self-defense during riots in Kenosha, Wisc. in August 2020, the former president invited Rittenhouse to the Florida resort in November.
“He’s a really good young guy … just left Mar-a-Lago a little while ago, and he should never have been put through that,” Trump told Fox News’ “Hannity” at the time. “That was prosecutorial misconduct, and it’s happening all over the United States right now with Democrats.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Move Over Greater Idaho Movement, The State of Jefferson is Stepping Back Into Secession Spotlight
Move Oregon’s Border for a Greater Idaho, the effort to flip most of rural Oregon into the Gem State, has received a lot of attention the past couple of years. But a truer — and much older — Oregon secession movement is now elbowing its way back into the conversation.
The dream of creating an entirely new state, called Jefferson, out of large swaths of northern California and southern Oregon has been around for decades.
Last year, the journalist James Pogue, author of the Malheur Occupation-centric book “Chosen Country: A Rebellion in the West,” drove to Redding, California, in a borrowed Tesla. It was a poor choice of conveyance for the trip.
As soon as he arrived in the small city, he writes in the April 2022 issue of Harper’s magazine, a man materialized beside the high-end car and began banging on a window.
“We don’t want you here!” the man yelled into the vehicle.
The reason Pogue had come to such hostile territory: Anger over pandemic restrictions had breathed new life into the State of Jefferson movement.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
No Bail for Man Charged in 50-Year-Old Cold Case Murder
Arthur Massei, 76, has been indicted and arrested on a first-degree murder charge in the death of Natalie Scheublin
Seventy-six-year-old Arthur Massei was ordered held without bail Wednesday on a first degree murder charge in a 50-year-old cold case killing out of Bedford, Massachusetts.
It was back in 1971 that 54-year-old Natalie Scheublin was found bound and stabbed to death in the basement of her home. Her husband Raymond Scheublin, who at the time was president of the Lexington Trust Bank, found her body after returning home from work.
Natalie Scheublin was face down on the floor with her ankles tied. A makeshift gag was around her neck, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan. She was stabbed multiple times with a knife and hit in the head with an unknown object. When Raymond Scheublin found her, it appeared she had only been dead a short time, Ryan said.
After more than 50 years, a man has been arrested in a cold case.
Nothing of significant value was taken from the home except her car, a 1969 Chevrolet Impala, which was later found a short distance away at the Bedford VA Hospital. The car appeared to have been wiped down, but investigators were able to recover a fingerprint from the window.
Ryan and Bedford Police Chief Ken Fong announced the charges against Massei at a press conference at the district attorney’s office in Woburn Tuesday.
Authorities said Massei was first tied to the case by fingerprinting technology in 1999, technology that was not available when the print was first recovered from the Impala in 1971. When interviewed by police, Ryan said, Massei denied ever having been to Bedford or having any knowledge of the killing…
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
NYPD Announces Citywide Crime Statistics for February 2022
For the month of February 2022, New York City saw a 58.7% increase in overall index crime compared to February 2021 (9,138 v. 5,759). Every major index crime category saw an increase for the month of February 2022. Robbery increased by 56% (1,276 v. 818), grand larceny increased by 79.2% (3,762 v. 2.099), and grand larceny auto increased by 104.7% (1,083 v. 529). Citywide shooting incidents decreased by 1.3% (76 v. 77) in February 2022 compared to the same period last year.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ohio’s Education Department Added DEI Coursework to Higher Ed Curriculum
In October of last year, the Ohio State Board of Education repealed a resolution that required the state’s Department of Education to essentially implement Critical Race Theory (CRT) into teaching and training for students in K-12.
As The Columbus Dispatch reported at the time, Resolution 20 “directed the Ohio Department of Education to examine its curriculums and standardized tests for biases and provide training for all its employees on implicit bias. And it suggested local school districts look at their own curriculums, textbooks, hiring practices and disciplinary policies.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Homicides in Atlanta are on track to beat last year’s 30-year high of 158 murders while rapes are up 236% after a soft-on-crime mayor and pandemic lockdowns sent crime in the city spiraling.
Atlanta Police Department statistics revealed on Friday, that homicides are up 43 percent for 2022 compared to the same period, from January 1 to February 12, in 2021. In total, there were 20 homicides so far in 2022 compared to 14 last year.
Rapes are also up an astounding 236 percent, with 37 reported so far this year, compared to 11 at the same time in 2021.
Burglaries are also up 18 percent from last year, with 229 reported as of February 12 compared to 191 at the same time in 2021, and shoplifting cases are up 4 percent, with 164 cases thus far in 2022 compared to 157 last year.
[Comment: Article dated February 21, 2022.]
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Republicans Trusted More on Education: Poll
More voters trust Republicans to deal with education issues over Democrats, and most U.S. voters believe that public school quality is getting worse, according to a Rasmussen poll released Wednesday.
Forty-three percent of likely U.S. voters polled said they trust Republicans to handle education issues, compared to 36% who said they trusted Democrats more, the survey showed.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘South Tacoma is a Hellhole’; Business Owners Rip City Council Over Crime Spike
People in Tacoma are fed up with crime, and many showed up in force Tuesday night to tell city leaders in person.
They want more to be done to keep the drugs and violence out of their neighborhoods.
Tacoma Police’s latest report shows a demonstrable increase in shootings and robberies in the city.
