Russian forces reportedly hit a tank of nitric acid in the Luhansk Oblast in eastern Ukraine, releasing deadly gas into the surrounding area. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky demanded that Russia be expelled from the UN Security Council.
In other news, both Peru and Sri Lanka are experiencing mass popular unrest due to the effects of severe price inflation.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Dean, DV, MM, 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.
Inflation Protests Erupt Across Peru as President Imposes Curfew, Calls in Military
Inflation poses severe challenges for emerging market economies. The latest example is in Peru, where social unrest spreads across the country, forcing the government to impose a curfew in the capital, Lima, on Tuesday, according to Reuters.
“The cabinet has agreed to declare a ban on the mobility of citizens from 2 a.m. through 11:59 p.m. of Tuesday, April 5, to protect the fundamental rights of all people,” Peruvian President Pedro Castillo said in a live broadcast last night.
The South American country was already struggling before commodity prices jumped to record highs because of the Ukraine invasion and virus pandemic supply chain disruptions. Social unrest began last month as demonstrations led by farmers and truckers have intensified over soaring food, fuel, and fertilizer prices.
Days ago, Peru Finance Minister Oscar Graham reduced the consumption tax for fuel and basic food items, hoping it would quell protests.
This all comes as Peru’s annual inflation hit 6.82% in March from a year earlier, the most since August 1998. April’s number is expected to top 7%.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
It’s Official: Deutsche is the First Bank to Forecast a US Recession in Late 2023
Up until now, with the exception of various bearish splinter voices within Wall Street banks — such as those of Michael Hartnett or Albert Edwards who pitched recessionary scenarios explicitly different from the banks’ bullish “base cases”, not one bank dared to make the coming recession its official prediction narrative. That changed this morning when Deutsche Bank’s chief economists and heads of research, David Folkerts-Landau and Peter Hooper, became the first to make a recession in the US and a growth recession in the euro area within the next two years, their official forecast.
The “shocks” behind DB’s dramatic reassessment — the same ones we have been pounding the table on for the past 2 months: the war in Ukraine and the build-up of momentum in elevated US and European inflation.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Amazon’s Proposed Employee Chat App Has a List of Banned Words: “Union, “ “Slave Labor, “ and More
Amazon will not allow employees to use phrases that highlight the company’s shortcomings in a planned chat app, according to internal documents obtained by The Intercept. The app would have an automatic filter to block terms such as “slave labor,” “union,” “pay raise,” and even “restrooms,” probably due to reports of employees using bottles instead of restrooms to meet deadlines.
A source for The Intercept said that in November, the company’s executives met to discuss plans for an employee chat app. The main feature of the app would be posts called “Shout-outs,” which would allow employees to applaud other employees for good performance.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: Twitter Confirms They’re Testing an Edit Button Feature
With the recent renewed interest surrounding Twitter, given Tesla CEO Elon Musk taking a controlling share of the company, Twitter’s communications staff on Tuesday announced they’ve been tinkering on an edit feature since last year.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: Judge Orders Woman Who Sued Project Veritas and Lost to Pay Their Legal Expenses
Project Veritas on Tuesday announced a victory in recuperating legal costs in a defamation case. A US District judge ruled that the accuser, who sued and lost, must pay up after citing how bizarre it was that a woman previously declared “indigent” had an upwards of six lawyers on hand.
Other moments during the proceedings are cited as indicators that outside political activist groups had an active interest in the process.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Critical Race Theory is on the Chopping Block at Placentia-Yorba Linda School District
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District trustees are expected to ban the use and teaching of Critical Race Theory (CRT) at their meeting tonight amid uproar from students and parents.
They may become the first school district trustees in Orange County to do so, despite officials there repeatedly saying the theory isn’t currently taught in the district.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The University of Florida is set to receive $3 million to establish its Hamilton Center for Classical and Civic Education.
“The purpose of the center is to support teaching and research concerning the ideas, traditions, and texts that form the foundations of western and American civilization,” the amendment to Florida’s SB 2524 reads, granting the authorization to the public university.
Steve Orlando, vice president for communications at the University of Florida, told Campus Reform, “While the Governor has not yet signed SB2524, we are prepared to move forward on this initiative.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
GETTR Introduces Real-Time Live Captioning
GETTR has introduced real-time closed captioning for live streaming in 12 different languages. The platform hopes the new feature will allow more people to access uncensored content from all over the world.
Last October, GETTR rolled out the live-streaming feature. Since then, it has become a destination for live content featuring controversial public figures like former US President Donald Trump. The platform has also hosted live videos from Covid restriction protests in Europe, coverage of the Brazilian and French presidential elections, and a host of other exclusive political content.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Gov. Kristi Noem Signs Executive Order Limiting Critical Race Theory in K-12 Schools
Gov. Kristi Noem signed an executive order Tuesday that she said will limit the influence of “divisive concepts” in K-12 schools.
Noem’s move follows the failure of a bill that she proposed during the legislative session similar to the executive order. That bill, House Bill 1337, was killed in the Senate Education committee on a 4-3 vote.
However, the same committee passed a similar bill, House Bill 1012, pertaining to the state’s higher education system. Noem has signed HB 1012 into law.
Her order points to critical race theory as a “political and divisive ideology that teaches a distorted view of the U.S. and its institutions,” Noem said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
High Gas Prices Have Some Returning to Remote Work
WASHINGTON (TND) — Higher gas prices are causing yet another shift in the American workforce. Just as workers started returning to the office post-pandemic, some are once again working remotely to save gas money.
