Russia’s guided-missile cruiser Moskva, the flagship of its Black Sea fleet, suffered a damaging explosion and had to be towed to port. The Ukrainian government claimed that one of its cruise missiles had struck the Moskva, but Russian authorities said an internal fire caused the explosion, which had nothing to do with an enemy attack.
In other news, Elon Musk has offered all Twitter shareholders a 38% premium on their shares in the company. Mr. Musk hopes to purchase Twitter in its entirety for $43 billion and take the company private.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Dean, DV, LP, MMcC, 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.
Energy Crisis: ‘Sharp Recession’ Looms if Germany Cut Off From Russian Gas
A ‘sharp recession’ lies ahead for Germany should it be cut off from the Russian gas it is so badly addicted to.
Germany’s energy situation does not appear to be getting any better, with a recently released report suggesting that the country would fall into a “sharp recession” should it suddenly lose access to Russian gas.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
European Central Bank Keeps Base Interest Rate at 0%
The Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) has decided to keep the base interest rate at 0%, the level at which it has remained since March 2016, the bank said on Thursday.
“The interest rate on the main refinancing operations and the interest rates on the marginal lending facility and the deposit facility will remain unchanged at 0.00%, 0.25% and —0.50% respectively,” the ECB said in a statement.
The bank’s governing council expects key ECB interest rates to “remain at their present levels until it sees inflation reaching 2%, well ahead of the end of its projection horizon and durably for the rest of the projection horizon,” it added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Approval Rating Drops to 33 Percent, Hitting New Low in Key Poll
How low can he go?
Just a third of all Americans (33%) approve of how President Biden is handling his job responsibilities, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll, the commander-in-chief’s worst performance yet in the benchmark survey.
On the flip side, 54% percent of respondents disapproved of Biden’s performance, with 43% saying that they “strongly” disapproved. By contrast, just 18% said they strongly approved of the 46th president.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: Jack Posobiec Offers Elon Musk a Copy of Hunter Biden’s Laptop
Human Events Daily Host Jack P0sobiec publicly offered Elon Musk a copy of Hunter Biden’s laptop. “Elon Musk would you like a copy of Hunter’s hard drive,” Posobiec asked.
“The regime has it out for Elon,” Posobiec told The Post Millennial. “I’d be happy to offer him some collateral.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Brooklyn Subway Shooting Suspect Frank James Held Without Bail
Frank James, the suspect in the mass shooting that occurred on a crowded subway train in Brooklyn, was ordered held without bail by a federal judge on Thursday, a day after his arrest in Manhattan.
In his initial appearance in Brooklyn Federal Court, James, 62, was arraigned on charges that include conducting “terrorist attacks or other violence against a mass transportation system.” If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.
Prosecutors told U.S. Magistrate Judge Roanne L. Mann that James posed a “serious risk of danger to the community” and that his “premeditated, carefully-planned” attack terrified the “entire city.”
James’s defense team waived his right to a preliminary hearing, and Mann ordered him held without bail…
| — Hat tip: DV | [Return to headlines] |
California Wants Tech Platforms to Hand Over Algorithm Data to Curb COVID “Misinformation”
State Sen. Richard Pan and Assemblyman Evan Low, both Democrats, have introduced bills to penalize medical professionals for spreading Covid “misinformation” and to require tech companies to be more transparent about the algorithms they use.
Low introduced Assembly Bill 2098, which would make it “unprofessional conduct” for licensed doctors to spread “misinformation” about Covid and its vaccines.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Comedian Jim Breuer Joins Rumble
Comedian and former Saturday Night Live cast member Jim Breuer has officially joined the free speech video sharing platform Rumble.
Breuer is famous for his “Goat Boy” character, his impersonations, and the cult-classic movie Half Baked. Breuer also went viral last year after he took a stand against vaccine mandates and canceled several of his shows at venues that were requiring proof of vaccination.
Not only will Breuer be posting new videos to Rumble but more than 200 videos from his back catalog have also been uploaded to his channel. These videos date back to 2014 and feature vlogs, interviews, and clips of his comedy shows.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Cops Play Disney Tracks to Try and Keep Citizen Encounter Confrontations Off Social Media
The police in California have been making use of America’s broken copyright system to try to prevent people from filming them.
The tactic is to play copyrighted music loudly, and in that way compromise videos as copyright-infringing, once they’re uploaded online.
In Santa Ana, the police are using music from Disney movies, no doubt aware of Disney’s propensity to go after internet users over real or alleged copyright violations on social media.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Dr. Malone Lays Out Why the Globalists Are Humanity’s #1 Threat
Dr. Robert Malone joins Kristi Leigh to break down the latest hit-piece against him, accusations he’s an operative, Elon Musk’s motives with Twitter, Dr. Ardis’ Covid origins hypothesis and how to fight back against the Great Reset.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Elon Musk Offers to Buy 100% of Twitter to Rescue it as a Free Speech Platform
Elon Musk has made a “best and final offer” to purchase 100% of Twitter in order to rescue the social media giant as a “platform for free speech around the globe.”
In an updated filing, Musk has offered to purchase Twitter for $54.20 per share in cash, an amount that puts the value of the company at around $43 billion.
Musk asserted in the filing that if the offer was declined he would “reconsider my position as a shareholder,” meaning he would dispose of his stake.