In just the last month, reported assaults and sex offenses are up significantly. But, several crimes are up across the board; arsons are up 130%, robbery 163% and stolen property nearly 90%.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
There’s an old saying with multiple variations:
One topic, two Jews, you’ll get three opinions in four minutes.
Now of course this doesn’t just apply to us Jews. I’ve met argumentative people of many flavours — whether different races, male or female, straight or gay or whatever, multiple different religions and national origins. I’ve had rollicking good debates during which I have sometimes been moved to change my views, and I’ve had debates where I’ve changed other people’s views. And, sometimes, nobody’s budged an inch.
But that’s not the point — nobody, in any of the legions of discussions / debates in which I’ve been in or even just witnessed, no matter the topic, has feared entering into the field of verbal combat debate. Nobody has ever feared violence against them or being arrested.
| — Hat tip: Nitzakhon | [Return to headlines] |
So now, to my article’s title origin. I recently took my kids to Boston’s Museum of Science — a favorite childhood haunt of mine when I was growing up — and in the bathroom urinals were small fly images painted onto the urinals near the bottom.
| — Hat tip: Nitzakhon | [Return to headlines] |
On Tuesday, March 22, Zachary Petrizzo, a reporter for the Daily Beast, claimed in a series of tweets that the U.S. truckers convoy, dubbed the People’s Convoy by organizers, “has a new goal.”
The convoy’s new goal, he explained, is for the truckers to carry out “citizen arrests” of D.C. police officers and to detain the city’s mayor, Muriel Bowser.
Petrizzo attributed the announcement of these new goals to Ron Coleman, a trucker participating in the People’s Convoy.
Rebel News had an opportunity to speak to Coleman regarding the veracity of Petrizzo’s now viral tweet.
Coleman explained that carrying out citizens arrests on police officers and the mayor is “not in any way” part of the convoy’s goal.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Beats Biden in 2024 Matchup, Has 12-Point Higher Favorability, Poll Shows
Former President Donald Trump beats President Joe Biden in a hypothetical 2024 matchup in an Emerson College poll that also revealed a commanding 12-point lead in favorability for America’s 45th chief executive.
More than four out of five respondents (83%) said they were experiencing “some hardship” due to price increases on everyday items, according to the March 18-20, 2022, Emerson poll of 1,023 registered U.S. voters.
While 39% of voters blame Biden for an increase in gas prices, 39% blame Russian sanctions or energy companies.
Most voters (59%) say they view former President Trump favorably while less than half of voters (47%), view Biden favorably.
Trump beat Biden 45% to 42% in a hypothetical 2024 presidential election, according to the poll.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Upcoming Trump Rally to Broadcast on Rumble After More YouTube Censorship
These days, there may be many other more pressing issues going on in the world to censor — at least from the point of view of YouTube — but Google’s video platform is unable to let go of former US President Donald Trump, either.
Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN), which is considered a pro-Trump channel, on Tuesday announced that YouTube had suspended it just in time to prevent the coverage of a Trump rally in Georgia.
This isn’t the first time YouTube has preemptively and suspiciously suspended the channel just before a Trump rally.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Video: Gingrich Says Kamala Harris “May be the Dumbest Person Ever Elected Vice President”
Appearing on Fox News Monday, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich declared that Kamala Harris “may be the dumbest person ever elected Vice President” following another bizarre speech from Harris earlier in the week.
Referring to Joe Biden and Harris, Gingrich proclaimed “You know, he may or may not have cognitive decline problems at his age, but at her age, she’s just dumb.”
“Let’s be clear, Kamala Harris may be the dumbest person ever elected vice president in American history and that’s why people keep resigning,” Gingrich further asserted, referring to Harris’s office losing yet another official this week in national security advisor Nancy McEldowney.
Gingrich continued, “If you were her national security advisor, and you were competent, and you’d worked hard, and you knew what you were doing, and you watched her in Poland break up laughing when she’s asked about Ukrainian refugees, you had to feel a sense of total humiliation,” Gingrich further exclaimed.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Bus Fire Nearly Destroys Pastor Artur Pawlowski’s Church
On March 22, a fire enveloped a school bus on the property which hosts Pastor Artur Pawlowski’s church. This fire nearly leaped to the church building itself, which not only serves as a religious facility, but also a daycare which had children attending inside at the time.
Given previous events revolving around Pastor Artur Pawlowski, including a previous arson attempt against his home, there is heavy speculation that this may have been an arson attack.
Inversely it has been alleged by Carol Henke of the Calgary Fire Department that this was an accident caused by young children playing with matches inside the school bus, which led to the fire, scorched the church in the process.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Calgary Keeping Injunction on Protesting Ahead of Planned Rallies This Weekend
A court ordered injunction aimed to limit the freedom protests ability to march and make noise will remain in place for the expected demonstration this weekend.
On March 19, the Calgary freedom movement protested against continued COVID-related public health rules and mandates in spite of a court injunction that placed restrictions on demonstrations in the city. The injunction was ostensibly aimed at the weekly freedom rallies that have been ongoing through the pandemic, and was requested by city council and the Calgary Police Service.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Justice Centre announced March 22 that its legal team has eleven affidavits in the Federal Court lawsuit to strike down the federal government’s mandatory COVID-19 vaccine requirements for air travellers (the “Travel Ban”).
The Notice of Application was initially filed on February 1, 2022, on behalf of several Canadians from across Canada who are challenging the Travel Ban on the basis that their Charter rights and freedoms have been infringed.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Convicted Toronto 18 Terrorist Allowed to Practice Law in Ontario
The Law Society of Ontario will allow convicted Toronto 18 terrorist Saad Gaya to become a licensed lawyer after its tribunal found him to be “presently of good character.”
