Gates of Vienna News Feed 4/19/2022

Germany’s climate minister ruled out the possibility of fracking as a way to make up for the shortage of natural gas due to the war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, German climate extremists threatened to cut important oil and gas pipelines if their demands aren’t met.

In other news, the number of illegal migrants landing in Italy doubled in 2021.

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

Thanks to Dean, DV, Insubria, JAS, 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.

USA
» Apple’s Marketing Suggests That iPhone Users Can’t be Tracked. The TRUTH is Quite Different.
» Biden Says Masking Up on Planes is ‘Up to’ Travelers After Order Nixed
» BLM Protester Brandishes, Cocks Gun at Driver in Michigan
» Bond Denied for Charleston Shooting Suspect Accused of Leaving Victim a Paraplegic
» CB Radio: Could it Play a Key Role in Preserving Free Speech?
» Data Shows Most COVID Deaths Occurred After the Rollout of Vaccines
» Decades of Criminal FBI Entrapment Operations Exposed
» DeSantis Signs Bill to Reform Higher Education
» DeSantis Announces Special Session to Crack Down on Big Tech Censorship
» Documents Show Pfizer, FDA ‘Spun’ The Vax Data Despite Knowing Natural Immunity Was Highly Effective
» DuckDuckGo Denies Rumors About ‘Purging’ Independent Media Outlets From Search Results
» Ex-School Official Sues Virginia Board Over Anti-Racism Training
» Facebook, Instagram Accounts Hacked, But Parent Company Meta Doesn’t Care
» Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Threatens to Go After Twitter Board for Trying to Sink Elon Musk’s Purchase
» GB News: Nigel Farage Teases Trump Presidential Run in 2024 — ‘Sharper Than Ever!’
» Jack Dorsey Goes After CNN for Deliberately Stirring Division
» Kentucky Legislature Overrides Dem Govenor’s Vetoes on Pro-Life, Election Integrity Laws
» Knoxville Man Suspected of Helping ISIS Makes His Case in Federal Court
» Libs of Tik Tok’s Popularity Skyrockets After WaPo’s Failed Dox-and-Smear Campaign
» Missouri House Tentatively OKs Bill to Ban Critical Race Theory, Solidify Parental Rights in Schools
» Poll: Republicans See Biden as Being More Harmful Than Putin
» The Washington Post Lies — Claims They Did Not Publish Details About Libs of Tik Tok’s Personal Life
» Trump Calls for a Peaceful Solution to Ukraine Conflict
» Turning Point USA Event Mobbed by Human Wall of ‘Leftist Student’ Protestors
» US Congressman Reveals Seats on Committees Are ‘Literally’ Bought
» WaPo “Tech Reporter” Taylor Lorenz Under Fire for Doxxing ‘Libs of TikTok’, Harassing Family
» Washington State to Spend $450,000 Going After Gasoline ‘Superusers’
 
Canada
» Alberta Church, Pastor Going to Trial for Alleged COVID Violations
» Civil Liberties Groups Demand Inquiry Into Trudeau’s Use of Emergency Powers Against Freedom Convoy
» Exclusive: Global Affairs Spent 34k on Limos and Chauffeurs at the Glasgow Climate Change Conference
» Government Charter of Rights Conference Concludes With Sharp Words for Panelists
» ‘It is What it is’: Trudeau Transportation Minister Says No Plans to Update Travel and Masking Policies
» Live Updates: British Columbia Vaccine Passport Being Challenged in Court
» Now Vaccine-Injured, Former Believer Speaks Out
» Pastor Artur Pawlowski Sends Thanks to Supporters as He Navigates Life Out of Jail
 
Europe and the EU
» EU to Impose Full Embargo on Russian Oil Next Week, Will Send Price Above $185 According to JPMorgan
» France: Extinction Rebellion Mount ‘Civil Disobedience’ Protests in Paris
» Germans Told to Take Fewer Showers as Energy Costs Bite
» Germany: Energy Crisis: Climate Extremists Threaten to Cut Vital Gas Pipelines
» Germany: Green Agenda Trumps Energy Crisis as Minister Rules Out Fracking
» Germany: Prophet of Doom — Health Minister Slammed by Experts for ‘Unhelpful’ Killer COVID Variant Prediction
» Italy: Arms-to-Ukraine Opponent Has Rai Contract Terminated
» Italy: Molotov Cocktail Scorches Russian Couple’s Villa Entrance
» Italy: Venice Tourists Will Have to Book From This Summer
» Poland Will Not Run Out of Food for Poles or Refugees, Assures Polish Minister of Agriculture
» Public Transport in French City Shut Down After Latest Attack on Driver
» Scottish Government Scraps £7 Million COVID Passport App
» Sweden: Social Democrats Ignore Their Voters and Turn to NATO
» Three Shot, School Burned Down as Rioting Over Anti-Islam Activists Continues in Sweden
» UK: Report: Consumers Abandoning Disney Streaming Service to Save Money Amid Soaring Inflation
» UK: Video Shows Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil Mob Downing Booze and Dancing at All-Night Rave in London’s Egg Nightclub to Celebrate Bringing Travel Misery to Millions Over 16 Days
 
North Africa
» Tunisian Ministry Bans Export of Some Produce
 
Middle East
» Islamic State Calls for Attacks in Europe Urging Followers to Take Advantage of Ukraine Crisis
 
Russia
» Latest News in the Russia-Ukraine War
» Russia Arrests Another Journalist, Mikhail Afanasyev, For Content That Criticizes Ukraine Invasion
» Russia ‘Offers Mariupol Ceasefire’ So Ukrainians Can Surrender
 
Far East
» China’s Weibo is Still Censoring Posts About Shanghai Grocery Shortages During Strict Lockdown
» Elderly, Babies Taken to Shanghai’s COVID Quarantine Sites at Night
 
Australia — Pacific
» Most Remaining COVID Rules Scrapped in NSW and Victoria
 
Sub-Saharan Africa
» March Farm Attacks in South Africa: Victims Included 73- 76- 80- and 84-Year-Old Whites
 
Immigration
» Children Clutching Toys and Wrapped in Union Jack Scarves Among as Many as 200 Migrants to Arrive in UK by Small Boat Today After Easter Saw More Than 500 Cross the Channel After Priti Patel Unveiled Rwanda Scheme
» Dozens of Suspected Terrorists Have Been Stopped at Border Since Biden Took Office
» German Minister: No Upper Limit on Ukrainian Refugees
» Hungary: Border Patrols Stopped Over 1,000 Illegal Crossing Attempts Over Easter Weekend
» Italy: Migrant Arrivals Doubled in 2021 — Astalli Centre
» Migrant Crisis 2.0: EU Sees Highest Influx of Migrants Since 2016, Even Excluding Ukraine
» ‘They Will Stay Here and Take Our Jobs!’ — Some Czechs Criticize Aid to Refugees
» Video: Texas Sheriff Expects Border is About to be Overrun
 
Culture Wars
» Catholic Church Attacks Across US a ‘Cultural Crisis’ Leaving Religious Leaders Stumped
» Ron DeSantis Out to Strip Disney’s Special Status Over ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill
 

Apple’s Marketing Suggests That iPhone Users Can’t be Tracked. The TRUTH is Quite Different.