In a letter sent to Chairman of the Board Bret Taylor, Musk made clear that his intention was to rescue Twitter and return it to its original role as being an uncensored free speech platform for the world.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Elon Musk Responds to Saudi Prince Who Rejected Offer of Twitter Buyout
Elon Musk responded to Saudi Prince Al Waleed on Thursday, after the shareholder stated that he was not satisfied with Musk’s $43 billion offer to buy the social media giant.
Musk asked outright how much stock Al Waleed, and his company, currently owned.
“Interesting.” Musk said, “Just two questions, if I may. How much of Twitter does the Kingdom own, directly or indirectly? What are the Kingdom’s views on journalistic free speech?”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Encinitas Mayor Threatened With Lawsuit for Blocking Discussion on Facebook
A lawyer sent a cease and desist letter, threatening legal action, to Encinitas, CA, Mayor Catherine Blakespear to unblock several residents she has blocked from her official Facebook page. According to the letter, the mayor has blocked the residents “from participation, comments, and involvement in matters of broad public interest.”
In the letter, Michael Curran, a lawyer from Curran & Curran law firm, said that the mayor was violating the First Amendment by blocking the residents from her Facebook page.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hollywood Democratic Donor Ed Buck Sentenced to 30 Years for Meth ODs
Democratic megadonor Ed Buck was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Thursday for fatally injecting two gay men with methamphetamine in exchange for sex at his West Hollywood apartment.
Judge Christina A. Snyder said the sentencing decision was difficult as she balanced the philanthropic work Buck had done in his life supporting LGBTQ and animal rights causes with the “horrific crimes” that she called “more than just an accident.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Large, Violent Gangs Are Targeting Wealthy Angelinos on the Streets: LAPD
The LAPD has released a report detailing the actions of at least 17 area gangs, who are reportedly using large crews to target, follow, and rob those who visibly appear rich within the city.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Fellow lawmakers and colleges have recently expressed concerns that 88-year-old Senator for California Dianne Feinstein is now mentally unfit to serve, with people noting she is beginning to forget people and previous conversations.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Leftists Meltdown Over Elon Musk Offering to Buy Twitter
The salt mine of bedwetters’ tears created by Elon Musk trying to buy Twitter is simply stupendous.
Observe how quickly they boil over into fits of hysteria.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Man Murdered by Son in Portland Apartment Stabbed 50 to 60 Times, Affidavit Says
A newly released affidavit against a man reveals grisly details of his father’s death in a Portland apartment.
Abdallah Al Siraj is charged with the murder of his father, Salim Al Siraj.
Officials were called to an apartment on Carlton Street around 10:41 a.m. by the property manager. The manager told officials police were at the apartment prior because Abdallah Al Siraj was acting erratically.
The affidavit states the manager reviewed footage of Abdallah Al Siraj entering the apartment, then spotting a red stain coming out of the door.
When officers arrived, officials said an employee spotted the stain outside the apartment. The stain would later be found on surveillance video appearing five days earlier on Feb. 10.
The affidavit states when officers went inside, they “immediately saw what appeared to be blood all over the apartment.”
When two officers spotted a hand underneath a pile of clothing, they relayed the information to a sergeant.
Officials would later identify the body underneath the clothing as 50-year-old Salim Al Siraj.
An autopsy revealed Salim Al Siraj had 18 contusions and lacerations from blunt trauma and around 50 to 60 “sharp injuries.”
The autopsy’s preliminary results concluded Salim Al Siraj had died from blood loss…
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
Member of ISIS Terror ‘Beatles’ Guilty in American Hostage Deaths
A federal jury in Virginia convicted El Shafee Elsheikh, one of a group of UK-born ISIS terrorists known as “The Beatles,” of joining a hostage-taking scheme that led to the killing of four Americans.
The jury deliberated for four hours before returning a guilty verdict on all charges Thursday against 33-year-old Elsheikh, who now faces a possible penalty of up to life in prison.
Elsheikh’s trial featured sickening testimony from surviving hostages and family members of the victims: journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Nearly 100 People at This NJ School Got Brain Tumors — A Survivor Demands Answers
A cancer survivor is vowing to untangle the twisted mystery of why almost 100 people associated with a New Jersey high school have developed “extremely” rare malignant brain tumors.
Al Lupiano is among the 94 former staff and students from Colonia High School in the Woodbridge Township School District who have been stricken by the devastating diagnoses in recent years.
“I will not rest until I have answers,” Lupiano, 50, declared in an interview with NJ.com and the Star Ledger on Thursday. “I will uncover the truth.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Oakland Police Chief Blames Policies, Lenient Courts for Skyrocketing Crimes
Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong said that it is the lenient courts of his jurisdiction that are to blame for the city’s spiraling rate of violent crime.
Specifically, Armstrong targeted bail reforms in his state and city that put hardened and often violent criminals back on the streets soon after being arrested, which often gives them further opportunities to commit crimes.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Odysee Launches a New Sports Category
Decentralized video sharing platform has launched a new category that’s tailored towards the hundreds of millions of people around the world that watch sports.
This new sports category can be accessed via the sidebar or a direct link. Odysee also promotes 12 trending videos from the sports category on its homepage.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
RNC Pulls Out of Debate Commission, Claiming Pro-Biden Bias Ahead of ‘24
The Republican National Committee said Thursday it was withdrawing from the Commission on Presidential Debates, alleging that the organization was biased in favor of Joe Biden and against Donald Trump during the 2020 campaign.
The commission has organized all general election debates between major-party candidates since 1988 and it’s unclear how 2024 debates would proceed — if at all — as Trump teases a possible rematch against Biden.
RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel vowed her organization would “find newer, better debate platforms to ensure that future nominees are not forced to go through the biased CPD in order to make their case to the American people.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (April 8, 2022) — Yesterday, the Alabama Senate gave final approval to a bill that would extend the sales and use tax exemption on the sale of gold and silver bullion. A sales tax exemption relieves some of the tax burdens on investors, and it also eliminates one barrier to using gold and silver in everyday transactions, a foundational step for people to undermine the Federal Reserve’s monopoly on money.
Sen. Tim Melson (R-Florence) filed Senate Bill 13 (SB13). The legislation would extend the sales tax exemption on gold, silver, platinum and palladium bullion passed in 2018 from five years to 10. It would also lower the level of precious metal content necessary to qualify as “bullion” under the law from 90 percent to 80 percent.
On Feb. 24, the Senate passed SB13 by a 28-0 vote. The House approved the measure by a 100-0 vote with some technical amendments. On April 7, the Senate unanimously concurred with the House amendments by a unanimous vote. The bill now moves to Gov. Kay Ivey’s desk for her consideration.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Two Female Inmates Pregnant After New Jersey Admits Biological Males to Women’s Prison
It’s been less than a year since New Jersey implemented a new policy that would allow biological male prisoners to be housed alongside women in women’s prison facilities, and now two women incarcerated at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility are pregnant.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Video: Fauci Declares “You Use Lockdowns to Get People Vaccinated”
Appearing on MSNBC Wednesday, Anthony Fauci let the truth about lockdowns slip… that they are theatre designed to scare people into getting vaccinated.
When asked by host Andrea Mitchell about the unfolding lockdown hellscape in China, Fauci actually praised the Communist government’s actions.
Fauci stated “China has a number of problems, two of which are that the complete lockdown, which was their approach, a strictest lockdown you’d never be able to implement in the United States. Although that prevents the spread of infection, I remember early on they were saying, and I think accurately, they were doing better than anyone else.”
Then came the kicker as Fauci declared “You use lockdowns to get people vaccinated so that when you open up, you won’t have a surge of infections.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Virginia School Board Accused of Covering Up Sex Assault Could All be Ousted
Virginia’s Loudoun County School Board, which was accused of covering up the sexual assault of a high school girl last year, could be voted out of office en masse in November if Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin gets his way.
According to a bill amendment backed by Youngkin, all nine board members would be up for re-election this year, 12 months earlier than previously scheduled, according to ABC7.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Will Prominent Banned Public Figures Return if Elon Musk Buys Twitter?
Elon Musk’s offer to buy 100% of Twitter has prompted fresh speculation as to whether prominent banned public figures like Donald Trump and Alex Jones will be allowed back on the platform.
After Musk became Twitter’s largest individual shareholder earlier this month, the company was quick to issue a public statement asserting that their censorship policies won’t be changing.
This served as a clear indication that the likes of Trump and Jones, along with innumerable other victims of the censorship wave that characterized 2018 onwards, wouldn’t be returning to the platform.
However, now that Musk is in the running for a complete outright purchase of Twitter, the question of whether ‘the banned’ will make sensational comeback is being asked once again.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Yet Another Conspiracy Theory Comes True: ‘At Least 20’ Feds Embedded at Capitol on Jan. 6
Those wacky, right-wing, tinfoil-hat people (like myself) are correct yet again.
After defense attorneys “combed through a mountain of discovery,” they added a footnote to their 41-page motion to dismiss charges related to Jan. 6.
Attorneys added a note that “At least 20 FBI and ATF assets were embedded around the Capitol on J6,” to page 6 of the motion, which they filed to dismiss charges of seditious conspiracy and obstruction charges against 10 members of the “Oath Keepers,” a right-leaning, pro-Constitution group of Americans.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
British Columbian Opioid Crisis Death Toll Nears 10,000
Marking six years since a public health emergency was declared due to the number of opioid overdoses within the province of British Columbia, it has been reported that 9,410 people have died from these overdoses.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Freedom Convoy Leader Tamara Lich Hires Top Lawyer to Appeal Her Bail Conditions
(LifeSiteNews) — Freedom Convoy organizer Tamara Lich hired top Ottawa defense lawyer Lawrence Greenspon hoping to get her bail conditions, which ban her from using social media, reversed.
This past Monday, Lich was in court before Superior Court Justice Robert Pelletier for a review of her bail terms. However, her legal counsel asked the court to allow a change of counsel to Greenspon.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Muslim Charity Claims Canadian Tax Audit ‘Islamophobic’
The Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) has announced it will be taking legal action against the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) after claiming a several year-long audit of the group’s finances is “Islamophobic.”
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) launched a financial audit of the charity in 2015 but now the group is claiming that the entire process, which could lead to the rescinding of the group’s designation as a non-profit, is Islamophobic.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New TorStar CEO: Vaccine Passport System is Like Communism
Marina Glogovac, the newly-minted CEO of the Toronto Star, has publicly stated that she considers vaccine passports to be akin to communism, and that she will not support any establishment that asks her for proof of vaccination.
“[I am] vaccinated and [have] had COVID, but, I will not step into any establishment that requires passports, on principle,” tweeted Glogovac on Sept 9 2021.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A Third of Germans Believe They Are Living in a ‘Sham Democracy’
Major events over the past two years have raised doubts about the political system in Germany. It is therefore no wonder that despite considerable state propaganda, a clear proportion of citizens remain skeptical according to a recent poll.