Despite the nation’s fuel prices slowly coming down, it’s still putting a serious strain on wallets. As Americans re-start their routines in the office, the gas pump sticker shock is hitting those with longer commutes especially hard.
“We get calls daily like ‘what type of remote jobs are you working?’ The gas prices have exacerbated that,” said Matt Becker, owner of staffing agency PrideStaff.
Becker says when gas hit $4 per gallon, his clients and staff took notice.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Illinois Church Commits to ‘Fasting From Whiteness’ for Lent
An Illinois church has pledged to avoid musical scores and liturgical contributions in its worship services that are “written or composed by white people” and committed to “fasting from whiteness” for Lent.
The First United Church of Oak Park in Oak Park, Ill. announced, “For Lent this year, First United is doing a mix of ‘giving something up’ and ‘taking something on.’ In our worship services throughout Lent, we will not be using any music or liturgy written or composed by white people. Our music will be drawn from the African American spirituals tradition, from South African freedom songs, from Native American traditions, and many, many more.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Jesuit College to Rename Science Building After Alumnus Dr. Fauci
WORCESTER, Massachusetts (LifeSiteNews) — The College of the Holy Cross will be renaming its Integrated Science Complex to honor favorite son Dr. Anthony Fauci this summer.
The Jesuit institution published the news on Twitter:
We’re proud to announce we will name our integrated science complex for Dr. Anthony Fauci ‘62, the nation’s leading expert on infectious diseases, adviser to eight presidents, and Holy Cross classics major.
READ MORE: https://t.co/aPkAMMgEfO pic.twitter.com/1M36RWdLui
— College of the Holy Cross (@holy_cross) April 4, 2022
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Numerous Health Problems More Likely Due to COVID-19 Vaccines Than Coincidence: VAERS Data Analysis
Authored by Petr Svab via The Epoch Times
Various health problems reported by people after receiving one of the COVID-19 vaccine shots are more likely caused by the vaccines than being merely coincidental, according to an analysis of data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).
VAERS has been flooded with more than a million reports of various health problems and more than 21,000 death reports since the introduction of the vaccines in late 2020. Some experts and public officials have downplayed the significance of the reports, noting that just because a health problem occurs after getting the shot, it doesn’t mean it was caused by it.
A deeper analysis of the data, however, indicates that many of the adverse effects are more than just a coincidence, according to Jessica Rose, a computational biologist who’s been studying the data for at least nine months.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NYC Mom Who Criticized Mayor Adams’ Toddler Mask Mandate Fired From City Position
The mother who criticized New York Mayor Eric Adams’ toddler mask mandate during a press conference has been fired from her job as a city employee following the confrontation, according to New York Post.
Daniela Jampel, a prominent critic of Mayor Adams’ COVID mandates, specifically those imposed upon children, was informed via email that she was fired less than an hour after the encounter. She worked for the city Law Department as an assistant corporation counsel, according to the outlet.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Radio Presenter Amber Athey Fired Over Kamala Harris Outfit Tweet
Amber Athey, a conservative radio presenter and columnist, was fired from WMAL after activists complained about a tweet where she made fun of Vice President Kamala Harris’ brown outfit during the State of the Union speech.
“Kamala looks like a UPS employee — what can brown do for you? Nothing good, apparently,” Athey wrote on March 1.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Revealed: Elon Musk Reached Out to Babylon Bee Before Buying Ownership Stake in Twitter
Elon Musk reportedly reached out to The Babylon Bee before his purchase of a 9.2 percent stake in Twitter, and before he issued a tweet asking users if they believed the platform upheld the principles of free speech. It was also announced on Tuesday that Musk will join the tech giant’s board of directors.
According to Bee CEO Seth Dillon, Musk reached out prior to his polling of Twitter users on whether or not they believe Twitter “rigorously adheres” to free speech.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sacramento Mass Shooting: 2 Brothers Arrested After 6 Dead, 12 Injured
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A second suspect has now been arrested in connection with the mass Sacramento shooting that claimed six lives and injured 12 people.
On Tuesday, Sacramento police said they arrested 27-year-old Smiley Martin, who was injured during the early Sunday morning violence at 10 and K streets in the downtown area. It appears as though he was one of the dozen who suffered injuries.
Police said once he recovers, he will be booked at the Sacramento County Main Jail for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession of a machine gun.
As of Tuesday morning, Smiley Martin was not found in Sacramento jail, as he was still in the hospital. Police did not provide a photo of him.
Smiley Martin is the older brother of Dandrae Martin, 26, who was arrested Monday as a “related suspect” to the shooting, booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and being a convict carrying a loaded gun.
Detectives and SWAT team members found one handgun during searches of three area homes.
The younger brother is expected to be arraigned in court on Tuesday.
Neither brother has formally been charged by the Sacramento District Attorney…
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
Seattle’s City Hall Park Remains Closed After Costly Damage From Homeless Encampment
Since last August, Courthouse Park, also known as City Hall Park in Seattle has remained closed following the clearing of a notorious homeless encampment whose occupants were responsible for multiple violent crimes.
The city originally said that the park would be closed for 2-3 months, but more than seven months later, the park remains fenced off and closed. On Monday, Seattle Parks and Rec. told The Post Millennial, that the re-opening was being delayed another 60 days due to “seeding” and “rat abatement.” However, the park is overgrown and no work has been seen at the property for weeks.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Stacey Abrams Now a Millionaire After Failed Gubernatorial Run, Voting Rights Campaigns
Following Stacey Abrams’ failed attempt at a 2018 gubernatorial run in Georgia, the politician’s finances have seemingly exploded to millionaire status ahead of her next attempt for the Georgia leadership position.