Apple has built its tech empire on (overpriced?) hardware — and that is the starting point (despite the continued attempted forays into services, and despite the significance of the App Store, and related censorship) — that is the basis on which Apple continues to build its PR case 0f being “better for privacy” than its Big Tech peers.

The premise is that the others rely too heavily on their mass data harvesting for the digital ad market business model to worry about anything like privacy, while Apple’s alleged “hardware first” approach naturally lets it be the more “privacy-friendly” of the tech juggernauts.

But things are far from being that simple.

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

Biden Says Masking Up on Planes is ‘Up to’ Travelers After Order Nixed

President Biden said Tuesday that American travelers should decide for themselves whether they want to don masks while flying after a Florida federal judge struck down the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mandate for planes and most other forms of transportation a day earlier.

Speaking to reporters after landing in New Hampshire on Tuesday, the president was asked if people should continue to wear masks on planes.

“That’s up to them,” he replied.

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

BLM Protester Brandishes, Cocks Gun at Driver in Michigan

Far-left protesters surround a car on a street at the Black Lives Matter protest Saturday in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and threatened to shoot the driver.

Of the BLM militants cocked a gun and kicked the car during the BLM demonstration protesting the police-involved death of Patrick Lyoya, a black man with a long criminal history who was shot in the head by a Grand Rapids police officer on April 4 after he refused to comply with the cop’s commands. Lyoya, also convicted of assaulting a pregnant woman, resisted during the early April arrest at a traffic stop and continued to place his hand on the officer’s taser gun.

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

Bond Denied for Charleston Shooting Suspect Accused of Leaving Victim a Paraplegic

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — Bond was denied for a suspected Charleston shooter who left the victim a paraplegic.

The Charleston Police Department arrested 31-year-old Shelesa Lakeith Jamal Campbell who is charged with attempted murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime.

His charges stems from an incident on Sunday morning when police officers responded to North Romney Street and found the victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and lying next to a Buick Lucerne.

Officers also reported locating several gun shell casings at the scene.

The victim was transported to the hospital, and an arrest affidavit states that doctors had informed detectives that the victim was now a paraplegic due to his injuries.

Investigators say security camera footage from a nearby apartment complex showed the Lucerne backing into a parking lot and the victim approaching the driver’s door which then opened with several gunshots seen.

According to court records, the victim fell to the ground and the suspect fled from the car and fired several shots as he ran away…

           — Hat tip: DV [Return to headlines]
 

CB Radio: Could it Play a Key Role in Preserving Free Speech?

You might not be familiar with citizens band (CB) radio, as its usage has died down a fair bit with the introduction of phones and the internet, which provide faster and more broad communications services.

Think of CB radio as a walky-talky system for adults, used by authorities, hobbyists, preppers, and others, especially where cell reception remains sparse. Most notably, truckers use it as a keen source of information and communication while on the road. It’s used frequently, however it mostly remains hidden from public view.

Even though newer methods of communication may have usurped the old school stuff, there’s a certain form of independence provided by CB radio which makes it a noteworthy tool in the battle against the state with regards to free speech. Especially now during an era of government-sponsored media and mass spying of civilians, what we are allowed to know has made each of us a target of the state.

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

Data Shows Most COVID Deaths Occurred After the Rollout of Vaccines

(LifeSiteNews.com) — More than 61,000 Millennials and record numbers of Gen-Xers died in 2021 alone, after the Covid vaccines hailed as miracles were rolled out, leaving an unprecedented wake of mortality in the last quarter of the year.

The Millennial generation, aged about 25 to 40, experienced a staggering 84% increase in excess mortality in the fall of 2021, former Blackrock portfolio manager Edward Dowd told Breitbart’s Steve Bannon in an episode of his War Room in March. Dowd described it as the “worst-ever excess mortality, I think, in history.”

These deaths, which amounted to more than the number of deaths from the entire Vietnam War compressed into a single year, occurred in tandem with spikes in vaccine and booster shots that were mandated in August 2021.

‘Democide’

Dowd said the numbers, drawn from data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for analysis, also showed that Gen-Xers, (those aged about 40-55) fared no better, leading to what he called a “democide,” or government-sponsored murder of huge swathes of the population.

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

Decades of Criminal FBI Entrapment Operations Exposed

In light of the recent acquittals of two men who were charged in connection with the purported kidnapping plot of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer back in 2020 due to the FBI’s heavy involvement in this plot, Infowars contributor and man behind the Reese Report, Greg Reese, released a mini documentary detailing the FBI’s decades-long history of entrapment and fostering criminal and terrorist acts…

One such person Reese brought up was Thomas Tongyai, a.k.a. “Tommy the Traveler,” who intentionally inserted himself into anti-war protest circles in Hobart College in Geneva, New York, where he claimed to be a member of Students for a Democratic Society. Tongyai not only encouraged violent protests, but also taught protesters how to craft Molotov cocktails.

“During the late 60s, FBI informant Tommy the Traveler traveled to colleges throughout the U.S. posing as a student protester. He encouraged non-violent activists to make Molotov cocktail explosives out of gasoline and successfully convinced two students at Hobart college to firebomb a campus ROTC building.”

“Reese also delved into the history of Joseph Burton, who in the early 1970s functioned as an “agent provocateur” for the FBI who tried to stir up unrest at the Republican National Convention in Miami back in 1972.

“Joseph Burton was hired and funded by the FBI to start a group of Maoist radicals that was deployed to the 1972 Republican convention to encourage peaceful demonstrators to topple a bus and blow it up.”

           — Hat tip: JAS [Return to headlines]
 

DeSantis Signs Bill to Reform Higher Education

By Jannis Falkenstein of The Epoch Times

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a higher education reform bill on April 19 to hold faculty accountable, and ensure transparency with the curriculum.

Under the new law, which takes effect July 1, tenured faculty will be reviewed every five years by a Board of Governors of the State University System of Florida, which will consider such things as accomplishments, productivity, performance metrics. and compensation.

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

DeSantis Announces Special Session to Crack Down on Big Tech Censorship

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is calling for a special session to address the threat of Big Tech censorship, which will include addressing its 2021 law to protect citizens from censorship by social media companies.

DeSantis’ call for the upcoming special session of Florida’s legislature comes in the wake of Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s efforts to purchase Twitter for the purpose of upholding free speech.

Although Musk’s buyout has been resisted by much of the mainstream media, as well as Twitter’s own board of directors, the effort has served as a clarion call for conservatives and libertarians to fight for free speech.

Speaking to the press on Tuesday, DeSantis addressed the importance of tackling the legal challenges to Florida’s law against Big Tech censorship.