A nationwide representative survey by the Allensbach Institute for Demoscopy on behalf of the state-affiliated television station Südwestrundfunk (SWR) on citizens’ understanding of democracy became known on Monday . And the results are impressive: Around a third of the population thinks that the Federal Republic of Germany is a sham democracy. Can the poll result be real? Yes, because the Allensbach Institute for Public Opinion is one of the most renowned survey institutes in Germany. And even the client who commissioned the study certainly never expected such a result.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Convicted Islamic State Terrorist Worked Security at Austria’s Largest Vaccine Site
A 21-year-old who was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a coworker has been revealed to be a former Islamic State terrorist who managed to obtain a security job at Austria’s largest Chinese coronavirus vaccination site.
The 21-year-old was arrested in January after allegations that he had tried to force himself on one of his coworkers at the Austria Centre Vienna (ACV) where he worked as a security guard, which also serves as the largest Wuhan coronavirus vaccination site in the country.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Czechia Lifts the Obligation of Wearing Face Masks on Public Transport
The obligation to wear face masks on public transport due to the spread of Covid-19 ended in Czechia as of Thursday. Wearing face protection remains mandatory only in healthcare facilities and in-patient social care facilities.
According to Health Minister Vlastimil Valek, this measure will likely remain in place until the turn of April and May. Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced the changes at a press conference following a government meeting.
“After two years, we have the opportunity to enjoy a normal Easter without restrictions and measures. Nevertheless, we ask everyone to continue to behave reasonably and responsibly,” said Fiala.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Divorce Filings Jump 50 Per Cent in Week After UK Introduces ‘No Fault’ Law
The introduction of “no-fault” divorce laws in Britain has resulted in a 50 per cent increase in divorce filings in the first week of its implementation.
Last week, the UK changed divorce laws in order to remove clauses requiring spouses to prove they have been subject to “unreasonable behaviour” such as abandonment or adultery, or that the couple had living separately for between two and five years.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Electoral Push From Brussels to Abolish Nations
In the spirit of supranational organizations and globalist interest groups of “global governance”, another hurdle is to be cleared on the way to the EU central state in May: The change in the electoral law for the European Parliament is up for voting.
From now on, “transnational lists” with candidates from various member states are to be increasingly elected, and no longer national candidates. This further reduces the connection between voters and their “representatives”.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Expert Warns of ‘Terrible Year’ As Swedish Fatal Shootings on Track to Break Records
Swedish police gang crime expert Gunnar Appelgren has warned Sweden could be in for a “terrible year” as the number of fatal shootings could break new records if current trends continue.
On Sunday, Sweden — once a peaceful state of less than ten million souls — saw its 20th fatal shooting this year, and if trends continue the country may be seeing a new record for fatal shootings this year.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France: How the Notre-Dame Cathedral Has Been Repaired — 3 Years After Horrifying Fire
Three years after a devastating fire ripped through the Notre-Dame Cathedral, nearly a billion dollars has been dedicated to repairing the architectural gem — but the most dramatic parts of the project have yet to begin, according to reports.
On April 15, 2019, the world watched in horror as the blaze engulfed the Gothic landmark in Paris, causing the church’s central frame to collapse, destroying its famous clock and sending its spire crashing down.
Though the board overseeing the cathedral’s restoration has received more than $900 million in donations from 340,000 donors in 150 countries, the painstaking project is off to a tedious start, according to AFP.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Free Speech Union Scotland Launches This Month
SNP MP Joanna Cherry and Tory MSP Murdo Fraser are among the political and media figures supporting Free Speech Union Scotland ahead of its launch. The purpose of the organization is to support freedom of expression.
Free Speech Union was created two years ago by social commentator Toby Young.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungary’s Payment for Russian Gas Plan Breeches No EU Sanction
Hungary’s payments for Russian gas are fully legal and in fact it makes no difference who converts the money from euros to rubles, economist Imre Boros has claimed.
Speaking to the Hungarian daily Magyar Hirlap, Boros explained that the Russians could bill in rubles or, alternatively, ask for an amount equivalent to a specific ruble-dollar or ruble-euro exchange rate for the energy source.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ireland: Grindr Killings: Middle Eastern Man Arrested After Violent Deaths of Multiple Gay Men
A man of Middle Eastern origin was arrested in Ireland on Thursday morning in relation to the killings of gay men possibly inspired by, it is alleged, “religious zeal”.
An armed response police unit in Ireland has reportedly arrested a man originally from the Middle East who is suspected of killing multiple gay men.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Polish President Duda Slams Russian ‘Terrorism’ During Visit by Four Presidents to Kyiv
The presidents of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia all visited Kyiv on Wednesday where they met with their Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in a show of support for his country and its fight against Russian aggression.
Polish President Andrzej Duda condemned the seemingly indiscriminate attacks on civilians by Russian forces, claiming such callous acts were “not war” but “terrorism.”
“If someone sends planes and soldiers to bomb housing estates and murder civilians then this is not war, it is cruelty, banditry, it is terrorism. It is an aspect of war with which we cannot be reconciled,” Duda added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Judge Claims to Have Been ‘Inspired’ by Lawbreaking Climate Crazy Protesters
A Judge in the UK has reported being ‘inspired’ by a number of climate crazy protesters, who he found guilty of having broken the law.
A judge sitting in an English district court has said that he was “inspired” by a number of climate crazy protesters he found guilty of having committed crimes, saying that he will now change his daily lifestyle as a result.