While only holding a net worth of $109,000 during her first campaign four years ago, Abrams has reportedly skyrocketed to a net worth of $3.17 million, according to state disclosures viewed by the Associated Press.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Substack VP Announces Job Openings, Says Twitter Employees Triggered by Elon Musk Shouldn’t Apply
The vice president of communications for Substack announced job openings at the subscription-based publishing platform and issued a warning to disgruntled Twitter employees triggered by Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk becoming one of the big tech company’s largest shareholders. Musk, a staunch free speech advocate, has also now been appointed to Twitter’s board after the massive stock buy.
“Substack is hiring! If you’re a Twitter employee who’s considering resigning because you’re worried about Elon Musk pushing for less regulated speech… please do not come work here,” Substack VP Lulu Cheng Meservey tweeted Tuesday.
“But for everybody else, we really are hiring! Join a talented, determined, passionate, motley team of all backgrounds and beliefs. We debate respectfully, execute maniacally, and live to serve writers and podcasters. Long live independent publishing,” the Substack executive added on Twitter.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Polygraph Machine is a Debunked Science — It’s Also a $2 Billion Industry
During Gary Gauger’s 1993 interrogation over his parents’ murders, police officers tried to convince him of his guilt. In their narrative, Gauger had bludgeoned his parents to death and slit their throats in a drunken blackout. When Gauger refuted the officers’ accusations, they went a step further and administered a polygraph test mere hours after Gauger had called them to report finding his elderly parents’ bloody and beaten bodies.
Police used the test against Gauger to obtain his tearful confession. “[Police] claimed that they had found blood-soaked clothes in Gauger’s bedroom; and they told him that he had failed a polygraph test which was, in fact, inconclusive,” the National Registry of Exonerations said.
A jury convicted him to death, and he served three years in prison before a judge exonerated him in 1996 after the true killers — members of the Outlaws motorcycle gang — were located on the word of a jailhouse informant.
Gauger’s case is one of several examples that highlight the unreliable science behind the polygraph machine. Polygraph testing results are not legally admissible in most courts, and the American Psychological Association says “most psychologists agree that there is little evidence that polygraph tests can accurately detect lies.”
Despite the fact that polygraph tests are widely considered unreliable, the federal government still administers them for jobs requiring special security clearances, spending over $2 billion on employee screenings.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Twitter is a “social” network that is paradoxically becoming ever more insular and anti-social — apparently, all in a bid to “protect” users from one another. This seems to be the idea behind testing new features such as the one called “Safety Mode,” that includes something called, “autoblock.”
At some point, the question might start arising in the minds of some, or even many, people: why even use a platform that you consider to be so potentially dangerous that it has to implement such a granular and complex system of separation and prevention of access to content and accounts?
But at this time, Twitter is still widely used and marching on its chosen path. And, right now, the “autoblock” is producing effects like a user getting blocked from viewing the profile of a public servant — in this case, that of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Video: Biden Babbles and Lies About Being an 18 Wheeler Truck Driver… Again
During a speech Monday regarding trucking supply chains, Joe Biden bizarrely claimed that he used to be a truck driver, had an 18 wheeler that he drove around, as well as a colleague called ‘Big Mama’.
In one of the most flagrant examples of Biden just making up stuff, he said “I used to drive a truck. It’s a long story — anyway… and I thought I was gonna get to drive one of these suckers today,” while motioning to one of the prop Mack trucks behind him
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Watch: Sen. Rand Paul Says it Makes Financial Sense for Twitter to Invite Trump Back
Sen. Rand Paul said that while it’d make sense for Twitter to invite former President Donald Trump back to the platform following his ban, it might not add up given the alternative decisions that the 45th president has made in the meantime.
The Republican senator explained his thinking on Tuesday to Fox News host Sandra Smith on the cable news network’s “America Reports” program.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
In Tuesday’s episode of the Joe Rogan Experience, the show’s host and namesake revealed the “anti-racist” ideology that his child’s school in California pushed following the death of George Floyd in May of 2020.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Witness in Hunter Biden Tax Probe Asked to ID ‘Big Guy’ In Chinese Energy Deal
A grand jury convened in the state of Delaware to investigate Hunter Biden’s tax issues interviewed a witness who was asked to reveal the identity of the “big guy,” widely considered to refer to President Joe Biden.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
60% of Illegal Roxham Road Crossings Were Unvaccinated
Of the 7,242 people who have illegally entered Canada since the Roxham Road crossing reopened, a full 60% of those had not received a COVID vaccine.
The information about the double standard at the dead-end street in Quebec where the majority of the unlawful migration into Canada occurs came from an inquiry of the Ministry of Health by Conservative MP for Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock Jamie Schmale.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Air Canada HQ Refuses to Accept Rebel News’ Vax Pass Petition
While air travel restrictions are gradually being lifted in other countries, and vaccine passports as well as masks are becoming a thing of the past, we are seeing a vastly different reality at the federal level in Canada.
Justin Trudeau, even though provincial restrictions are being phased out, isn’t considering lifting health measures for air, sea and rail transport. On May 2, Air Canada employees who are currently on unpaid leave due to their vaccination status will be laid off permanently.