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

Documents Show Pfizer, FDA ‘Spun’ The Vax Data Despite Knowing Natural Immunity Was Highly Effective

(LifeSiteNews) — Over 11,000 pages of documents released March 24 and April 1 in compliance with a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit reveal that COIVD mRNA vaccine manufacturer Pfizer has been well-aware that natural immunity is effective against the novel coronavirus, adverse reactions to their experimental injections are more frequent and severe in young people, and the impacts on fertility of the jabs are “unknown.”

In a report from The Hill, journalist Kim Iversen breaks down the “bombshells” revealed in this document drop obtained by an organization called Public Health and Medical Professionals for Transparency (PHMPT) that filed the FOIA lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last year demanding the release of the documents it reviewed before authorizing the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID shots.

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

DuckDuckGo Denies Rumors About ‘Purging’ Independent Media Outlets From Search Results

(LifeSiteNews) — The CEO of the popular alternative search engine DuckDuckGo, which prides itself as a privacy-centric alternative to Google, has said that despite claims from some, there will not be any “purging” of independent media from its search results.

“Hoping to clear up some misconceptions about our private search engine. First, there is a completely made up headline going around this weekend. We are not ‘purging’ any media outlets from results. Anyone can verify this by searching for an outlet and see it come up in results,” tweeted DuckDuckGo CEO Gabriel Weinberg on April 17.

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

Ex-School Official Sues Virginia Board Over Anti-Racism Training

A former assistant principal is suing a Virginia school board, claiming that she was forced out of her job for a “slip of the tongue” during a mandatory “anti-racism” training based on Critical Race Theory.

Emily Mais, who was the assistant principal at Agnor-Hurt Elementary School, accused the school district in a lawsuit filed Thursday of pushing her out in fall 2021 after she mistakenly used the words “colored people” as she railed against the training session.

Though Mais apologized for the “slip of the tongue, “a teacher’s aide, who is black, verbally attacked her in front of all training attendees, the lawsuit filed in Albemarle County claims.

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

Facebook, Instagram Accounts Hacked, But Parent Company Meta Doesn’t Care

Once upon a time, the Silicon Valley tech giants promoted free speech. Come one, come all, and embrace the First Amendment.

Alas, since attaining critical mass, these tech firms have devolved into censorious thugs. Thus, should you post a contrarian opinion regarding the government-approved narrative on Covid-19 or voter fraud in the last U.S. election or if you — gasp! — “misgender” a transgender, well, you will very likely face immediate suspension or even expulsion from the likes of Facebook and Instagram.

Non-approved opinions are deemed to be a so-called “violation of community guidelines.”

But get this: if a conman hacks into your Facebook or Instagram account, this apparently is NOT a breach of “community guidelines.”

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

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Threatens to Go After Twitter Board for Trying to Sink Elon Musk’s Purchase

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is threatening to go after Twitter’s board of directors for attempting to sink Elon Musk’s bid to purchase the social media giant.

Speaking at an unrelated press conference Tuesday, DeSantis said the firm fumbled its fiduciary duty by trying to scuttle a sale of the company’s stock at a premium.

That effort could potentially “injure” Florida’s pension funds because they hold Twitter stock, he argued.

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

GB News: Nigel Farage Teases Trump Presidential Run in 2024 — ‘Sharper Than Ever!’

NIGEL FARAGE has apparently confirmed that Donald Trump will run again for US President in the 2024 American election.

Speaking to Dan Wootton on GB News, the former MEP coyly stated he “would never reveal any private conversation” with Mr Trump before admitting “he’s [Mr Trump] running”.

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

Jack Dorsey Goes After CNN for Deliberately Stirring Division

A mask off Jack Dorsey went after CNN in a series of tweets in which the Twitter founder accused the legacy media network of deliberately creating division in society.

The controversy started when CNN’s Brian Stelter tweeted an article accusing Fox News host Tucker Carlson of “always selling the same thing…selling doubt.”

“And you all are selling hope?” Dorsey responded.

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

Kentucky Legislature Overrides Dem Govenor’s Vetoes on Pro-Life, Election Integrity Laws

FRANKFORT (LifeSiteNews) — The Kentucky legislature has enacted more conservative laws over vetoes by Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear, including packages of pro-life and election integrity reforms.

The Blaze reports that the measures include the pro-life omnibus law HB 3, which prohibits abortions performed past 15 weeks and the dispensation of abortion pills by mail, as well as requires parental consent for minors’ abortions and humane burial or cremation of aborted babies.

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

Knoxville Man Suspected of Helping ISIS Makes His Case in Federal Court

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A Knoxville man charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization asked a federal judge to throw out the government’s case against him.

Benjamin Carpenter, 31, faces charges related to editing a translation of an ISIS propaganda video. Titled “Bleeding Campaigns,” it shows a suicide bombing and beheadings — including of one person alleged to be an Israeli spy.

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

Libs of Tik Tok’s Popularity Skyrockets After WaPo’s Failed Dox-and-Smear Campaign

In the wake of the Washington Post‘s Taylor Lorenz doxing the creator of the @libsoftiktok Twitter account in a hit piece, supporters of the account’s work have rallied around her in protest of this attack by establishment media forces.

Some have even taken to replacing their Twitter names and profile pictures with Libs of TikTok branding. But ultimately the organized protest has advocates spreading the message that the account deserves to hit the one million followers milestone.

Within five minutes of watching a real-time graph on SocialBlade, @libsoftiktok gained roughly one-thousand followers.

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

Missouri House Tentatively OKs Bill to Ban Critical Race Theory, Solidify Parental Rights in Schools

JEFFERSON CITY, Missouri (LifeSiteNews) — Republicans in the Missouri House have given preliminary approval to a bill establishing a “parents’ bill of rights” regarding exposure of children to objectionable material that would be enforced by lawsuits and loss of public funds.

HB 1858 gives parents the rights to “review curricula, books, and instructional materials”; to “visit school during school hours with restrictions”; and to “have sufficient accountability and transparency regarding school boards,” according to its legislative summary. It also places restrictions on various actions by school districts, including nondisclosure agreements on curriculum review, parental consent for extracurricular activities, data collection, and more.

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

Poll: Republicans See Biden as Being More Harmful Than Putin

A new poll finds that Republicans see Joe Biden as being more harmful to the world than Vladimir Putin.

A Morning Consult poll revealed that 83 per cent of Republicans believe that the world would be better off without the Russian leader in office.

However, a marginally greater number, 84 per cent, believe the same thing about the current incumbent of the Oval Office.

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

The Washington Post Lies — Claims They Did Not Publish Details About Libs of Tik Tok’s Personal Life

After Taylor Lorenz doxed Libs of Tik Tok in the pages of the Washington Post, that paper released a statement defending the doxing, and defending Lorenz’s journalistic standards.

They also lied, claiming that Lorenz had not published the home address of the Libs of Tik Tok account holder, when in fact, she had. The article was later scrubbed to purge those details, but they were there when the article was published at 6 am on Tuesday.