Stephen Leake, who was sitting in Crawley Magistrates’ Court at the time he made the comments, handed down a number of three-figure fines to protesters who pled guilty to participating in the so-called “Insulate Britain” protests, which saw major disruption on British roadways as a result of protesters actively trying to block traffic.
However, despite the nature of the criminal offences committed by some of the activists — which included one instance where a protester blocked an ambulance carrying a patient who “urgently needed to be transported”— the court official said that the activists had “inspired” him.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Mohammed Al-Aaraj reacted with anger to the comments leaving Fishwick’s family to deal with a terrible loss
A teenager who killed an 86-year-old veteran with a single punch has been sentenced to four years in a young offenders institution.
Frank Fishwick died from a haemorrhage after being punched in the face by Mohammed Al-Aaraj, 19, outside his flat in The Paddocks, Fulwood in September 2021. The pensioner suffered a broken nose after being struck with ‘considerable force’ by the Preston College student.
Francis McEntee, prosecuting, said on the afternoon of Friday September 10, Al-Aaraj and three friends had gathered in the stairwell of The Paddocks to smoke cannabis.
Mr Fishwick, a ‘feisty old man’ who was ‘frustrated with the youth of today’ went out to confront them. But the teenagers refused to leave the stairwell, taunting the pensioner calling him ‘old man’ and ‘no teeth.’
Mr Fishwick responded with two racist insults, directed towards Al-Aaraj which Judge Robert Altham said “should never see the light of day.” Al-Aaraj reacted with anger. He ran up the stairs and punched Mr Fishwick once in the nose.
His friends, who were not identified in court, told him to ‘leave it’ and ‘treat it as a joke.’ As they walked away from the scene, Al-Aaraj said: “I shouldn’t have done that.”
Police officers visited Mr Fishwick at home that afternoon and found him with two black eyes and a bloody nose. He admitted he should not have used the language he did towards the teenager.
Mr Fishwick said his injuries were minor and he did not need an ambulance but was later admitted to Royal Preston Hospital. He died from internal bleeding the following day.
Chris Hudson, defending, said Al-Aaraj, of Sheffield Drive, Preston, had a traumatic background having fled Syria as a refugee. He witnessed his sister being shot dead in front of him and saw other people shot and abducted by the Syrian Army…
| — Hat tip: MMcC | [Return to headlines] |
Belarus Claims Alleged Russian War Crimes Were Staged by Britain
Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko has accused Britain of staging a “psychological operation” in Bucha, Ukraine, where Russia has been accused of committing war crimes after reports and pictures emerged of mass graves of people allegedly killed by Russian forces.
Appearing at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far Eastern Amur Oblast region of Russia, Lukashenko claimed to have provided his chief ally, Vladimir Putin, with evidence that the events in Bucha were staged by the British.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Google Limits What Publishers Can Say About the Ukraine War if They Want to Stay Monetized
Google’s Adsense this week sent an email to publishers reminding them of the new policy about monetization of content related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Google will not allow publishers to show ads on content that condones the war.
“Due to the war in Ukraine, we will pause monetization of content that exploits, dismisses, or condones the war,” the email read.
“This pause includes, but is not limited to, claims that imply victims are responsible for their own tragedy or similar instances of victim blaming, such as claims that Ukraine is committing genocide or deliberately attacking its own citizens.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Key Russian Ship Sinks in Black Sea, Russia Says as Battle Around Mariupol Continues
Russia’s guided-missile cruiser Moskva, the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea fleet, has sunk in the Black Sea after being damaged during the military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry said late on April 14.
The ministry said the vessel sank while being towed to port in a storm after it was heavily damaged by fire. Ukrainian officials said their forces hit the vessel with missiles earlier in the day.
“The vessel lost its balance due to damage sustained in the hull as fire broke out after ammunition exploded,” TASS quoted the ministry as saying. “Given the choppy seas, the vessel sank.”
The loss of the warship named for the Russian capital was seen as a symbolic defeat for Moscow, which had already been forced to pull its forces back from northern Ukraine earlier this month.
The Moskva could carry 16 long-range cruise missiles, and its loss will greatly reduce Russia’s firepower in the Black Sea.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said earlier that a fire on the Moskva caused ammunition to blow up, and its crew had been evacuated. It denied there had been an attack on the ship.
But Maksym Marchenko, the Ukrainian governor of the region around the Black Sea port of Odesa, said the ship had been hit by two Ukrainian-made Neptune anti-ship cruise missiles.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Latest News in the Russia-Ukraine War
Ukraine: The flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet, the warship Moskva, sank Thursday from damage suffered from a fire on board following what the Ukrainian military said was a cruise missile attack targeting the vessel.
Russia said the source of the fire was unknown, but had set off explosions of ammunition on board. A statement by the Russian Defense Ministry, reported by state agencies, said the ship sank in stormy weather due to structural damage as it was being towed to port.
U.S.: The U.S. has begun shipping an additional $800 million in weapons, ammunition and security assistance. Training will be needed to put some of the equipment in the new package to use. Western leaders seeking to build a global coalition to isolate Russia are facing pushback from the world’s largest developing nations.
Russia: Former President Dmitry Medvedev warned that Russia would reinforce its ground, naval and air defenses in the Baltics if Sweden and Finland joined NATO and suggested their membership would lead to a nuclear expansion in the region. President Vladimir Putin said the country’s energy industry has been disrupted by sanctions and would need to shift away from Europe toward markets in Asia.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Not ‘Prudent’ — Macron Rejects Biden’s Claim of Russian Genocide in Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron has rebuked US President Joe Biden’s accusation that Russian leader Vladimir Put is committing genocide in Ukraine, implying such claims are not ‘prudent’.
Accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of being responsible for genocide is not conducive to peace efforts, French President Emmanuel Macron seems to have implied with comments made on Wednesday.
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Russia Warns Finland, Sweden Against Joining NATO, Raises Nuclear Threat
Russia vowed Thursday that if Finland and Sweden join NATO, Moscow would bolster its troop presence and deploy nuclear weapons around the Baltic region.
Finland, which shares an 830-mile border with Russia, and Sweden, located across the Baltic Sea, have been open about their interest in joining the 30-member Atlantic alliance after Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded neighboring Ukraine Feb. 24.
The Nordic countries are currently non-aligned militarily but their leaders have said they would make a decision about joining NATO in the coming weeks.
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Russian Warship Moskva: What Do We Know?
Russia’s flagship Black Sea missile cruiser has been “seriously damaged” and its crew forced to evacuate, Russian state media says.
The defence ministry said ammunition on the Moskva exploded in an unexplained fire, but that the 186-metre (610 foot) vessel was still afloat.
Ukraine claims it struck the vessel with its Neptune missiles.
The 510-crew warship has led Russia’s naval assault on Ukraine, making it an important symbolic and military target.
Earlier in the conflict the Moskva gained notoriety after calling on Ukrainian border troops defending Snake Island in the Black Sea to surrender — to which they memorably radioed a message of refusal which loosely translates as “go to hell”.
Unexplained fire or a missile attack?
Overnight Russia’s defence ministry put out a statement that said “the vessel is seriously damaged. The entire crew have been evacuated”.
By Thursday afternoon the defence ministry said a fire onboard had been contained and that it would be towing the warship back to port, adding that it was still afloat.
Moscow blamed the blast on an unexplained fire, making no mention of any missile strike.
But Ukraine says it’s responsible for the attack on the cruiser, which it claims it targeted with recently-introduced Ukrainian made missiles, and that at one point the cruiser even started to sink…
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Initiative to Save Hindu Girls in Islamic Pakistan
Hindu Sindh Foundation Presents Comprehensive Programme For Saving Hindu Girls in Pakistan.
Hindu Sindh Foundation Inc. (HSF) is presenting a comprehensive programme for saving the Hindu girls in Pakistan, to potential patrons, guardians and supporters in the diaspora.
LY Online | New Delhi | April 14, 2022:: Hindu Sindh Foundation Inc. (HSF) is presenting a comprehensive programme for saving the Hindu girls in Pakistan, to potential patrons, guardians and supporters in the diaspora. The programme envisages relief and assistance both short and long term.
Women and minor girls belonging to Hindu, Sikh and Christian faiths in Pakistan are routinely abducted and forcibly converted to Islam, as per various human rights groups. It is estimated that at least a thousand such girls were forcibly converted to Islam and this number is the highest from Sindh.
The latest case is that of Pooja Kumari, age 18, who was killed recently after she resisted abduction for forced marriage and conversion. HSF said Hindus of Sindh are living in mortal fear, especially those who are rearing young daughters. Immediate relief and assistance is required to alleviate the suffering of Hindus of Sindh.
Hindu Sindh Foundation Inc. (HSF) comprehensive programme envisages relief and assistance, including legal and other assistance to affected families where daughters have been abducted, forcibly converted and forcibly married to Muslims. It also includes assistance for rehabilitation of survivors who had been abducted, forcibly converted and forcibly married to Muslims, but now have escaped and are trying to settle down back to normal life.
It includes rescue of girls who have been threatened by the Muslim men and in all probability it would be a matter of time before they are abducted, forcibly converted and married off, HSF said. Hindu Girl, Pooja Oad 18-Year-Old Shot in Pakistan After Resisting Abduction.
The rescue programme includes but is not limited to by facilitating guardianship and patronship in the US, Canada, UK, Europe and Australia, as well as in India and Nepal, where the girls would emigrate for further studies.
The rescue programme also includes possible adoption of young girls after consent of birth parents and proper scrutiny of adopters and their meeting the eligibility criteria as provisioned by law in their home countries, option for “limited adoption” (supervised guardianship without full adoption) would also be available.
| — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari | [Return to headlines] |
Human Rights Group Decries Christian ‘Genocide’ In Nigeria
International Christian Concern (ICC) has denounced the ongoing “genocide” being carried out on Nigerian Christians by Fulani militants and other Islamic extremists.
“The UN defines genocide as intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group. This is exactly what is happening in Nigeria at the hands of Fulani militants, Boko Haram, and its offshoot, Islamic State West Africa,” ICC spokesman Addison Parker told Crux, an online Catholic news outlet.
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While simultaneously ending all COVID restrictions for migrants crossing illegally into the United States, Joe Biden’s CDC has extended mask mandates for Americans on planes and public transport.
A CDC statement declares “Since early April, there have been increases in the seven-day moving average of cases in the U.S. The CDC Mask Order remains in effect while CDC assesses the potential impact of the rise of cases on severe disease, including hospitalizations and deaths, and healthcare system capacity.”
The agency announced that “TSA will extend the security directive and emergency amendment for 15 days, through May 3, 2022.”