Matthew Macdonald, a lawyer for The Democracy Fund, took the time to explain to us what has happened and what is currently going on with Air Canada employees’ legal battle.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Applications to Join RCMP Down by Nearly 50% and Projected to Worsen
Canadians’ interest in joining their country’s storied national police force has tanked, with applications down by almost half since last year, and a third of recruits backing out of training before they finish.
According to Blacklock’s Reporter, National Police Federation President Brian Sauve told parliamentarians at the Commons human resources committee that a decline in applications is projected to continue.
“Policing is no longer considered as attractive a career as it used to be. Police services across North America are seeing a decline in applicants,” said Sauve. “For perspective between April and December 2021 the RCMP had received 6300 applications. When looking at the previous fiscal year the RCMP had received close to 11,800 applications. This shows a decline of almost 47 percent. In addition the RCMP is projecting an even further decline in applicants.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Calgary Police Have Gone Honking Mad
On yesterday’s Rebel News DAILY Livestream, David Menzies and Adam Soos reflected on the enforcement of a protest-limiting injunction targeted at the pro-freedom rally that has been a regular occurrence in Calgary since the start of the pandemic.
With rules restricting the usage of car horns, the Calgary police issued eight tickets this past weekend.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Concerned Canadian Fills Gap in COVID Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting
Vaccine adverse events underreporting is a well-known occurrence that seems to be exasperated by the aggressive censorship of dissent and intolerability of questioning that have been par for the course of navigating the COVID-19 narrative.
I first reported on this subject in May 2021 when ER Doctor Patrick Phillips was having his adverse events reports rejected by his local medical officer of health. As far as I know, his reports never made it into the Canadian Adverse Events Following Immunization Surveillance System (CAEFFIS). Seeing a need to provide appropriate experts and health professionals with accurate data, concerned citizen Max Daigle took matters into his own hands and developed the Canadian Adverse Events Reporting System (CAERS). It is now affiliated with the Canadian COVID Care Alliance (CCCA).
Despite the mainstreamists at the CBC (who continually publish faulty reports) attempting to smear this initiative a mere few days after it first launched in New Brunswick in December of 2021, Daigle persevered but has to be careful with how much he discusses publicly.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Feds Silent on Employee Who Took Part in Anti-Convoy Protest
The Trudeau government is refusing to comment after a project manager in Ottawa penned an op-ed bragging about his involvement in counter protests against the Freedom Convoy and describing convoy demonstrators as “white male roughnecks.”
According to Blacklock’s Reporter, Canadian Food Inspection Agency biologist Nicolay Hristozov published his positions in the Ottawa periodical Glebe Report.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ottawa Police Take Year-Long Extension on Convoy Access to Info Requests
The Ottawa Police Service have granted themselves a one-year extension on providing Rebel News with copies of documents pertaining to their social media presence during the Freedom Convoy.
Rebel News filed access to information requests for internal documents regarding both the leaked Musical Ride WhatsApp group and the Ottawa Police Service’s Twitter account, but it looks like we’ll have to wait quite a while before learning about any behind-the-scenes details.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Quebec Government to Keep Mask Mandate in Place
The Quebec government has announced that it will continue to require people to wear masks indoors, making it and Prince Edward Island the only provinces in Canada to do so.
The news comes amid what health experts describe as a sixth COVID wave, fuelled by the BA.2 Omicron subvariant.
Quebec’s public health director Dr. Luc Boileau had recommended that the government maintain the mask mandate.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Saskatchewan Pauses Rollout of Digital ID System After Public Backlash
REGINA, Saskatchewan (LifeSiteNews) — The province of Saskatchewan will hold off on implementing a digital identification system for the time being.
The Saskatchewan government announced that, at least temporarily, they will halt the rollout of a digital identification system in the conservative stronghold province. While there were reportedly multiple reasons for axing the system, two of the factors were unfavorable polling and pushback from both the public and provincial legislators.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
During an appearance on CPAC’s Prime Time Politics, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault discussed the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, as well as Canada’s climate plan, saying that other crises may come and go, but climate change will always remain.
Guilbeault said that it was vital that provinces not reduce gas taxes and prices, saying that it was counterproductive to the goals of the government’s plant to tackle the climate crisis.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trudeau Minister Says Canada Working on ‘Shared Vision’ of Decolonizing Canada
During the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs on March 25, Indigenous Affairs Minister Patty Hajdu discussed the efforts that Canada is making to decolonize Canada.
Video posted by True North‘s Cosmin Dszurdsza shows Hajdu saying: “Each of these days serve as a stark reminder of the impacts of colonization, stark inequities and trauma, that continue to have such a significant impact on First Nations, Inuit, and Metis communities across the country,” she said, speaking of International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, World Water Day and World Tuberculosis Day. “The work of decolonization and self determination needs our steady and unwavering commitment, clear focus of equity funding, and opportunity, and a shared vision of a healthy future for everyone in the country.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Veteran James Topp is Marching Across Canada for Freedom
James Topp is a 28-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, who in February of 2022 announced that he would be walking 4,293km across Canada, from the Terry Fox Statue in Vancouver to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Ottawa, to advocate for federal employees who have been denied employment or service based on their vaccination status, and for those who have been coerced into a medical procedure they would have otherwise rejected.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
48 Hours After Orban’s Landslide Victory, EU Launches Punitive Rule of Law Mechanism
The EU Commission has announced Tuesday it will launch the so-called rule of law mechanism against Hungary, which links EU funds to whether or not democracy is being upheld. Newly re-elected Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban hailed the “great victory” in Sunday’s general election for he and his Fidesz party. Orban had said: “We have won a great victory — a victory so great you can perhaps see it from the moon and certainly from Brussels”.