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

Trump Calls for a Peaceful Solution to Ukraine Conflict

In a statement released by former President Donald Trump on Monday, he urged Ukraine and Russia to come to an agreement before additional carnage and death are dealt.

“It doesn’t make sense that Russia and Ukraine aren’t sitting down and working out some kind of an agreement,” Trump said.

“If they don’t do it soon, there will be nothing left but death, destruction, and carnage,” said Trump.

“This is a war that never should have happened, but it did. The solution can never be as good as it would have been before the shooting started, but there is a solution, and it should be figured out now — not later — when everyone will be DEAD!” Trump concluded.

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

Turning Point USA Event Mobbed by Human Wall of ‘Leftist Student’ Protestors

Turning Point USA hosted an event at Tulane University that was blocked off by a “human wall” of leftist protestors, the activism group says.

The event, coordinated by Driena Sixto, had TPUSA members participate in a “Prove Me Wrong” table session that aimed to have conservatives and dissenting voices discuss hot button political topics on campus.

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

US Congressman Reveals Seats on Committees Are ‘Literally’ Bought

Alabama Representative Mo Brooks told supporters that an entrenched system of corruption prevents Congress from passing legislation that would benefit the average American. Brooks said that both parties charge their members $1 million and beyond for chairmanships of committees, and that only those taking donations from lobbyists can afford these seats… Party officials deny that payments are linked to committee assignments, and refer to this system as paying “dues.” However, it has come under criticism before.

“They told us right off the bat as soon as we get here, ‘These committees all have prices and don’t pick an expensive one if you can’t make the payments,’“ Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie (R) said in 2016, referring to the payments as “extortion” and refusing to pay up.

Massie also described in 2016 how, earlier in his political career, a lobbyist from “the medical device sector” offered to pay for his seat on the House Ways and Means Committee, a powerful slot that would see the Kentucky Republican shape tax policy. The unspoken implication, Massie wrote, was that he would then owe the lobbyist his favor.

“It was one of the scummiest meetings I’ve ever been in,” Massie said. “I left just reeling, thinking about the implications for how this place works, when you realize that the lobbyists pick who goes on which committee.”

           — Hat tip: JAS [Return to headlines]
 

WaPo “Tech Reporter” Taylor Lorenz Under Fire for Doxxing ‘Libs of TikTok’, Harassing Family

Washington Post ‘tech reporter’ Taylor Lorenz has come under fire for doxxing the person behind ‘Libs of TikTok’ — a Twitter account dedicated to amplifying unhinged TikTok rants by Democrats and other leftists, including shocking clips of public school teachers who harbor extreme views.

The crux of Lorenz’s hit piece is that Libs of TikTok spreads “anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment” and should be outed and shamed for “acting as a wire service for the broader right-wing media ecosystem” and “affecting teachers’ ability to feel safe in their classrooms.”

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

Washington State to Spend $450,000 Going After Gasoline ‘Superusers’

Washington state will be spending $450,000 of taxpayer money to go after so-called gasoline “superusers,” drivers that allegedly use a disproportionately large amount of gasoline relative to other drivers.

Senate Bill (SB) 5689, which was recently passed by the state legislature, allows researchers in the field to find out personal information on these “superusers.” They will be researching who these drivers are, where they live, what they drive, how much they spend on gasoline, and what might induce them to switch from a gasoline vehicle to a battery-electric vehicle, Driving.ca reports.

The results will be collected by January 2023 and will be given to Governor Jay Inslee (D) and the state government for evaluation.

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

Alberta Church, Pastor Going to Trial for Alleged COVID Violations

EDMONTON, Alberta (LifeSiteNews) — A Christian church in Edmonton is headed to court for refusing to allow COVID inspectors into the building during worship services.

In yet another instance of Alberta levying COVID-related charges at a Christian pastor, the trial for Pastor Tracy Fortin and Church of the Vine in Edmonton was set to begin Tuesday. Fortin and her church are facing thousands of dollars in fines related to “obstruction” charges for allegedly refusing to allow the government’s COVID inspectors into the church during worship services on three separate occasions.

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

Civil Liberties Groups Demand Inquiry Into Trudeau’s Use of Emergency Powers Against Freedom Convoy

OTTAWA (LifeSiteNews) — A group of 15 civil liberties organizations demanded an open “public” independent inquiry be held to scrutinize Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shutting down the trucker Freedom Convoy though the use of the Emergencies Act (EA).

As reported by Blacklock’s Reporter, late last week the civil liberties organizations argued together in a joint petition that it is concerned about “the use of state and police powers to suppress constitutional rights.”

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

Exclusive: Global Affairs Spent 34k on Limos and Chauffeurs at the Glasgow Climate Change Conference

The cost of the drivers and luxury transportation comes from an exclusive access to information request filed by Rebel News into the ministry for expenses related to November’s United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Scotland.

The total bill for the climate junket is pegged at $271,000 including $10,300 for PCR testing and $34,058.18 to a company called Little’s Chauffeur Drive. Receipts for taxis and rideshare services were separately submitted and not included in the limo charges.

In total, 211 people were part of the official Canadian delegation to the Glasgow conference.

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

Government Charter of Rights Conference Concludes With Sharp Words for Panelists

An Ottawa conference marking the 40th anniversary of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms saw a law professor lecture the government for not understanding “the very notion of freedom,” as well as an independent media journalist chastise a panel member for calling Freedom Convoy protesters “human slime.”

The government conference saw representatives from various human rights organizations speak to reporters both on Parliament Hill and virtually. Panellists included University of Ottawa law professor John Packer and Canadians United against Hate founder Fareed Khan.

A half-hour into the conference, Blacklock’s Reporter’s Tom Korski asked why no one had discussed the government’s implementation of the Emergencies Act on Feb. 14.

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

‘It is What it is’: Trudeau Transportation Minister Says No Plans to Update Travel and Masking Policies

Trudeau Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said that masking guidelines will remain in Canada for the time being, as the US moved yesterday to drop its national mandate on transport.

During an appearance in Calgary on Tuesday, Alghabra said that Canada would continue to follow advice from “experts and doctors.” He did not comment directly on the US’s court ruling.

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

Live Updates: British Columbia Vaccine Passport Being Challenged in Court

The first of four legal challenges against British Columbia’s vaccine passport system is being heard in the province’s Supreme Court today.

Today’s case is brought forward by four petitioners, including the Canadian Constitution Foundation.

Drea Humphrey will be providing live tweet updates on the hearing.

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

Now Vaccine-Injured, Former Believer Speaks Out

As we continue to hear crickets from mainstream media about the reactions that Canadians are suffering from as a result of COVID-19 injections, more and more people are questioning the accuracy of legacy media.

A mere few months ago, 47-year-old Saskatchewan resident Trina Huss was an avid mainstreamist. She relied on the mainstream media as her daily news source and was terrified into submission by their incessant and exaggerated COVID reporting. The focused reporting on the idea of long COVID while completely ignoring the vaccine reactions that are happening.