In 2006, Gaya and over a dozen other radical Islamists plotted to detonate bombs throughout Toronto. The plot was foiled following a national security operation, and Gaya was arrested while unloading what he thought was ammonium nitrate in order to make truck bombs.
Among the targets of the al-Qaeda-inspired plot were the Parliament of Canada and the Toronto Stock Exchange. Plotters also planned to take political hostages and behead the Prime Minister and other Canadian leaders.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Home Depot in Canada has come under fire recently after a training pace was posted to Twitter, highlighting privilege as it applies to race, religion, and sexuality.
The packet, posted to Twitter by Libs of TikTok, was reportedly from a Home Depot store in Calgary, Alberta.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Judge Blasts Backlisting of Conservative Rebel News During Last Year’s Canadian Election
A Canadian federal judge scorched the country’s election Leaders’ Debates Commission for blacklisting the popular Rebel News from asking questions at certain campaign events, including leadership debates, during the 2021 federal election campaign.
Justice Elizabeth Heneghan wrote in a recent ruling that there is room in Canada “for the expression of opposing points of view,” noting that Rebel News did not ask “to impose its views, but for the opportunity to participate in coverage of matters of importance during a federal election.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Levy: Convoy Organizer Calls Success in Ottawa Just the Start
Despite totalling his car, shattering his ankle on an icy Ottawa sidewalk and having his bank accounts frozen for seven days, one of the organizers of the Freedom Convoy has said it was all a smashing success.
In a sit-down interview with True North this week, Benjamin Dichter said the three-week-long protest had pressured our political leaders to end the COVID mandates.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Liberals Gave $600,000 to Influencers to Praise Government
Taxpayers forked over $600,000 to social media influencers last year for them to sing the praises of the Liberal government.
According to Blacklock’s Reporter, an Inquiry Of Ministry tabled in the House of Commons revealed that various ministries had hired media personalities to compliment the government on social media.
The payments were billed as “partnerships with social creators” and totalled $610,900 in 2021. The figures were originally requested by Conservative MP Warren Steinley.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Live Updates: Day Two of Pastor Artur Pawlowski’s Second Bail Hearing Since February Arrest
Pastor Artur Pawlowski is back in court for his second bail hearing since being arrested and charged under Alberta’s Critical Infrastructure Defence Act for allegedly abetting the Coutts, AB trucker blockade. Pastor Artur has been in jail since he was arrested at his home on February 8.
Sheila Gunn Reid will be providing live tweet updates on the hearing.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Record Number of People Left Ontario for Other Provinces Last Year
More people moved away from Ontario to other parts of Canada in 2021 than have left the province in any year since 1981, according to an analysis by Scotiabank.
The study, called “A Sudden Move: Understanding Interprovincial Migration out of Ontario,” revealed that while Ontario’s population rose by 175,000 due to immigration, more than 108,000 Ontarians left for different provinces.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sun Life Imposing Vaccine Mandate on All in-Person Staff
One of Canada’s largest financial services companies is abandoning its rapid testing program and making Covid vaccination mandatory for all in-office staff.
Sun Life Financial is requiring all employees at its financial centres to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as of May 1, according to an internal memo obtained by True North.
The current mandate, which the Toronto-based company adopted in August, allows unvaccinated employees to take part in a rapid screening program. That program will no longer be available for office-based employees.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Android Messages and Dialer Apps Quietly Send Data to Google, Report Alleges
Google’s Dialer and Messaging apps have been collecting and sending data without users’ consent and an opt-out option, according to a new report. The practice potentially violates Europe’s GDPR laws and other privacy laws across the globe.
Trinity College Dublin’s Professor Douglas Leith recently released a report, called “What Data Do The Google Dialer and Messages Apps on Android Send to Google?” Google’s Messages and Dialer send data to Google’s Firebase Analytics and Google Play Services Clearcut.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Britain’s Chief Medical Adviser Admits School Closures Likely Caused ‘Substantial Long-Term Damage’
Lockdowns and various other disruptions, which led to the closure of schools in England and across the United Kingdom in the last two and a half years, could cause “substantial long-term damage” to children Sir Chris Whitty has said.
Speaking in a conference, Sir Chris Whitty, who serves as the chief medical officer of England and chief medical adviser to the United Kingdom’s government, said that many aspects of public health had “gone backward” over the last two years.
Referring to a series of health problems which included childhood obesity, Whitty outlined how evidence has already shown an impact on the mental health of children with a rise in eating disorders, but warned “many longer-term consequences may yet be seen.”
[Comment: A new Lost Generation.]
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
British Professor Faces Government “Crackdown” For Questioning Ukraine War Narrative
A professor at the University of Edinburgh is facing trial by media and a government “crackdown,” merely because he shared an article questioning the narrative behind the bombing of a theater in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol.
Professor Tim Hayward is currently being cancelled by the mob because he shared an article by left-wing news outlet Grayzone which suggested the theater bombing, blamed on Russia, may actually have been carried out by Ukrainian ‘Azov’ fighters.
The incident was immediately exploited by NATO powers to justify more military support for Ukraine and led to Joe Biden calling Vladimir Putin a “war criminal”.
However, the Neo-Nazi unit is accused of using civilians as human shields inside the building before blowing it up as Russian forces entered Mariupol.