Indeed they most certainly “see it” from Brussels, given that now a mere 48 hours after the landslide win which ensures Orban’s fourth consecutive term in office, their sour grapes are being made known swiftly in the following:
The EU Commission will launch the so-called conditionality mechanism against Hungary which links EU funds to the respect of rule of law, commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday in the European Parliament. The commission has been under pressure to trigger the mechanism over concerns of fraud and corruption of EU funds and worries over democratic backsliding. The commission will now send a letter to the Hungarian authorities.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Britain’s National Gallery Changes Name of 19th Century Painting Due to “Current Situation”
The British National Gallery has changed the name of a 19th century painting by French impressionist Edgar Degas from ‘Russian Dancers’ to ‘Ukrainian Dancers’ due to the “current situation.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
European Politicians Suggest Russian Gas Embargo After Alleged Massacre in Ukraine
European politicians have floated the idea of an embargo on Russian gas after accusing the Russians of being behind an alleged massacre of civilians in the suburbs of Kyiv, but not all countries agree with the proposal.
Enrico Letta, leader of the Italian left-wing Democratic Party suggested that his country place an embargo on the import of Russian oil following the alleged massacre of civilians in Bucha on the outskirts of Kyiv saying, “How many Bucha [are] needed before moving to a full oil and gas embargo from Russia? Time is up.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France: Man Hacked in Head by Machete Wielding Car Thieves
A man suffered severe injuries when he was hacked in the head with a machete while confronting a group of thieves in France, according to reports.
The incident unfolded shortly after midnight on Sunday in Lewarde, a commune in the Nord department.
The victim noticed three suspicious characters looking into parked cars near his residence and approached them.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
French Presidential Election: Macron Bails on TV Debate as Marine Le Pen Gains Ground
As his main rival Marine Le Pen surges in the polls, Emmanuel Macron has bailed on a major debate featuring all other presidential election hopefuls.
Incumbent French President Emmanuel Macron has confirmed that he will not be attending the Elysée 2022 debate this Tuesday, despite the fact that his main rival, right-leaning populist Marine Le Pen, has seen her polling numbers jump in recent days.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
German Supermarkets Substantially Raise Food Product Prices
German supermarket chains including Aldi and Lidl have announced they will be significantly raising prices on some goods, such as cooking oils and other food products due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The German supermarket chains have indicated that due to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, they will be increasing the prices of some goods as the renewed conflict has had a significant impact on global commodity prices.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A Green Party Minister is to hike carbon taxes despite the ongoing energy crisis, telling the public to take shorter showers if they want to save money.
Eamon Ryan, Ireland’s Green Party Minister for the Environment, looks set to demand the country’s population turn down their thermostats and curb their showering time if they want to save money on fuel.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Polish Defense Ministry Signs Contract to Buy 250 Tanks From US
The Polish Defence Ministry signed a contract for the purchase of 250 US tanks Abrams, a Sputnik correspondent reported.
Earlier, the consent to the sale of Abrams tanks to Poland was given by the US State Department and the US Congress.
The contract provides for the supply of 250 Abrams tanks of the latest modification M1A2 SEPv3 to Poland.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Polish Observers: Hungarian Elections Were Fair and Transparent
The Hungarian electoral process, including the system of election financing and press freedom within the country, are all in line with international standards, the Polish Ordo Iuris conservative law research center’s observers said on Monday.
The center’s findings mirrored those of the ECR and OECD observers, all of whom gave their seal of approval for the democratic process in Hungary, despite protestations from a number of the Brussels’ liberal elite.
[Comment: Foreign observers of US elections might be needed.]
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The UK’s Online Safety Bill, a sweeping online censorship law that’s currently making its way through Parliament, will force Big Tech platforms to censor some categories of content that the government has deemed to be “harmful” and will introduce new criminal offenses for posts that are deemed to cause “harm” without a “reasonable excuse.”
The bill gives the Secretary of State new powers to brand some content as harmful and platforms that fall under the scope of the bill’s regulations have to prevent children from encountering this content and allow adults to “increase their control over harmful content.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Scottish Lawmakers Demand Curbs on Online Speech
Ian Blackford, the leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) in the House of Commons in the UK, is at the forefront of what looks like yet another “crusade in the making,” backed by Scottish MPs from different parties, against what he referred to as “keyboard warriors.”
This time, the effort — or the rhetoric — seems to be directed at parties themselves, rather than on pressing social media to find ways to censor content more vigorously and stringently.
Blackford and like-minded politicians, such as SNP leader and First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon, believe that social media giving people an opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings is tantamount to providing toxic and polarizing platforms for online abuse, a phenomenon that must be “tackled.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sweden: Fatal Shootings in First 3 Months of 2022 Over Triple That of 2021
In the first three months of this year, Swedish police statistics have recorded over three times as many fatal shootings as the same period in 2021 and the most shootings within the period in the last five years.
The first three months of 2022 have seen 17 people shot dead across Sweden, with seven fatal shootings in January, six in February and another four taking place last month in March. The figure is considerably higher than the same three-month period in 2021 when five people were killed in shootings.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: BBC’s Director of ‘Creative Diversity’ June Sarpong Set to Quit £267,000 Three-Day Week Role
The director of the BBC’s “creative diversity” June Sarpong will be quitting her position after less than three years in her £267,000 three-day week role.