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

Pastor Artur Pawlowski Sends Thanks to Supporters as He Navigates Life Out of Jail

After 51 days of imprisonment and being subject to harsh living conditions, Pastor Artur Pawlowski was released on March 31 from the Calgary Remand Centre under strict bail conditions he still faces today.

In his video thanking supporters, Pastor Artur touches on some of the horrid conditions he lived through during his unjust imprisonment, being “subjected to physical and psychological torture” were only a few of the sadistic mistreatments Artur endured during his time at the Remand Centre.

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

EU to Impose Full Embargo on Russian Oil Next Week, Will Send Price Above $185 According to JPMorgan

Update (13:15 ET): What was largely a theoretical modeling exercise until moments ago, is set to go live because Reuters reports that the EU is set to declare a full embargo on Russian oil after this weekend’s French election:

Why wait until after the election to launch the embargo? Simple: Europe’s bureaucrats are correctly terrified that the coming oil price spike to push the vote in Le Pen’s favor, which is why Europe will wait until after the election (when Macron will supposedly be the next president of France, as Belgium hopes) to announce it publicly.

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

France: Extinction Rebellion Mount ‘Civil Disobedience’ Protests in Paris

Climate change protesters under the Extinction Rebellion banner have been mounting “civil disobedience” demonstrations in Paris to call on the next government to take action on global warming.

Hundreds of protesters have been occupying parts of the capital’s major boulevards in the 2nd and 10th arrondissements since Saturday (April 16), with most dispersed by yesterday evening (Monday, April 18).

Some sat on the roads, others played the guitar or carried placards, and makeshift barriers and chairs closed off the streets.

They have dubbed their movement “non-violent civil disobedience”. One large banner read: “This world is dying, let’s build the next one.”

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

Germans Told to Take Fewer Showers as Energy Costs Bite

As energy costs continue to bite thanks to the sanctions on Russia, Germans are being told to take fewer showers.

Yes, really.

Amidst discussion in the country of a potential total energy embargo on Russia, articles about the supposed health benefits of showering less have begun to pop up.

In an article titled ‘‘It’s enough to wash THESE four body parts — Why the skin cleans itself if you let it’, Germany’s Bild newspaper cites advice by economy minister Robert Habeck, who has called on citizens to cut back on their heating, sauna visits, and showers to help the country reduce its dependence on Russian energy.

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

Germany: Energy Crisis: Climate Extremists Threaten to Cut Vital Gas Pipelines

Climate crazies in Germany have threatened to start cutting off oil and gas pipelines until the government acquiesces to the group’s green demands.

As many across Europe struggle to keep up with the spiralling cost of energy as a result of years of bad government policy and recently intensified by the Ukraine crisis, climate crazies in Britain and Germany have been staging widespread protests, with activists in Britain disrupting the supply of petrol and diesel to the extent of causing shortages in the south of the country.

Germany’s hardcore green activists now look set to follow suit, threatening that they will begin shutting down oil and gas pipelines in the central European country unless the government acquiesces to their demand that no more money be put into new fossil fuel projects.

According to a report by Die Welt, the group issued the ultimatum after a long campaign of blocking roads in Berlin and Frankfurt, which has previously led to the climate crazies being referred to as a “fanatical doomsday sect”.

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

Germany: Green Agenda Trumps Energy Crisis as Minister Rules Out Fracking

Germany has once again decided that its Green Agenda trumps the crippling energy crisis, with the country’s climate minister dismissing fracking as a way of obtaining much-needed gas.

Fracking has been dismissed as an alternative method of sourcing much-needed gas in Germany due to the country’s Green Agenda, with one of the country’s many green party ministers ruling the tech out over environmental concerns. Meanwhile, the country remains reliant on huge quantities of imported Russian gas with no serious alternative on the table besides crashing the economy.

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

Germany: Prophet of Doom — Health Minister Slammed by Experts for ‘Unhelpful’ Killer COVID Variant Prediction

Germany’s health minister has been lambasted for fearmongering by experts after warning that a killer COVID variant could emerge this autumn.

Germany’s now-infamous Health Minister, Karl Lauterbach, has warned the country’s population that a new, extremely deadly variant of COVID could emerge in Autumn, which would, in turn, require a return of harsh lockdown measures.

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

Italy: Arms-to-Ukraine Opponent Has Rai Contract Terminated

Expert says he’s ready to appear on show for free

(ANSA) — ROME, MAR 24 — State broadcaster Rai said Thursday that it was not continuing with the contract of an expert who is critical of the policy of supplying arms to Ukraine after the Russian invasion.

Professor Alessandro Orsini, a lecturer on the sociology of international terrorism at the private Luiss University in Rome, has said supplying arms to Kyiv risks drawing out the war, causing more deaths, and fuelling an escalation that could lead to the use of weapons of mass destruction.

A furore broke out after it was reported that Orsini has a contract to make six appearances on the “Cartabianca” show on the Rai 3 channel for a fee of around 2,000 euros per appearance.

Andrea Romano of the Democratic Party (PD) had said it was unacceptable to use public money to finance “Putin propaganda windbags”.

However, several figures expressed reservations about Orsini’s contract being terminated because of his opinions.

Cartabianca presenter Bianca Berlinguer said she opposed the decision, as it limited her ability to choose her guests and provide debate with a variety of opinions.

Orsini, meanwhile, said via Facebook that he was now willing to appear on the show for free.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Italy: Molotov Cocktail Scorches Russian Couple’s Villa Entrance

Slight damage, cops think copy cat attack near Livorno

(ANSA) — ROME, APR 11 — A Molotov cocktail scorched the entrance to a villa owned by a Russian couple in coastal southern Tuscany on Sunday night, police said Monday.

The fire bomb started a blaze at the entrance to Villa Pontello at Castiglioncello near Livorno, owned by a 39-year-old Russian builder who restructured the building and who spends time there with his wife during their holidays.

Police said the attack, which caused slight damage, may have been a copy cat incident after similar incidents involving Russian property in Italy after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The builder, who is said to have various construction and property assets in Italy, and his wife were not in the property when the attack happened.

He has another villa which he is restructuring at Castiglioncello.

Neighbours who were alarmed by the flames called police.

The villa which was attacked bears the name of the Pontellos, a family of Florentine building entrepreneurs who owned soccer club Fiorentina in the 1980s and ‘90s.

The family sold the villa to a professional in the early 2000s, who sold it on to the Russian builder about eight years ago, reportedly for some seven million euros.

Villa Pontello borders Villa Godilonda, a seaside residence once owned by the poet Gabriele D’Annunzio.

A fire broke out overnight on April 5-6 at a Lake Como villa at Menaggio belonging to Russian television presenter Vladimir Solovyev, a major supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The villa has been seized by the Italian authorities as part of the sanctions imposed on Russia following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Arson is suspected as tyres were used to start the fire, sources said.

The blaze was quickly put out by firefighters, the sources added.

Someone wrote ‘V. Solovyev killer’ and ‘no war’ in red paint on a gate, daubed red paint on the walls of another villa, and put red paint in the swimming pool, Carabinieri said.

