Russian President Vladimir Putin was re-elected to a fifth term with 87% of the vote. In possibly unrelated news, Moldovan police arrested a man who attacked the Russian embassy with two Molotov cocktails as voting was taking place there.
In other news, almost 500,000 foreigners are living in Germany without residency permits or asylum status.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Daniel Greenfield, Dean, Insubria, JW, LP, MM, Reader from Chicago, SS, 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.
California Revises 2023 Job Growth Down From 325K to Just 50K Jobs as Deficit to Rise
California revised job growth for 2023 from 325,000 jobs to just 50,000 jobs, suggesting the state’s $73 billion deficit for the coming year may be even larger than earlier estimated. With a rising unemployment rate, this means there are fewer workers paying taxes, and more individuals receiving unemployment benefits, which will both reduce tax revenue and increase spending.
“The corrected data show that the state added just 50,000 jobs between September 2022 and September 2023,” wrote the state-run, non-partisan Legislative Analyst’s Office in its revision report. “The monthly jobs report, which the administration and the Legislature relied on to gauge the economy during that period, showed the labor market growing steadily, appearing to add more than 300,000 jobs over that period.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“Extreme Events”: US Cancer Deaths Spiked in 2021 and 2022 in “Large Excess Over Trend”
Cancer deaths in the United States spiked in 2021 and 2022 among 15-44 year-olds “in large excess over trend,” marking jumps of 5.6% and 7.9% respectively vs. a rise of 1.7% in 2020, according to a new preprint study from deep-dive research firm, Phinance Technologies.
Extreme Events
The report, which relies on data from the CDC, paints a troubling picture.
“We show a rise in excess mortality from neoplasms reported as underlying cause of death, which started in 2020 (1.7%) and accelerated substantially in 2021 (5.6%) and 2022 (7.9%). The increase in excess mortality in both 2021 (Z-score of 11.8) and 2022 (Z-score of 16.5) are highly statistically significant (extreme events),” according to the authors.
That said, co-author, David Wiseman, PhD (who has 86 publications to his name), leaves the cause an open question — suggesting it could either be a “novel phenomenon,” Covid-19, or the Covid-19 vaccine.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
70% or More of F-35s May Not be Combat-Capable
Authored by Mike Fredenburg via The Epoch Times
A September 2023 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on the F-35 revealed some shocking statistics on just how unready hundreds of billions of dollars worth of F-35s are to provide actual combat power. In fact, the report indicated that only 15 to 30 percent of F-35s may be capable of combat.
But if you were to read a typical article in the media, you might believe that, on average, some 55 percent of F-35s are combat-capable. However, you would be wrong. You see, when the average person sees a report declaring that 55 percent of F-35 combat aircraft are “mission capable,” they assume mission capable equals combat capable. But in doing so, they are being deceived.
The deception comes out of how the F-35 program office and the whole of the Department of Defense define “mission capable.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Administration Conceals Data on Taxpayer-Funded Union Activities
The Biden administration has ceased publishing data that details how much taxpayer money is being allocated to subsidize federal employees who work full-time for unions instead of carrying out their designated government duties, a practice commonly referred to as “official time.”
Under this controversial policy, the government expends over $100 million annually to compensate hundreds of employees who have not fulfilled their official responsibilities in years, effectively burdening taxpayers with the costs of both sides of labor negotiations.
Historically, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) tracked and reported these expenses, revealing that in 2019 alone, the government paid for 2.6 million hours — nearly 300 years’ worth — of employee time spent on union business rather than serving the public.
However, the Biden administration has not only failed to publish reports since 2019, but has removed previously available data from the OPM website.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Cardiologist Blows Whistle: All Hospital ‘COVID Deaths’ Were ‘Murdered’
A world-renowned cardiologist has blown the whistle in an explosive testimony to expose the true cause of patients whose deaths were listed as “Covid.”
Dr. Peter McCullough testified before the Novel Coronavirus Southwestern Intergovernmental Committee about the staggering numbers of people who supposedly died from Covid in hospitals during and after the pandemic.
However, McCullough sent shockwaves through the hearing when he testified that no patients were killed by the virus.
Instead, McCullough told the panel that every single patient whose cause of death was listed as “Covid” was actually “murdered” by the hospital where they were “treated.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
College Athlete Training Tells Students That All White People Are Racist
A college in North Carolina has been teaching student-athletes that all white people are racist.
Davidson College recently required student-athletes to watch a video on addressing “racism.”
However, the training video claimed all white people are racist.