Sarpong was appointed to the role at the BBC to “achieve real change” by increasing the number of ethnic minorities and disabled people appearing on television.
During her time, the corporation committed £100 million to diverse and inclusive talent for three years and the BBC’s first “Creative Diversity Xperience” main aim was showcasing black, Asian and minority ethnic [BAME] talent.
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UK: Cost of Living: Heating Oil Price Increases Prompt Theft Warning
An 89-year-old man was left with no warmth for a week after his heating oil was stolen by thieves capitalising on soaring prices, police have said.
The man, who lives alone, was left “cold and vulnerable”, according to his daughter, Lucie Fletcher.
Police in East Yorkshire say they have seen a spate of thefts in rural areas as oil prices have risen.
PC Kevin Jones, from Humberside Police, said people should be vigilant and install security measures.
More than a third of homes in East Yorkshire are not connected to the gas network, with many relying on oil to heat their homes.
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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban once again defied his critics to overwhelm his political opposition and emerge victorious in Sunday’s general election, however, a number of top Czech politicians are less welcoming of the result, underlining a growing split among Visegrad Four (V4) allies.
Unlike in the last Hungarian elections, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala did not publicly congratulate Orban. Four years ago, he wrote that Europe should not turn up its nose at the Hungarian leader. His silence following the election speaks volumes about his current stance towards Hungary.
As Remix News previously reported, there were already signs of a growing split between the V4 countries of Hungary, Poland, Czechia, and Slovakia. Czechia, for example, has signaled it supports the rule-of-law sanctions against both Poland and Hungary. However, the war in Ukraine has accelerated divisions between the allies.
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Western Media Uses Russian Smear Playbook on Orban
The same misinformation campaign used in the 2016 and 2020 U.S. elections to smear Donald Trump is being used against Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, with left-wing media outlets attempting to tie Orban’s resounding electoral victory on Sunday to his past relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In 2020, U.S. news networks opposed to Trump, such as CNN, used the entire topic of Russia as a domestic political weapon. When news broke of Hunter Biden’s lost laptop containing clear evidence that he participated in corrupt dealings in Ukraine, Russia, and China, these networks raced to label it a Russian plot to influence the elections.
Just recently, however, nearly every liberal news outlet, including the New York Times, had to admit that they were wrong, and that the laptop story was true all along. They, unsurprisingly, still deny any purposeful distortion of the facts in order to protect their favored presidential candidate. The 51 intelligence officials who openly lied that the laptop was tied to a Russian intelligence campaign have also refused to apologize or even respond to the latest revelations.
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Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has called on leaders of fellow European Union member states to stop believing they can negotiate with Vladimir Putin and to up the ante regarding economic sanctions on Russia.
“Forty days passed from the beginning of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, and no one has any doubts that we are dealing with pure evil,” Morawiecki declared on Tuesday, as the harrowing reports of the alleged massacre in Bucha and several other Ukrainian towns came to light.
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Stabbing Attack at Iran Holy Shrine Kills Shi’ite Cleric, Wounds Two
Four suspects were arrested over the Imam Reza shrine attack in addition to the assailant, who is believed to be a foreign national, according to city prosecutor
An assailant stabbed three clerics at the most revered Shi’ite site in Iran on Tuesday, according to Iranian state-run media, killing one and injuring two before he was arrested. The motive for the attack remained unclear.
One cleric died almost instantly after being stabbed at the Imam Reza shrine, a major pilgrimage site for Shi’ite Muslims in Iran’s holy northeast city of Mashhad. Two others were hospitalized, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported.
Mashhad prosecutor Mohammad Hossein Darroudi described the assailant as a foreign national, without elaborating. He said four other suspects were arrested in connection with the case.
State media identified the cleric who was killed as Mohammad Aslani. It did not provide information about the conditions of the other victims.
In a video from the scene that was shared on social media, two men could be seen splayed on the shrine’s gray marbled floor covered with blood. IRNA news agency posted a video of police arresting the assailant…
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Hollywood Studios Won’t Release Movies in Russia But Keep Seeking Release Dates in China
The Batman, Ambulance, The Bad Guys, Escape Room: Tournament Of Champions. What do these Hollywood movies have in common? Studios won’t release them in Russia but have successfully secured theatrical releases for them in China, despite the CCP’s record of invasion and genocide.
When Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, the major Hollywood studios joined the corporate bandwagon by announcing they would halt all movie releases in Russia. Some including Disney and Paramount said they would go further by pausing other forms of business in Russia, including TV distribution and content licensing.
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U.N. Security Council: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the United Nations Security Council with a list of accusations of Russian atrocities and a call for the overhaul or dissolution of the institution. Russia dismissed reports of slain civilians.
War-Crimes Charges: The U.S. and the European Union said they would help Ukrainian authorities gather evidence for investigations into alleged war crimes, while France said it is opening its own probe. Ukrainian authorities braced for the discovery of more civilian deaths in cities and towns around the capital from which Russian forces have retreated.
Sanctions: The U.S. and EU moved to tighten sanctions on Moscow following reports of alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine. Measures proposed by the EU’s executive body included a ban on imports of Russian coal and the sanctioning of two daughters of President Vladimir Putin. U.S. measures under consideration include tighter restrictions on Russian financial institutions.
War Front: Russia reinforced positions to support their goal of establishing control over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. NATO’s chief urged the rapid resupply of Kyiv’s forces, anticipating a concerted Russian assault on Ukraine’s southeast. The Czech Republic has been sending tanks into Ukraine, the first foreign country to do so since the Russian invasion began. A WSJ analysis of images from Ukraine shows how Russian forces destroyed civilian infrastructure, including the use of cluster bombs.