The anchorman had recently fulminated on air against the seizure of his three villas on the lake worth some eight million euros.

One of the other villas was also vandalised.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Italy: Venice Tourists Will Have to Book From This Summer

Pay entrance fee from next year, mayor says after Easter crush

(ANSA) — ROME, APR 19 — Venice tourists will have to book their visits to the historic centre of the lagoon city starting this summer, Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said after a packed Easter weekend.

Reservations will be compulsory by the end of the summer and from next year visitors will have to pay an entry fee, the mayor told the Corriere del Veneto newspaper Tuesday.

He was speaking after some 140,000 people flocked into Venice on Easter Sunday, and almost 100,000 more on Easter Monday.

“This is the right way forward,” Brugnaro said, “and today many people have realized it”.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Poland Will Not Run Out of Food for Poles or Refugees, Assures Polish Minister of Agriculture

Poland’s Minister of Agriculture Henryk Kowalczyk has rubbished the notion that the country could run out of food provisions following the arrival of 2.8 million Ukranian refugees since Feb. 24.

“I guarantee that Poland will not lack food, neither for Poles nor for refugees from Ukraine,” Kowalczyk assured the nation during an interview with Polish public broadcaster TVP1 on Sunday.

The minister noted that Poland is a major food exporter meaning regular deliveries are secure. He added that price increases and problems in access to food should be expected in other countries, due to the reduction in sowing on Ukrainian grounds.

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

Public Transport in French City Shut Down After Latest Attack on Driver

Public transportation in a major French city was almost completely shut down when employees went on strike to protest dangerous working conditions after a tram driver was brutally attacked this week, according to reports.

The disturbing incident unfolded at around 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday in Grenoble, the largest city in the department of Isère.

A female driver had exited a train and was walking along a platform when she was ambushed by a male assailant who kicked and punched her before fleeing.

The victim, approximately 40 years old, was found laying on the ground by fellow employees of M TAG, the local public transit company, Le Dauphine reports.

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

Scottish Government Scraps £7 Million COVID Passport App

Scotland’s ruling party, the Scottish National Party (SNP) has scrapped a £7 million ($9 million) vaccine passport app, which failed to have any significant impact on the spread of COVID-19.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon initially indicated that the app would remain live for anyone who wishes to use it, but on Monday, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said it would no longer be appropriate for the app to be used domestically.

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

Sweden: Social Democrats Ignore Their Voters and Turn to NATO

The Social Democrats have long been opposed to Swedish membership of the NATO military alliance, as was evident at the party’s congress in November, where a majority voted to maintain the Swedish policy of neutrality. According to Swedish daily Aftonbladet, which has long had a good insight into the inner workings of the Social Democrats, a decision was taken on April 8 during a meeting of the party’s executive committee to change its policy direction.

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

Three Shot, School Burned Down as Rioting Over Anti-Islam Activists Continues in Sweden

Violent riots continued over the weekend in Swedish cities in reaction to anti-Islam Qu’ran-burning activists, with three people shot and injured by police in Norrköping and a school set on fire in Malmo.

Since Thursday, Sweden has seen rioting across several cities in response to the activities of Danish anti-Islam activist Rasmus Paludan and his group Stram Kurs (Hard Line), who have held or have promised to hold demonstrations across the country, which have included the burning of the Islamic Qu’ran.

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

UK: Report: Consumers Abandoning Disney Streaming Service to Save Money Amid Soaring Inflation

Consumers have been shedding streaming services to save money amid soaring inflation but Disney is losing U.K. consumers at a faster rate than Netflix and Amazon’s Prime Video, according to a new report.

Streaming service customers in the United Kingdom canceled about 1.5 million subscriptions in the first three months of 2022 — up by around 500,000 from the previous quarter — with more than a third doing so to save money, according to a report by the data analytics company Kantar.

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

UK: Video Shows Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil Mob Downing Booze and Dancing at All-Night Rave in London’s Egg Nightclub to Celebrate Bringing Travel Misery to Millions Over 16 Days

An unruly mob of hundreds of Extinction Rebellion activists including its radical founder Roger Hallam and his girlfriend shamelessly partied at an all-night rave on Easter Sunday to celebrate bringing travel chaos to millions of hardworking commuters.

In a post on Telegram giving details of the gig at Egg nightclub in King’s Cross, North London seen by The Sun, organisers crowed: ‘After a week of sitting down, it’s time to shake those legs. We are inviting all rebels to an after-party full of energetic bands and DJs.’

Video shows the eco-fanatics dancing wildly to live music by rock band The Molotovs as they downed £6.50 cans of beer until the early hours of Monday morning.

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

Tunisian Ministry Bans Export of Some Produce

To improve domestic supply and stabilise prices

(ANSAmed) — TUNIS, APRIL 14 — The Tunisian authorities have decided to prohibit the export of some fruits and vegetables including potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, and onions, due to a severe lack of supply at the domestic level and exorbitant price hikes since the beginning of Ramadan.

The decision was made by the ministry of trade, ministry communications chief Mohamed Ali Ferchichi told the news agency TAP in noting that the decision had been made towards the end of last week.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Islamic State Calls for Attacks in Europe Urging Followers to Take Advantage of Ukraine Crisis

The Islamic State terrorist group has called on followers to avenge its recently killed leader and take advantage of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine to carry out terror attacks in Europe.

On Sunday, Abu Omar al-Muhajir, the spokesman for the Islamic State, announced that the terror group would be seeking revenge for the death of its former leader Abu Ibrahim al-Hachimi al-Qurashi, who died after blowing himself up during a united states special forces operation in Syria in February.

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

Latest News in the Russia-Ukraine War

Ukraine: Ukrainian authorities are scrambling to evacuate the remaining civilians from the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as Russia begins its new military offensive. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told India Today that the fight was entering a new phase and said the goal is to “fully liberate” Donetsk and Luhansk.

Refugees: The number of refugees from the war approached five million, according to figures from the United Nations.

Russia: The Russian government is preparing lawsuits to challenge the freezing of its assets abroad, a move that the West imposed on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.

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

Russia Arrests Another Journalist, Mikhail Afanasyev, For Content That Criticizes Ukraine Invasion

A journalist in Russia has been arrested for publishing content criticizing the invasion of Ukraine. The journalist was arrested under the new “fake news” law that carries a sentence of up to 15 years.

The editor-in-chief of Novy Fokus, Mikhail Afanasyev, in the Khakassia region, was arrested last week after his website reported that 11 riot police refused Ukraine deployment. He is being charged with spreading “deliberately false information” about the Russian military.

In March, Russia passed a new “fake news” law that carries a sentence of up to 15 years for spreading “false” information about the military.

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

Russia ‘Offers Mariupol Ceasefire’ So Ukrainians Can Surrender

The Russian defence ministry says it will offer a ceasefire in Mariupol on Wednesday to allow Ukrainian defenders holed up in the Azovstal steelworks to lay down their arms, Reuters reports.