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Second Busload of Migrants Sent by Texas Gov. Abbott Arrives in Washington, DC
A second bus filled with migrants traveling from Texas arrived in Washington, DC, early Thursday, joining an initial group that arrived the day before as part of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s plan to transport illegal immigrants to the nation’s capital amid a humanitarian crisis along the US-Mexico border.
The bus — which carried 14 illegal immigrants who have since been released from federal custody and given an order to appear in immigration court — arrived near Union Station just before 4:30 a.m., according to Fox News.
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Furious Yorkshire villagers ‘weren’t consulted’ about ‘nightmare’ plans for a ‘Greek style’ asylum centre at an abandoned RAF base which could see migrants staying in shipping containers and made subject to curfews.
The decision to use Linton-on-Ouse — population 1,200 — comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson prepares to unveil a new hardline immigration policy.
It will see asylum seekers flown 4,000 miles away to Rwanda to have their claims processed following a £120 million deal with the African country.
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Watch: Spanish Police Arrest African Migrants Disrupting Holy Week Procession
Spanish police arrested multiple African ‘youths’ who disrupted a procession for Holy Week, according to reports.
The disturbing incident unfolded on Sunday evening in El Vendrell, a town in the province of Tarragona in Catalonia.
A group of ‘young people’ gathered along the route of the march which typically occurs on Palm Sunday but has been restricted for the past two years during the COVID crisis.
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Documents from Canada’s Department of National Defense and Canadian Armed Forces paint a picture of a military now drenched in critical race theory, genderqueer ideology, and equity.
CAF members were shown a live “drag queen bingo” night, as well as ways to parse out right-wing views. There were also claims that soldiers were recommended to read Robin DiAngelo’s White Fragility, reports Cosmin Dzsurdzsa of True North.
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Florida Gov. DeSantis Signs 15-Week Abortion Ban Into Law
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a 15-week abortion ban into law on Thursday, joining several other Republican-led states that have imposed similar restrictions on the procedure.
The new law — which will go into effect July 1 — would prohibit abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, a dramatic cut from the current limit of 24 weeks.
It does not allow for exemptions for pregnancies causes by rape, incest or human trafficking. However, it does permit the procedure when an abortion is deemed necessary to save the mother’s life, prevent serious injury or if the fetus has a fatal abnormality.
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Illinois Preschool Conference Cancels Talk by Homosexual Porn Actor
(LifeSiteNews) — An upcoming virtual conference hosted by the Illinois Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (IASCD) will no longer include a talk by a homosexual porn actor who also works as a preschool teacher.
The professional development association canceled its talk by Tell Williams after Real News Michiana began asking questions about why he would be speaking at its April 13-14 Pre-K and Kindergarten conference. The group scrubbed Williams from its speaker lineup.
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Kentucky Lawmakers Override Governor’s Veto, Ban Men From Competing in Women’s Sports
FRANKFORT, Kentucky (LifeSiteNews) — After Democrat Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed a bill to ban biological males from competing in women’s sports, Kentucky’s legislature voted to override the veto, enacting the legislation.
“The Kentucky legislature has OVERRIDEN the veto of Gov. Andy Beshear on legislation to ban biological men from playing girl’s sports,” pro-family advocacy group American Principles Project posted on social media yesterday evening.
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The Case of Transgender Emily: ‘It’s Shamefully Unfair, ‘ Czech Sportswoman Says
Is inclusion against fair play? The case of the British transgender cyclist Emily Bridges has divided the world of sports. Emily was eventually not permitted to participate in the women’s race, which sparked a debate about whether transgender people should compete with athletes who were born as women.
Cyclist Emily Bridges, formerly Zach Bridges, announced a gender reassignment in October 2020 and began hormone therapy last year to reduce testosterone to the level set by the rules.
Emily finished second in the university men’s competition this February, but at the beginning of April, she was to compete with women at the British National Championship for the first time.
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https://apolut.net/ukraine-fuer-die-nato-wird-es-explosiv-von-peter-haisenko/
Ukraine: It’s getting explosive for NATO
By Peter Haisenko
Published on: April 14, 2022
video
https://tube4.apolut.net/w/onuLZJZFGu6RtXeCdPyKVA
A commentary by Peter Haisenko,
Operator of the portal anderweltonline.com.
Why is there such dogged fighting in Mariupol? Why did the missile attack on the railroad station in Kramatorsk disappear from the media so quickly? Why is the U.S. silent about U.S. citizens who have perished in Ukraine? How many NATO soldiers are really active on Kiev’s side inside Ukraine? Western “coverage” of the Russian operation must be described as sketchy at the very least.
At the beginning of the Russian operation in Ukraine, when targets scattered all over the country were attacked, it seemed arbitrary to incomprehensible. Then it became apparent that these targets were sites of biolabs installed and operated there by Western states. The panic in Washington was great that it would be revealed what was actually done there. President Biden’s and his son Hunter’s connections to the biolabs and their funding are already making waves in the U.S., but are barely mentioned here. No wonder, because secured documents prove that German actors are also involved in the operation of these biolabs.
The concentration of the Azov brigades on Mariupol seems difficult to explain. After all, this port city on the Sea of Azov has been very quickly cut off from the outside world. Access from the sea is also under Russian control because it passes through the Kerch Strait. Kiev’s soldiers are encircled and cut off from supplies. So there is no strategic reason for the fierce fighting there. Any rational person would have to capitulate, also to spare civilian lives. The opposite is the case. The Azov units use civilians as shields, ensuring that there is heavy damage and many deaths throughout the city. In the meantime, they have largely been driven out of the city and have retreated to the site of the large “Azov Steel” steelworks on the outskirts of the city. They are doing this in the knowledge that Russia does not want to shell and destroy this important industrial plant. But what is special about this plant?