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Poland and Japan Ally Against Russia
Polish and Japanese foreign ministers met on Monday in Warsaw to discuss the war in Ukraine and ways of making Russia pay for its escalation.
After Poland’s top diplomat, Zbigniew Rau, met his Japanese counterpart Yoshimasa Hayashi, Rau said that both countries would remain tireless in their efforts to stop the war in Ukraine and to hold Russia accountable.
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Russia Hits Nitric Acid Tank, Unleashes Deadly Gas Into Surrounding Area
Russian troops appear to have hit a nitric acid tank in Ukraine, according to a statement made by Luhansk regional administrator Serhiy Haidai on Telegram.
Haidai warned that Russian forces hit the tank in Rubizhne, a city in the Luhansk Oblast, and called for residents to remain hidden in bomb shelters.
“Do not come out of hiding! If you are indoors — close the doors and windows!” he wrote on Telegram.
He then went on to explain the dangerous effect of nitric acid on people. “Nitric acid is dangerous if inhaled, swallowed and in contact with skin,” he wrote.
“Acid fumes are irritating to the respiratory tract.”
Exposure to nitric acid can cause irritation to the eyes, skin and mucous membranes when inhaled, swallowed or touched…
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Russia Up in Arms Over Poland’s Nuclear Ambitions
After one of Poland’s top politcians hinted at his personal desire for Poland to have nuclear weapons, Russia media has been stretching the truth of his statements.
In an interview for Gazeta Polska, Kaczynski had said: “As a citizen of Poland I wish my country had atomic weapons, but as a politician I have to assess that as unrealistic.”
The Russian government has responded that Europe is “concerned” about his statements.
“The stance taken by the Polish authorities has raised concern in Europe,” said the Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitri Peskov, in response to the leader of Poland’s ruling party’s remarks.
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Zelensky Declares Peace Negotiations With Russia Now ‘Might Not Happen’
Following claims of genocide against Ukrainian people at the hands of Russian forces, the country’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has stated that negotiations to end the conflict now “might not happen”.
During a television appearance, Zelensky said “And in this meeting, we could find the way out of this situation, without losing our territory. I think that this is the bar we have to set for these negotiations. And then we will see. It might happen that there will be no negotiations. It might happen.”
Zelensky referred to the alleged massacre in Bucha, saying “We have just begun an investigation into all that the occupiers have done. At present, there is information about more than three hundred people killed and tortured in Bucha alone.”
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Zelensky Demands Russia be Expelled From UN Security Council
Update(11:54ET): In a dramatic Tuesday video address to the UN Security Council, Ukraine’s Zelensky detailed what he alleges are mass killings of civilians by Russian troops, complete with a brief graphic video showing death and destruction in recently retaken towns, including in Bucha. The Hill describes of the footage presented at the UN, “Among the images included what appeared to be the body of a man at the bottom of a well, the unclothed body of a child who was blindfolded and lying on top of other dead bodies, charred bodies piled on top of each other and trenches filled with bodies.”
Zelensky called into the question “the whole architecture of global security” which allows Russia to “go unpunished” and argued that Russia must be expelled from the UN Security Council.
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Zelensky: Post-War Ukraine Will be Like Israel, Won’t be ‘Liberal, European’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday post-war Ukraine will likely be modeled as a “big Israel” in terms of security with self-protection, and will no longer be a “liberal European” city.
“Ukraine will definitely not be what we wanted it to be from the beginning. It is impossible. Absolutely liberal, European — it will not be like that. It [Ukraine] will definitely come from the strength of every house, every building, every person,” Zelensky said at a press briefing.
“We will become a ‘big Israel’ with its own face. We will not be surprised if we have representatives of the Armed Forces or the National Guard in cinemas, supermarkets, and people with weapons. I am confident that the question of security will be the issue number one for the next 10 years. I am sure of it.”
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North Korea’s Nuclear Forces Could ‘Annihilate’ The South Korean Military, Says Kim Jong-Un’s Sister
The sister of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, Kim Yo-jong has claimed that the country’s nuclear forces could “annihilate” the South Korean military if it was to launch a preemptive strike against the regime.
The comments come after South Korea’s Defense Minister Suh Wook said his country’s military has missiles that could “accurately and quickly hit any target” in North Korea.
Kim Yo-jong, a senior official in the North Korean government said that it was a “very big mistake” of the minister of defense to make the remark.
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Queensland to Scrap Most Vaccine Mandates
Queensland’s Labor government, led by Annastacia Palaszczuk, has decided to drop most vaccine mandates.
“It’s a great day for all Queenslanders!“ said the Queensland Minister for Health, Yvette D’Ath.
Starting next week on April 14, bars, clubs, restaurants, cafes, sports stadiums, cinemas, showgrounds, wedding venues, and — crucially — public spaces such as libraries, will no longer be required to use the vaccine passport system that saw unvaccinated people locked out of the Queensland economy.
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French police have arrested a 30-year-old Algerian illegal migrant accused of attempting to murder a mother and her daughter in an apartment in Bayonne in southwestern France, according to local reports.
The man is suspected of having stabbed a 64-year-old woman and her 28-year-old daughter in the face on Friday evening, resulting in severe injuries.
Police investigators state that the male was subject to an order to leave French territory (OQTF), but instead had stayed with the two women in Bayonne for several days. It is reported that the assailant became violent towards the women when he was informed the 28-year-old woman did not want to marry him, according to the Actu.fr news outlet.