Russia continued on Tuesday to shell the plant, where a “dwindling number” of Ukraine forces were still holding out. Video showed smoke rising from the complex.

The defence ministry said it would begin a ceasefire at 2pm Moscow time on Wednesday (11am GMT) to give the Ukraine fighters the opportunity to surrender and leave unharmed.

Reuters noted that Russia claimed to have made the same offer on Tuesday, but “not a single Ukrainian soldier had accepted”.

The Ukraine president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has promised that his forces in Mariupol would “fight to the end” and ignore any surrender ultimatums from Russia.

           — Hat tip: Dean [Return to headlines]
 

China’s Weibo is Still Censoring Posts About Shanghai Grocery Shortages During Strict Lockdown

The fresh round of strict Covid lockdowns in several big cities, including Shanghai, continued in China last week, causing a fall in consumer spending and higher unemployment rates.

But another effect the lockdowns are having is rising anger by some residents who are facing not only higher prices attached to basic goods — but are also having trouble buying them and/or having them delivered.

China’s massive social media site Weibo, which in 2020 had over half a billion monthly users and has consistently faced criticism over the censorship it deploys, has now decided to block a hashtag referring to the problems faced by Shanghai residents.

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

Elderly, Babies Taken to Shanghai’s COVID Quarantine Sites at Night

Shanghai residents have complained that babies and the elderly are being bused away to COVID-19 quarantine sites in the middle of the night — as the city steps up transfers in a bid to meet a so-called Wednesday deadline to stop the spread of the virus.

Photos posted on social media showed elderly people in wheelchairs, wearing masks and protective gear, arriving by bus outside one of Shanghai’s designated quarantine facilities in the dead of night.

Other residents shared stories of how their relatives, including those over 90 and even babies, were being taken from their homes at night and sent to makeshift hospitals after testing positive for the virus.

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

Most Remaining COVID Rules Scrapped in NSW and Victoria

NSW and Victoria have today scrapped most remaining Covid rules with household contacts no longer required to self-isolate.

For Victoria, the changes come into effect on Friday at 11.59pm while the NSW government announced similar rule changes about the same time.

The changes come as both states are reported to have passed the peak of the latest surges of the Omicron variant.

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

March Farm Attacks in South Africa: Victims Included 73- 76- 80- and 84-Year-Old Whites

Reports say an intruder’s gun failed to fire. The farmer had just pulled into his garage when approached by an individual who pointed a firearm at the victims.

Two armed attackers took the farmer’s house keys and made off with a number of items from the home. Two suspects were found with the stolen items and arrested.

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

Children Clutching Toys and Wrapped in Union Jack Scarves Among as Many as 200 Migrants to Arrive in UK by Small Boat Today After Easter Saw More Than 500 Cross the Channel After Priti Patel Unveiled Rwanda Scheme

More than 200 migrants are believed to have reached Britain by small boat today — meaning the total for April may have surpassed 2,000.

While the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is yet to release the official figures for April 19, it is believed that at least 200 people battled windy conditions in the Channel to make the perilous journey across the 21-mile Dover Strait.

The first migrants arrived in the early hours of the morning — with around 30 people reaching the Dover Harbour, Kent, in a dinghy, around 4.30am.

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

Dozens of Suspected Terrorists Have Been Stopped at Border Since Biden Took Office

Dozens of people on terrorist watch lists have been caught trying to cross the border illegally since President Joe Biden took office in January 2021, according to FOX News.

Texas Congressman Chip Roy slammed Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in a tweet on Tuesday, blaming them for the 42 individuals with possible terrorist ties who attempted to sneak into the country.

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

German Minister: No Upper Limit on Ukrainian Refugees

German Transport Minister Volker Wissing has said Berlin will not set an upper limit for the number of refugees it accepts fleeing Ukraine.

Wissing said Germany still needed to be prepared for the unexpected, with more than 5 million people already having already fled Ukraine since Russia started its war on February 24.

What did the minister say?

Wissing, from the neoliberal Free Democrats, the told Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland media group there was no possibility of Germany setting a limit on refugee numbers.

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

Hungary: Border Patrols Stopped Over 1,000 Illegal Crossing Attempts Over Easter Weekend

While Hungary is doing its best to assist the refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine, its southern borders remain under constant siege from migrants hailing from the Middle East and northern Africa.

Hungarian authorities took action against 1,028 border violators from Friday to Sunday, the National Police Headquarters informed MTI on Monday.

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

Italy: Migrant Arrivals Doubled in 2021 — Astalli Centre

Almost all women suffered abuse or torture on journeys

(ANSA) — ROME, APR 12 — Migrant arrivals in Italy doubled in 2021, the Astalli Centre for migrants said Tuesday.

Some 67,040 migrants arrived in Italy by sea last year compared to 34,154 in 2020, it said.

Unaccompanied migrant minors were 9,478 in 20221, up from 4,687 in 2020.

Some two thirds of migrants are still being hosted in the extraordinary reception centres (CAS), designed to handle large flows, said the Astalli Centre.

The ‘diffuse reception system’ (SAI), with smaller numbers and more targeted intervention goals, only has around 25,000 people out of 76,000 present in authorised facilities.

Sexual abuse and torture of women on migrant routes went up last year, the centre added.

“Almost all the women seen by the gynaecological service, 213 in 2021, underwent torture, gender violence or abuse in their countries of origin or during their journeys,” it said.

Italian red tape was continuing to constrict migrants’ rights, the report added.

           — Hat tip: Insubria [Return to headlines]
 

Migrant Crisis 2.0: EU Sees Highest Influx of Migrants Since 2016, Even Excluding Ukraine

BRUSSELS (AP) — The number of migrants trying to enter the European Union without authorization in the first three months of this year has risen to its highest level since 2016, even excluding refugees arriving from Ukraine, the EU’s border and coast guard agency said Tuesday.

Frontex estimated that more than 40,300 “illegal crossings” were made into the 27-nation EU between January and March, up by 57% over the same period last year.

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

‘They Will Stay Here and Take Our Jobs!’ — Some Czechs Criticize Aid to Refugees

The war in Ukraine has stirred a wave of solidarity in the Czech Republic, but not everyone shares it, the iDNES.cz news outlet reported after talking to people who are dissatisfied with the level of assistance being offered to Ukrainians.

Some people do not like the benefits that make it easier for refugees to live in asylum. They do not like that Ukrainians receive 5,000 korunas (€205) a month and are offered free services, or that Ukrainian flags hang on houses.

Many respondents who wrote offensive comments about refugees on social media eventually softened their statements in private conversations.

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

Video: Texas Sheriff Expects Border is About to be Overrun

NBC News suddenly had an epiphany Monday, realising that when Joe Biden lifts the Title 42 health authority on migrants crossing into the U.S., there will be a massive surge at the border.

The network filed a report on the border at McAllen, Texas, with border agents warning that the numbers of migrants attempting to cross is about to double when health restrictions are lifted next month.