Russia denies attacking the building, which was seemingly of no strategic importance, and no footage exists of the building being blown up.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Czech Government Refuses to Say Which Pro-Russian Websites Were Shutdown and Why
One month after the blocking of a number of websites that sympathized with Russia, their official list and the specific reasons for their blocking remain unknown. There are also conflicting statements from the Czech governing coalition as to whether they will change legislation over these actions, which some, particularly on the right, have described as a severe restriction on freedom of speech.
While Minister of Justice Pavel Blažek stated that the government had agreed on creating a new law, the minister for regional development and deputy prime minister for digitization, Ivan Bartos, said to the iROZHLAS.cz news outlet that he knew nothing about this intention.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ahead of the National Conservatism Conference taking place in Brussels this week, Remix News spoke to former Conservative MEP David Campbell Bannerman to get his take on the current political landscape in the United Kingdom, and the strength of conservatism and traditional values felt across the country.
Campbell Bannerman, a distant relative of the former Liberal prime minister, Henry Campbell-Bannerman, is speaking at the conservative conference in his capacity as chairman of the Freedom Association, a non-partisan, classically liberal campaign group in Britain.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France: Group of ‘Youths’ Beat, Rob Man Who Asked Directions
A motorist was beaten and robbed by a group of ‘youths’ in France after he asked them for directions, according to reports.
The disturbing incident unfolded at around 6 a.m. on Sunday morning in Grenoble, a city in the southeastern department of Isère.
A man was reportedly driving through the city center when he stopped to ask a group of five young people for route information.
The conversation quickly “turned sour and turned into a verbal altercation,” Le Dauphine reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungary: Fidesz MP Németh Firmly Denies Alleged Orban-Putin Deal on Partitioning Ukraine
Governing Fidesz lawmaker Zsolt Németh categorically denies accusations he deems ‘ridiculous’ that Hungary had previously agreed with Russia on partitioning Ukraine. In recent days, former Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski and Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk have both accused Budapest of trying to lay its hands on Ukraine’s largely Hungarian-populated Transcarpathian region.
On Tuesday, former Polish Foreign Minister and current EPP MEP Radoslaw Sikorski, suggested in a tweet that Viktor Orban and Vladimir Putin had reached an agreement on the partition of Ukraine.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungary Scrambles Fighter Jets After Bomb Threat Received on Turkish Civilian Airplane
The Hungarian Defense Forces scrambled Gripen fighter jets on March 21 after a Turkish-branded civilian plane traveling from Moscow to Istanbul received a bomb threat.
The plane received the bomb threat over Polish airspace, which led the NATO Joint Air Operations Center ordered Hungary to intercept and escort the plane.
Upon arrival in Hungarian airspace, the Turkish insignia was identified by fighter jets and then escorted to the Hungarian-Romanian border, where it left Hungarian airspace. The Gripens remained in the area after the plane left Hungarian airspace and performed a patrol task, after which they returned to the base in Kecskemét.
Last Monday, a similar occurred when a Serbian-registered civil Airbus A-319 aircraft traveling on the Belgrade-Moscow route also received a bomb threat.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NATO Chief: Sweden Could be Fast-Tracked to Join Alliance
North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has stated that countries like Sweden and Finland could be fast-tracked for membership if they wish to apply to the alliance.
Secretary-General Stoltenberg stated that countries like Sweden and Finland were the closest to existing NATO alliance members and the process for approving them as member of the alliance would be much quicker than other applicants as a result.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
French President Emmanuel Macron and others have called for calm following the death of Corsican nationalist Yvan Colonna, who was viciously attacked by a convicted Jihadi terrorist three weeks ago, leading to riots across Corsica.
Colonna, 61, died in a hospital in Marseille on Monday, three weeks after being attacked in prison and rendered brain dead by veteran Jihadist Franck Elong Abé, who later claimed that Colonna had made disparaging comments about Islam and the prophet Mohammed.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NATO needs to reassess its strategic conception to adapt to a new reality after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, including a permanent presence in Eastern flank countries, said Polish President Andrzej Duda following consultations with regional leaders.
“NATO’s new strategy, which will be designed, must contain the changes clearly caused by the Russian aggression against Ukraine. The Alliance must consider this,” he pointed out. Duda explained that NATO presence in Eastern flank member states should now become permanent.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Supermarket Chain in Malta Limits Purchases of Staple Foods
The bargain chain’s importers on the island have warned that the conflict in Ukraine was having a knock-on effect and that key commodities from Ukraine and Russia would be restricted. Such shortages will inevitably lead to price hikes.
The Chamber of Commerce has warned that the manufacturing sector was particularly vulnerable. Due to their almost total reliance on Ukraine for items like rice starch, manufacturers may be left stranded. Other products Malta imports from Ukraine include oats, maize and starch, each accounting for over 80 percent of total imports.
In March, staples such as flour, baby food, vegetable oil and toilet paper, have been limited to just one item per customer. Lidl’s notice to shoppers does not give a reason for its rationing however.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Thought Police: Germany Conducts Mass Raids Over Online ‘Insults’ Against Politicians
Federal police in Germany have conducted mass raids across 13 states on Tuesday over online ‘insults’ levied against politicians.
A large number of apartments and houses were raided in Germany on Tuesday as Federal police in the country look to prosecute those who made allegedly hateful remarks against elected officials online.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trudeau Slams Freedom Convoy in Mostly Empty EU Parliament, Gets Lambasted by Croatian MEP
On Wednesday, Justin Trudeau delivered a speech to a mostly empty European Parliament where he blasted the Freedom Convoy leaders and supporters, saying they preyed on people’s anxieties.