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Three Arrested After 25 Migrants Allegedly Thrown to Their Deaths Overboard Smuggler Boat
Three migrants were arrested after arriving in the Spanish Canary Islands, accused of being complicit in the deaths of 25 migrants who were allegedly thrown overboard from a boat and drowned.
The three arrested arrived on the island as migrants and were among the 48 people who survived the boat journey from Mauritania, which saw an estimated 25 people die as witnesses claim that the dead migrants were thrown overboard.
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An influx of Ukrainian refugees may lead to an increase in illnesses such as tuberculosis, previously on the decline in Czechia, which the country is not currently prepared for, a leading physician has warned.
Martina Koziar Vasakova, the president of the Czech Pneumological and Physiological Society, has claimed that while a noble act by the government to assist those fleeing war in their homeland, Czechia does not currently have sufficient supplies of tuberculosis vaccines or other effective drugs that may be required to keep the frequency of such illnesses on the decline.
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Activists File Lawsuit Against Florida Anti-Grooming Law
Anti grooming legislation recently passed and signed into law in Florida is already facing its first legal challenge from a group of activists who filed a federal lawsuit on Thursday claiming that the bill is “unlawful.”
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit brought by “Equality Florida, Family Equality,” listed individuals, starting with M.A., a minor being represented by a parent, and a Jane Doe, another minor.
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Becoming Transgender a ‘Sacred Journey’, Bishop Claims
A Bishop in the UK has described the process of becoming transgender as a ‘sacred journey’ in a letter urging the nation’s government to ban trans ‘conversion therapy’.
One UK Bishop has demanded that the UK government implement a ban on trans “conversion therapy”, describing the process in which people become transgender as a “sacred journey”.
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Conservative Activist Reveals That Disney Has a MASSIVE Pedophile Problem
Following the progressive mob’s marching orders, Walt Disney Company has repeatedly opposed Florida’s anti-grooming law intended to protect the state’s young school-aged children and uphold parental rights in education.
It’s not a surprise to many supporting the bill that the children’s entertainment giant has been a longtime employer of pedophiles and child predators embedded among its staff, according to numerous reports in previous years.
Investigative journalist and activist Christopher Rufo, whose reporting has exposed critical race theory teachings in K-12 schools and at the corporate level, highlighted some of “the child-predators of Walt Disney Co.” in a series of expository tweets.
“Disney has presented itself as the moral voice for children, but the company has a dark side: a shocking number of its employees have been arrested for child sex crimes,” Rufo tweeted Sunday, prefacing Monday’s drop of revealing articles.
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When woke imbeciles with preferred pronouns in their bios are big mad, you know it’s a good day for the good guys.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WJW) — Two Ohio House Republicans introduced a bill Monday that would ban classroom instruction on gender identity, sexual orientation and critical race theory for certain grades.
Rep. Mike Loychik of Trumbull County and Jean Schmidt of the Cincinnati area are sponsoring the bill.
It has similar themes to a bill passed in Florida critics called “Don’t Say Gay.”
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Pro-Life Group Says DC Police Helped Cover Up Abortion Doctor’s ‘Crimes’
In a press conference on Tuesday, members of the Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU) called for Dr. Cesare Santangelo to be investigated, and that police in the District of Columbia are “actively involved in a cover up of Dr. Santangelo’s crimes.”
“The 115 babies found at Santangelo’s mill included 110 first trimester babies, as well as five third trimester babies killed by Santangelo. The corpses of these five babies appeared to indicate a violation of federal law. Dr. Santangelo needs to be investigated immediately by the US Department of Justice. who is tasked with enforcing federal law,” said Missy Smith, director of Wake Up.
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Authored by Matt McGregor via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours)
Tennessee legislation that would withhold funding from school districts allowing transgender students to participate in sports passed in the Senate Education Committee on March 29.
If passed into law, Senate Bill 1861 (pdf) would require the commissioner of education to withhold a portion of state education funding if the school refuses to determine the gender of a student participating in sports.
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Senator Dick Durbin stated his objections on Tuesday to Senator Josh Hawley’s bill enacting tougher sentences for child pornography offenders, Hawley brought the proposed legislation after the Senator’s extensive back and forth with Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson.
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Sri Lanka is experiencing effect of Belt and Road debt trap. They are broke and now they all have to learn Mandarin I’ve heard. Well, that won’t go well.
https://cnb.cx/3wVrjmm
UK: BBC’s Director of ‘Creative Diversity’ June Sarpong Set to Quit £267,000 Three-Day Week Role Sarpong was appointed to the role at the BBC to “achieve real change” by increasing the number of ethnic minorities and disabled people appearing on television. Well whether responsible or not Sarpong certainly achieved the aim of the role by 100% as can be seen 24 hrs a day on UK TV-practically no white faces unless partnered by a black one-Note to self, am I still in the United Kingdom or a branch of Africa?
I think you exaggerate, tarien, but BAME people are indeed over-represented on our screens in relation to their actual numbers (around 10%), especially in advertising. I suspect that this bias may be unconscious; most of our TV emanates from London, where white Brits are now a minority, or Salford, Manchester, now a major “outpost” for the BBC. Although these are indeed major population centres, they are not representative of the UK as a whole; for many years past, when visiting family in the Lake District or the West Country, I have actually missed seeing the black and brown faces I’m familiar with here in London, most of whom (not all) do relate well with the rest of us.