A report of the highest explosiveness in the original
In this regard, let’s see what is reported by the leadership of the DPR, that is, the new eastern Ukrainian republics. It should be noted that this information has not (yet) been confirmed by other sources. What is confirmed, however, is that a U.S. major general was captured just there as he was trying to escape the cauldron. His name is US Major General Roger L. Cloutier. So here is the message in the original:
“Under the Azovstal industrial area, owned by oligarch Rinat Akhmetov, the alleged illegitimate son of former Ukrainian President Kuchma, there are 24 km of tunnels up to 30 m deep.
There is a secret NATO facility PIT-404 and a secret NATO biological weapons laboratory there. There are NATO officers in the PIT-404 facility, and the tunnels are equipped with an armored bunker system.
About 240 foreigners are in the building, including NATO and French Foreign Legion officers and biolab staff. Their guards, financed by Akhmetov, number up to 3,000.
The biolab under the Azovstal plant in Mariupol in the so-called PIT-404 facility – built and operated by Metabiota, a company with ties to Hunter Biden, Rinat Akhmetov and Volodymyr Zelensky.
Bioweapons tests were conducted in the laboratories of this facility. Thousands of Mariupol residents became “guinea pigs” in these terrible tests. And it was mainly Western “specialists” who took part in these inhumane experiments.
French intelligence officers and officers of special forces could not get their comrades out of Mariupol. This is why Macron called the Kremlin so many times asking for “humanitarian corridors.”
Some French intelligence officers died in the rescue operation. The head of French intelligence, Eric Videaux, was dismissed on March 31, 2022, for failures of French intelligence in the war in Ukraine.
Officers from the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Turkey, Sweden, Poland, and Greece are now trapped in the dungeons of Azovstal. U.S. Lieutenant General Roger Clothier, recently captured by DNR People’s Militia from a downed helicopter, has been tracked down by the Russian GRU and SVR in Mariupol from external surveillance of his mistress in Turkey in Izmir.
o—
The Ukrainian national, known to the intelligence service as Klute, had always accompanied the general as a traveling wife, confidante, and interpreter. As soon as information was received that this woman had arrived in Mariupol, Russia launched a military operation and blockaded the city.”
The West will have to explain itself
Although this report has not yet been independently confirmed, it does explain a lot. Normally, the U.S. considers any U.S. citizen killed as a reason for war. That does not apply to Ukraine. Even when Russia destroyed training centers near Lviv, where a quite remarkable number of Western soldiers died, no Western country raised its voice. Nor could they, because then they would have had to admit that active NATO forces were operating in Ukraine. The same, of course, applies to Mariupol and Azov Steel. There, however, it is precarious for NATO. Their people are trapped and it is only a matter of time before ammunition runs out and hunger drives the rats out of their holes. Russia and the DPR want to capture these people alive, just like the U.S. major general. Then the West will have to explain what its people were doing there.
Now to Kramatorsk. More than 100 civilians were killed there when a missile hit in the middle of a crowd waiting for an evacuation train. A horrible crime. So why is this not being exploited in the same way as the deaths at Butscha? In Butscha, the narrative is set and as long as there is no real independent investigation there, everyone has to decide for themselves which version to believe.
It’s different in Kramatorsk. There are photos of the debris of the missile with serial numbers, which proves that the Russian account is correct. It is a type of missile that has not been used by the Russian army for a long time. Not only that. With the serial number it is possible to prove from which depot this weapon came and there is no doubt that it was in the possession of the Ukrainian army. So Kramatorsk has disappeared from the Western narrative. Nevertheless, the sting is set, because those who want to believe it can only be enlightened by a Western denial, and there will be none.
The existence of various biolabs can no longer be denied
It is one thing to supply war equipment – by doing so one already makes oneself a war party – but it is something else when soldiers are actively involved and be it “only” as “instructors”. Are these specialists who, for example, evaluate satellite images in order to then pass on strategic information to Kiev’s soldiers? Or even give tactical instructions themselves? The U.S. constantly proclaims that it will not intervene in this war. But with the “trainers” and the information that has now come from Mariupol, this is already the next flat-out lie. Thus, one should not be surprised if the U.S. is so uncharacteristically silent when its specialists are killed in Ukraine.
It will be interesting to see with what propaganda drumfire NATOstan will react when Russia will present the prisoners from the steel plant in Mariupol to the world public. The existence of various biolabs can no longer be denied. If, in addition, people are presented who actively collaborated, even actively participated in the war, it will be tight for NATO. Will there be consequences this time? Experience says that the Western media monopoly has also generously ignored all the lies of the USA in the Arab region. But what will be important is that the rest of the world, outside NATO, will see who is really the evil liar. Just “the empire of lies,” as Putin has so aptly named it.
This will further isolate NATO, making it harder to whitewash U.S. imperial crimes as humanitarian actions. Already for quite a few years there have been sanctions wars against Russia, which does not want to submit to the “pax amerikana”. So I think that Germany actually does not fight for Ukraine at all, actually cannot, does not want to support this fundamentally corrupt state, but only fights in the cartel of NATO against Russia. No matter what it costs and we have become accustomed to the war crimes of the USA since the Vietnam War at the latest. Yes, we are also fighting against Russia, down to the last Ukrainian