Almost 80 percent of the Members of European Parliament (MEP) were absent and did not listen to Trudeau speak.
“We saw anti-vaccine and anti-government protests devolve into illegal occupations of our communities and blockades of our borders,” he said.
The Freedom Convoy was not “anti-government” but anti-mandate, asking only that mandates that segregated Canadians and caused them to lose their jobs be dropped. In addition, the blockades are the borders were not part of the Ottawa convoy.
“Democracy at its best will always be stronger than authoritarianism,” he said.
The Canadian PM was roundly eviscerated in a speech by Croatian MEP Mislav Kolakusic.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK Gov’t Reverses ‘No Jab, No Job’ Policy, Doesn’t Say if Unvaxxed Workers Will be Rehired
The U.K. government’s Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is facing questions after declining to provide details on whether the care home staffers who were effectively fired for refusing to get the experimental COVID jabs will get their jobs back now that the government has scrapped the requirement.
The Daily Mail reported that “up to 40,000” home care professionals had been ousted from their jobs after the government imposed its controversial “no jab, no job” policy in November.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid revoked the jab mandate last week, but hasn’t provided assurances regarding whether those who lost their jobs will be allowed to return to work.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A child sexual abuse whistleblower has claimed that she faced repeated efforts from the police to discourage her from reporting grooming gang activity in Rotherham.
Jayne Senior MBE, who ran the Risky Business youth project between 1999 and 2011, was a key witness in exposing the predominantly-Pakistani grooming gang crisis across the North of England, claims to have faced opposition from the police who allegedly attempted to dissuade her from passing on key evidence.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Amid Russia’s New Crackdowns, Small Signs of Defiance Emerge
NEW YORK (AP) — When Alexei Navalny was arrested in January 2021, tens of thousands of Russians filled the streets in protest, demanding that the top Kremlin critic be released and chanting slogans against President Vladimir Putin. Thousands were arrested.
Since then, Putin has unleashed the harshest crackdown since the era of the Soviet Union: Navalny was imprisoned and his organization outlawed. His associates and other activists were either prosecuted, fled the country or had their hands tied by draconian new laws.
Independent news outlets were blocked and social media platforms banned.
And now, Russia has sent its military into Ukraine, the largest invasion in Europe since World War II.
But while the Kremlin has worked hard to crush political dissent and opposition to the war, flickers of defiance have emerged.
Antiwar marches of protesters chanting “No to war!” occurred in Moscow, St. Petersburg and elsewhere after the Feb. 24 invasion, with more than 15,000 people detained, according to the OVD-Info rights group that tracks political arrests.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
January 6 Capitol Riot Defendant Granted Asylum in Belarus
A Jan. 6 Capitol riot defendant wanted by the FBI on 14 charges was granted refugee status in Belarus on Tuesday, according to a Belarusian state-run media Twitter post.
Belarusian Telegraph Agency announced Neumann’s refugee status on Tuesday stating, “US citizen Evan Newman received refugee status in Belarus. The document was handed to him in the Department of Citizenship and Migration of the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Brest Regional Executive Committee on March 22, 2022.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In Ukraine: President Volodymyr Zelensky is hoping that a series of summits taking place in Brussels this week will lead to more aid for his country and additional sanctions against Russia, as the humanitarian toll of Moscow’s invasion continues to mount. In a late-night address, he urged that Thursday, March 24—one month since Russia invaded—be marked around the world by people showing their support for Ukraine through public demonstrations.
Mr. Zelensky is set to address an emergency NATO meeting on Thursday. He also plans to hold talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, a presidential spokesman said.
Civilians in the ravaged port city of Mariupol remain penned in by Moscow’s forces, prompting United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to denounce the Russian assault.
NATO estimated that up to 40,000 Russian troops have been killed, wounded, taken prisoner or are missing in Ukraine.
In Russia: Russia said it is expelling more American diplomats in response to the U.S. move to remove Russian staff assigned to the U.N. earlier this year. Russian President Vladimir Putin said he wants his country to only accept rubles in gas deals with European countries and other customers
In Washington: The State Department officially accused Russian forces in Ukraine of committing war crimes, and President Biden, who arrived in Brussels on Wednesday, said the potential for chemical warfare in the conflict represented “a real threat.” The U.S. hasn’t sanctioned oligarch Roman Abramovich because Mr. Zelensky said he is acting as a go-between in peace talks with Russia, according to people familiar with the matter.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NATO Says 7,000 to 15,000 Russian Troops Dead in Ukraine
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — NATO estimated on Wednesday that 7,000 to 15,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in four weeks of war in Ukraine, where fierce fighting by the country’s fast-moving defenders has denied Moscow the lightning victory it sought.
By way of comparison, Russia lost about 15,000 troops over 10 years in Afghanistan.
A senior NATO military official said the alliance’s estimate was based on information from Ukrainian authorities, what Russia has released — intentionally or not — and intelligence gathered from open sources. The official spoke on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by NATO.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Putin Overestimated His Plans’ — Polish PM Expresses Confidence in Ukraine’s Survival
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has expressed his confidence in the survival of Ukraine and has claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin overestimated his plans.
In an interview with the Wprost weekly, the head of the Polish government offered his view on the Russian offensive in Ukraine, telling the publication he was of the view that Putin had not anticipated the level of resistance Ukraine has shown to date.