Agents estimate that 221,000 crossed in March, and noted that there are hundreds of thousands more just waiting for restrictions to ease.

Hidalgo County, Texas Sheriff Eddie Guerra, interviewed during the report said that he has been warned to expect that the border could be overrun.

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

Catholic Church Attacks Across US a ‘Cultural Crisis’ Leaving Religious Leaders Stumped

CATHOLIC CHURCHES and Christian iconography have been targeted in a wave of attacks mystifying religious leaders in the US.

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

Ron DeSantis Out to Strip Disney’s Special Status Over ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Tuesday he will formally seek to strip the Walt Disney Co. of its self-governing status after it publicly bashed the Sunshine State’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law.

DeSantis, seen as a potential front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, said lawmakers will be “considering termination of all special districts that were announced in Florida prior to 1968 — and that includes the Reedy Creek Improvement District.”

That arrangement confers wide-ranging autonomy on the state’s largest employer — including control over local police and fire units.

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

12 thoughts on “Gates of Vienna News Feed 4/19/2022

  1. AUSTRIA- New law: half a million fine for spreading Russian media
    19 April 2022 20:00

    https://samnytt.se/ny-lag-halv-miljon-i-boter-for-den-som-sprider-ryska-medier/

    Up to €50,000 in fines, or just over half a million kronor, could be imposed on anyone who disseminates the Russian media RT or Sputnik in violation of EU censorship laws. This is under a new law in Austria that came into force today.

    The law is backed by Austria’s blue-green government, with support from the Social Democrats and Liberals. The Freedom Party (FPÖ) was the only party to vote against the law when it was debated in the Austrian parliament.

    FPÖ: Do the same as Russia
    Susanne Fürst, the FPÖ’s spokeswoman on constitutional issues, warns against this development.

    – Every time the government wants to protect us from something, extreme caution is required. Because it always leads to more state and less freedom,” she says.

    Her party colleague, legal policy spokesman Harald Stefan, believes the law is a “tangible restriction of fundamental rights, freedom of expression, freedom of the press and free access to information”.

    – With this law, the Parliament is implementing the same thing that is currently being pushed through in Russia, where social media is blocked, but in the opposite way. A single opinion is allowed. Dissenting views are silenced, deleted and made punishable,” he says.

    “We don’t allow fake news”
    Eva Blimlinger is the cultural policy spokesperson for Austria’s Green Party, which is part of the government. She heads the committee that has hastily drafted the new law.

    Blimlinger dismisses the FPÖ’s criticism and denies that the law is about censorship. According to her, the blue-green government allows different opinions “but not fake news”, she says, according to Die Presse.

    The Austrian ban on sharing Russian media applies to RT’s English, German, French and Spanish versions, as well as to Sputnik. It applies regardless of whether one shares or distributes all or part of the Russian media’s productions.

    Re-publishing part of an RT report, for example by uploading it to Twitter or Facebook, can be enough to be punished, according to the committee’s minutes.

  2. From May 2021

    REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE PROHIBITION OF
    RACIST ORGANISATIONS SOU 2021:27

    https://samnytt.se/regeringens-nya-forslag-forbjud-rasistiska-tidningar/

    Government’s new proposal: ban “racist” newspapers
    4 May 2021 at 19:38

    The red-green government is today taking further steps towards abolishing freedom of the press and freedom of expression in Sweden. With a new law, so-called “racist organizations” will be banned. Among other things, the government points out alternative media as problematic in a report.

    – Racism is a poison and has been in all times and in all societies, says Minister of Justice Morgan Johansson.
    It was at a press conference today that Morgan Johansson presented the report “A ban on racist organisations”.

    – Racism is a poison and has been in all times and in all societies. It not only tears societies apart, but poses a direct threat to individuals, Johansson said dramatically at the press conference and continued:

    – Sweden is not exempt in any way. On the contrary, we have seen an increase in activity by right-wing extremist racist and anti-Semitic groups.

    Alternative media are “blatantly racist”
    The 346-page report refers not least to the State Media Council and the report “Violence-promoting and anti-democratic messages on the internet” published in 2013.

    The report identifies alternative media such as Fria Tider and the then Avpixlat – now Samnytt – as “blatantly racist, xenophobic and Islamophobic”.

    Other current publications and movements that are similarly
    the same generous assessment criteria could be judged as racist
    by the low-gifted Morgan Johansson are for example:
    Nya Tider, New Voice, Nya Dagbladet, Swebbtv, Svegot,
    not to mention AfS, DfS, KNAPPTRYCKARNA, etc.

    “Alternative media and forms of communication have historically played an important role in the mobilisation and development of extreme right-wing movements”, the report reads.
    This was something that Mr Johansson also mentioned at the press conference.

    – These groups have found it easier to organise themselves. They have found it easier to find each other. They have found it easier to spread their hatred and threats with the emergence of social media, he said and continued:

    – We have no way of banning and disbanding these organisations. They can run newspapers and raise money. They can have rallies and demonstrations.
    The government has also repeatedly branded the Sweden Democrats as a racist party.

    Prison for “racists”
    The government now wants to change all this. According to the bill, two new offences will be introduced into the Criminal Code. “Organised racism” and “support for organised racism”.

    The punishment for anyone accused of engaging in or supporting “organised racism” will be up to two years in prison, the plan is. For those who engage in “aggravated organised racism”, the penalty will be from six months to four years in prison.

    The plan is for the new law to come into force by 1 July 2022, in time for the September election campaign.

    • yea its a Europe wide push to separate Eurasia from Oceania, Zelensky good, Putin Bad… and don’t you dare to speak with the enemy and find out what they are saying, they are lying anyway! Only we, your governments, know the truth and you better believe it.

  3. Swedish payments giant Klarna´s co-owner and former CEO
    Rakim Mayers has been arrested on suspicion of a shooting,
    NBC News reports.

    Rakim Mayers, known by his stage name “Asap Rocky,” was arrested on Wednesday at Los Angeles International Airport.

    He is suspected of a November 2021 shooting, multiple police sources tell NBC News. The victim has said that Mayers, in the company of other people, approached him on the street and then fired at him with three or four shots.

    When he was arrested, Rakim Mayers, 33, had just arrived in Los Angeles on a private plane from Barbados. He had been there on holiday with his girlfriend, singer Rihanna.

    Mayers’ lawyer, Alan Jackson, confirms to NBC News that his client has been detained.

    The 33-year-old criminal attracted widespread attention when he was convicted of a brutal gang beating of an Afghan man in Stockholm during a visit to Sweden in 2019.

    See further detailed report in GoV:

    “Did A$AP Rocky Beat Up a Mujahid?”

    https://gatesofvienna.net/2019/07/did-aap-rocky-beat-up-a-mujahid/

    In the summer of 2021, it was reported that Rakim Mayers had bought into Klarna. Mayers also became the controversial Swedish company’s CEO for a day, and Klarna praised him for his fight to “slow the effects of climate change”.

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