“He has dreamed of either being welcomed with flowers or taking over Ukraine within a couple of days,” Morawiecki said. “Now, he’s taking heavy losses, and it’s becoming apparent to the world that he is a pariah.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Russia Continues to Order Google to Hide VPN Websites
Russia has been forcing Google to ban VPN websites. Meanwhile, almost half a million Russians have been downloading VPN apps daily.
Since its invasion of Ukraine began, Russia has made efforts to crack down on access to Western social media. Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube have been blocked and independent media outlets have been forced to shut down or have shut down voluntarily to protect their staff from arrest.
But many Russians have turned to VPNs to access blocked websites. In response, the Russian government has been pressuring Google to block URLs linked to VPN services.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Secret Plan to Send 10,000 NATO “Peacekeeping Troops” Into Ukraine
A secret plan for a “peacekeeping mission” involving 10,000 NATO troops from different countries entering Ukraine and imposing a limited no fly zone is allegedly being prepared by the Polish government.
Polish news outlet Onet reports that President of Poland Andrzej Duda is waiting on a green light from the White House to implement the proposal.
Created by the Polish Ministry of Defense, the plan would see 10,000 NATO troops formed of an international contingent sent to Ukraine to “protect humanitarian corridors” and enforce a no fly zone over them.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine-Russia: Look… Squirrel!
[I]n knowing your enemy it is not sufficient to know your enemy’s capabilities, but one must also know their motivations. Only by understanding what drives your enemy to be your enemy do you have any hope of truly defeating them.
| — Hat tip: Nitzakhon | [Return to headlines] |
Update 9 — Putin Wants ‘Unfriendly’ Countries to Pay for Russian Gas in Roubles
LONDON, March 23 (Reuters) — Russia will seek payment in roubles for gas sold to “unfriendly” countries, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday, and European gas prices soared on concerns the move would exacerbate the region’s energy crunch.
European nations and the United States have imposed heavy sanctions on Russia since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24. But Europe depends heavily on Russian gas for heating and power generation, and the European Union is split on whether to sanction Russia’s energy sector.
Putin’s message was clear: If you want our gas, buy our currency. It remained unclear whether Russia has the power to unilaterally change existing contracts agreed upon in euros.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
On Tuesday Vladimir Putin’s Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that Russia will use nuclear weapons if faced with an “existential threat.”
Dmitry Peskov is not the only Russian official making threats against the West.
Russian military expert Igor Korotchenko warned a Russian television audience, “The West will never lift the sanctions from Russia… This is war. What should be our reaction? Tactical nuclear weapons as battlefield arms…”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Zelensky Calls for Global Protests to Mark 1 Month Since Russia Invasion
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the world to stage a global protest against Russia on March 24, one month after Russian troops invaded Ukraine.
The big picture: Last month, Russian forces crossed the Ukrainian border by land, air and sea from Russia, Belarus and Crimea. Hundreds of civilians have died along with thousands of troops.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Lithium Prices Continue to Skyrocket as Supply Unable to Meet Demand
The price of lithium, a key component in the production of electric car batteries, has surged by nearly 500% since last year, with supply unable to meet the demand for the rare earth metal.
The West’s efforts to create a low-carbon future through the introduction of electric vehicles will bear a heavy cost as demand soars for lithium carbonate, which is used in manufacturing EV batteries and other low-carbon energy resources like solar panels.
In addition to costing almost 500% year-over-year, the price has jumped 95% in 2022 alone, Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, a price reporting agency reported that battery-grade lithium-carbonate averages at $76,700 a ton in mid-March. At the same time last year, the rare earth traded at a mere $13,400 a ton.
Blaze News reports that Benchmark based its findings on reports from China, noting that the prices are not going to improve in the short term due to continued low inventory levels. China is a major producer of the rare earth and constitutes nearly 20% of the world’s supply.
Amid the war in Ukraine, nickel, another metal that serves as a key component in EV batteries, has seen a massive price surge, with prices doubling in less than a day on March 8, CNBC reported. While prices have stabilized, nickel remains at an inflated cost.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
$68b Australian Super Fund Pressures Facebook to Censor “Misinformation”
A super fund that has invested more than $130 million in Meta, Facebook’s parent company, accused Facebook of allowing the spread of “misinformation.”
HESTA, a $68 billion worth super fund dedicated to health workers, called for more regulation to curb the spread of misinformation.
“It’s a threat to public health,” said HESTA’s CEO Debby Blakey, as reported by WAToday. “Lack of action is potentially having a big impact on the health and wellbeing of our members through misinformation around vaccinations.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Australia’s Bid to Win Back Tourists and Shake Off ‘Prison Island’ Image
There’s more Covid than ever, but Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has decided to scrap Covid tests for international travellers to boost tourism.
Two years of Covid lockdowns combined with a major reduction in international travel decimated Australia’s tourism, retail, and hospitality sectors.
The margins which most businesses rely on to survive — particularly in remote locations — were wiped out. Those that managed to survive are now being weaned off federal government support in the next Budget.
The Prime Minister’s plan is to attract travellers by making it easier to get into Australia. It is a bid to restore Australia’s ‘friendly’ and ‘welcoming’ image after videos of state-based quarantine camps went viral around the world painting Australia as prison colony.
[Comment: I am going to boycott Australia for the next few years. I hope others do the same.]
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Canberra Braces as Convoy Returns for Budget Announcement
Budget week is looming, and Canberra has been warned to brace itself for renewed protests outside Parliament.
The last freedom protest to occupy the lawns around Parliament was one of the largest ever seen in the Capital. Police are worried that convoys will return to the area to once again demand an end to vaccine mandates and vaccine passports which continue to keep people locked out of work in many states.
Several weeks ago, Deputy Commissioner Neil Gaughan confirmed that police were predicting protest activity to coincide with the release of the Budget based on ‘significant’ intelligence-gathering.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New Zealand Drops Strict Coronavirus Lockdown Measures
New Zealand’s government announced Wednesday it is set to shelve most of its remaining coronavirus restrictions on the 4th of April as omicron begins to fizzle out.
The hard-left Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern, declared vaccine requirements will be removed from public venues such as retail stores, restaurants and bars, meaning the unvaccinated will once again be allowed out.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
17-Year-Od Italian Boy and His Mother Sexually Assaulted by Two Tunisian Migrants
It was a nightmare Saturday for a 17-year-old boy in Roma and his mother. As Il Tempo reported, they were allegedly robbed and raped by two migrant minors.
The tragic story began on a street in Centocelle, Rome. The young man was on his way to his vehicle when two individuals armed with knives threatened him, robbed him of his cellphone and the little money he had, and then forced him to have oral sex on the street. Then they have reportedly made the victim take them to his home in the Casal Monastero area on the eastern outskirts of the capital, where they have stolen €200 and abused the boy’s 54-year-old mother in the same way as her son.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Czech Right-Wing Party Urges Temporary Shelter to Ukrainian Refugees and Then a Quick Return Home
Czechia should only seek to help Ukrainian refugees on a temporary basis and only for as long as Czechs are not negatively affected, the conservative-populist Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) opposition has said.
According to the party, Czech citizens have legitimate concerns about maintaining the health and social system, as well as ensuring that an influx of immigration does not result in a reduction of wages for Czech workers.
“We support helping refugees from Ukraine for the absolutely necessary time. The quality of life of our citizens must not be reduced, though,” Radim Fiala of the SPD stated.
“We believe that helping refugees from Ukraine is right, but only adequately and for the necessary time. After the end of the conflict in Ukraine, they should go back to building their home country and be the economic engine,” Fiala added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Danish PM: “Being a Refugee is Temporary”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen reminded us of something everyone seems to have forgotten when she said “being a refugee is temporary.”
Frederiksen made the comments after Denmark passed a law giving Ukrainian refugees the right to work, education and social welfare.
“Being a refugee is temporary, so you have to return and help build up your homeland when you get the opportunity. It gives us the opportunity to help other refugees,” Frederiksen said.
Denmark has been one of the toughest countries in Europe when it comes to strict immigration policies that are protected from being abused by “refugees” who are actually just economic migrants.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
English Channel Migrant Crossings to Become Illegal Under Borders Bill, As 400 More Migrants Land
Illicit migrant crossings via the English Channel are soon to become illegal in the UK as the Conservative party attempt to get a handle on the ongoing crisis.
Britain’s Conservative party government is soon set to implement a law that will make small boat migrant crossings over the English Channel illegal for migrants looking to enter the UK.
The new law is aimed at curbing the ongoing Channel Migrant Crisis, and will also include a number of other measures designed to help get Britain’s migration situation under control
According to a report by The Guardian, the new law will give officials the power to jail and prosecute migrants who partake in illicit crossings, as well as allow the country to process potential asylum seekers in third party countries, instead of in the UK.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France: Zemmour Vows to Deport 1 Million Migrants a Year Under ‘Ministry of Remigration’
Long shot French presidential candidate Eric Zemmour has vowed to deport 1 million migrants with criminal records a year under a newly created ‘Ministry for Remigration’.
Le Monde reports on Zemmour’s plan to use existing agreements with countries such as Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia to repatriate migrants with criminal backgrounds.
“I will create the first Ministry of Remigration, responsible for the expulsion of illegal aliens, foreign delinquents and criminals and foreigners on file,” Zemmour tweeted.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungary Asks EU for Recovery Loan as Catastrophic Refugee Crisis Grows
With the war in Ukraine representing an unprecedented challenge, Hungary urgently needs to draw credit from the Recovery and Resilience Facility, Prime Minister Viktor Orban wrote in a letter to Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.
The security risks, the burden of the humanitarian crisis, the economic consequences of the conflict, and the negative effects of EU sanctions are largely borne by the countries protecting the European Union’s eastern borders, the prime minister said in the letter.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Judge Blocks Homeland Security Memo That Instructs ICE to Limit Scope of Deportation Targets
A federal judge in Ohio has issued a partial block of the Biden administration’s mandate to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to prioritize those with serious criminal histories and weigh the complete picture of an individual’s circumstances prior to seeking deportation.
The mandate has been challenged by Arizona, Montana, and Ohio and was one of a number of orders from the Department of Homeland Security that encouraged ICE officers to limit their focus when it comes to illegal immigrants they are attempting to arrest and deport.
Judge Michael Newman, however, has sided with the states that wish to limit the scope of the mandate and ruled that such directives can only come from Congress, and not the executive branch.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Migrants on the March to Poland After Belarus Shuts Down Nearby Migration Camp
Belarus has reportedly shut down a large immigration center and withdrawn its services to a large group of migrants now allegedly being ushered closer to the country’s border with Poland, lieutenant Anna Michalska, a spokesperson for the Polish Border Guard, has claimed.
Following the interrogation of several illegal Iraqi migrants caught attempting to cross the Belarusian-Polish border over the last few days, Michalska explained that the group had reached Belarus in 2021 before being relocated to a logistics center warehouse in Bruzgi, close to the border crossing point at the Polish village of Kuznica.
On Tuesday, the Border Guard informed that 134 people had attempted to illegally enter Poland from Belarus — the highest number so far this year.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Austin School Violates Law by Teaching ‘Gender Identity’ To Students as Young as 5: Texas AG
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sent a letter to the Austin Independent School District on Tuesday stating that its “Pride Week” curriculum is in violation of state law for having “human sexuality instruction” in school.
“The Texas Legislature has made it clear that when it comes to sex education, parents — not school districts — are in charge,” Paxton wrote in a letter to Austin ISD Superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde. He explained that the state’s Education Code requires that “before a student may be provided with human sexuality instruction, a school district must obtain the written consent of the student’s parent.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Commonwealth Games to Allow Biological Male Cyclists to Compete in Women’s Category
The Commonwealth Games will allow trans women cyclists to compete in its women’s category. The games will take place in Birmingham, England in 2022.
According to Telegraph, a person who once competed in the male category as a male is now “in serious contention to be picked following the green light by authorities.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungarian Swimmer Dismisses Trans Victory as an ‘Unfair Biological Advantage’
Transsexuals and transgenders competing in sport are praised in Western countries for their “courage”. But Hungarian female swimmer Réka György does not think it is fair for men to compete against women. She was banned from Twitter for expressing a popular view.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
But that’s not the point — nobody, in any of the legions of discussions / debates in which I’ve been in or even just witnessed, no matter the topic, has feared entering into the field of verbal combat debate. Nobody has ever feared violence against them or being arrested. The following quote applies not just to courtrooms but any discourse between different viewpoints…
| — Hat tip: Nitzakhon | [Return to headlines] |
Transgenders Fleeing Ukraine Told They’re Men by Border Guards
Transgender women attempting to flee Ukraine are being turned back at the border and told to return home to fight.
The reason, according to Ukrainian border guards? They’re men!
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Twitter Censors Tucker Carlson for Saying a Biological Man is a Man
Twitter has censored Fox News host Tucker Carlson over a tweet defending conservative accounts the platform had censored for saying that a biological man is a man.
The Daily Caller co-founder and “Tucker Carlson Tonight” host’s tweet included screenshots of the notices that Twitter had sent The Babylon Bee and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
“But wait,” Carlson’s tweet said. “Both of these tweets are true.”
A Twitter spokesman told The Daily Wire that Carlson’s tweet violated the Twitter Rules on hateful conduct.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Video: CNN Masturbator Toobin Says Kiddie Porn Laws Are Too Strict
Amid the questioning of Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson’s dubious record of light sentencing for child porn offenders, CNN brought on an ‘expert’ in Chief Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin who declared that he thinks the laws are too harsh.
Toobin, who was infamously temporarily suspended for masturbating on a Zoom call, appeared on the network Tuesday to discuss the matter, and concluded that the line of questioning on pedophilia by Republicans is part of an appeal to right wing conspiracy theorists.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Apple Allegedly Pulls Its Digital Content Purchases From Android TV to Avoid Paying Fees
Apple is involved in several antitrust cases around the world, alleging that its practice to charge relatively large App Store fees as a percentage of a digital purchase is justified.
However, when it comes to putting its digital content on other platforms, Apple seems to want to avoid paying those fees to the platform owner altogether — removing its content completely rather than paying the fee.
On Android TV devices, users can no longer purchase or rent movies, nor can they pay for subscriptions. The move affects devices running Google TV.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Russia’s Minister of Defence Shoigu and General Gerasimov are both in the chain of command, if Putin decides to use nukes.
And both have “disappeared”…
https://mobile.twitter.com/cornoisseur/status/1506875544872407041
In negotiations with Ukraine, the head of the Russian delegation said “The existence of Russia itself is at stake today”.
https://mobile.twitter.com/Liveuamap/status/1506901068378251264
Previously, the Russian government said that nuclear weapons would only be used, if “Russia’s existence” was “threatened”…
Germany: the Red Umbrellas trade union, which represents the country’s prostitutes, recruits Ukrainian refugees on a “combat basis” to supply the country’s numerous brothels
https://www.fdesouche.com/2022/03/23/allemagne-le-syndicat-des-parapluies-rouges-qui-represente-les-prostituees-du-pays-sur-le-pied-de-guerre-pour-recruter-les-refugiees-ukrainiennes-afin-dalimenter-les-nombreuses-maisons/
The lead sentence in News today is:
“Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has eliminated most Coronavirus measures in a bid to re-establish the country’s tourist industry. ”
But this is misleading, because
1. it is not most measures at all, but only one, see the sentence “There’s more Covid than ever, but Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has decided to scrap Covid tests for international travellers to boost tourism.”
2. the evil genius of the Covid situation in Aust. is that the Federal government hides behind the States when they implement their various Great Reset steps.
Hence the mask and QR code log-in and lockdown situation varies greatly at any time from State to State.
It is strange that on a US website like this, there is no realisation that as in the USA the states of the Federation of Australia have great latitude. Compare the powers of US state Governors and look at the difference between Florida and California.
In Biden’s speech today to or at NATO he talked about how the US and Canada could disseminate more rapidly food shortages.