Additionally, the video argued that people of color could not be racist.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Billionaire X boss Elon Musk has declared that “CNN is dying.”
Musk dropped the hammer on the failing corporate media network after he canceled X’s partnership with CNN’s former star anchor Don Lemon.
Musk declared “CNN is dying” this week during a social media spat with Lemon.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Elon Musk Defends Trump and Slams Establishment Media for Taking Quote Out of Context
Tesla CEO Elon Musk is defending former President Donald Trump on Sunday after multiple establishment media outlets ran headlines stating that the former president warned the U.S. would see a “bloodbath” if he is not reelected.
Although Trump did use the word “bloodbath” during a speech in Ohio on Saturday, outlets such as NPR, Politico, The Hill, NBC News, The New York Times and others used the term in headlines without context. Musk said the headlines were “legacy media lies” and he made multiple posts Sunday criticizing their use of the term and stressing the need for context.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Exclusive — Associated Press Admits it Has No ‘Geolocation Data’ to Back Up Bernie Moreno Smear
A spokeswoman for the Associated Press (AP) admitted to Breitbart News on Saturday that the organization does not, despite previously reporting in two different pieces that it did, have any “geolocation data” to back up its smear piece about Ohio Senate candidate Bernie Moreno.
Lauren Easton, the director of communications for the AP, on Saturday told Breitbart News that while the organization stands by the story and its reporter Brian Slodysko, it does not have “geolocation data” as the two articles it previously published originally claimed.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Former NBA Star Files Suit Against Washington State AG for Allegedly Violating Doctors’ Free Speech
Former NBA Hall of Famer John Stockton filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Washington state attorney general and other elected officials for allegedly limiting the free speech of doctors who spoke out against the mainstream COVID-19 narrative.
“I think it’s pretty simple,” Stockton said during an interview with Fox News. “It’s freedom. Even though we talk about medical freedom and things, it’s freedom and freedom to speak. It’s our First Amendment.”
The lawsuit alleged that Washington state indicated that doctors who didn’t go along with the mainstream COVID-19 narrative would be sanctioned, according to Yahoo News.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Gold Star Dad Who Interrupted State of the Union Explains Why He Did It
Authored by Alice Giordano via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours)
President Joe Biden had been talking for about an hour when Steven Nikoui began feeling like he was sitting in the Colosseum in the movie “Gladiator” rather than at a State of the Union address.
“They’re all sitting in the stands and they’re looking at the beast down there and they’re getting amused. And I felt that. I rationalized it like that and I was a little sickened,” Mr. Nikoui said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Good Samaritan Stabbed to Death While Trying to Quell Altercation Between His Neighbors
LOS ANGELES — A man trying to rescue a neighbor from a violent assault in a Westminster apartment complex was stabbed to death early Saturday morning, authorities said.
Alvaro Martin-Perez, 48, was trying to intervene in a dispute between roommates when he was fatally stabbed, according to Westminster Police Sgt. Jerad Kent.
| — Hat tip: LP | [Return to headlines] |
Harvard Medical Professor Fired for Not Complying With COVID Vaccine Mandate
A prominent Harvard Medical School professor has been fired for not being vaccinated for Covid.
Epidemiologist Martin Kulldorff, a professor of medicine at Harvard University since 2003, announced on social media Monday that he was “fired” by the prestigious university.
“I am no longer a professor of medicine at Harvard,” Kulldorff wrote in a lengthy essay in the City Journal, also posting the news on his X account.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Housing Affordability Crisis Solved: Sedona to Let Homeless Workers Sleep in Cars
In a move that’s raising eyebrows and rankling residents, the swanky city of Sedona, Arizona is addressing its outrageous housing costs by creating a parking area so homeless workers have a place to sleep in their cars legally.
After an acrimonious debate that spanned almost seven hours, the city council approved the Safe Place to Park program by a 6-1 vote. Under the scheme, 40 parking spaces will be made available in a 6-acre parking lot at the town’s Cultural Park, a 41-acre property that used to be a performance venue. The lot will be outfitted with temporary bathrooms and showers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Jacksonville Beach Shooting: 3 People Reportedly Hurt as Gunman Remains on the Loose
JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — The Jacksonville Beach Police Department said it is currently working on an active shooter incident in the downtown area.
Authorities are asking people to shelter in place and to contact 904-270-1661 if they have any information.
According to local reports, three people were reportedly shot. Their conditions reportedly vary with one in serious condition, another in critical condition, and the third sustaining non-life-threatening injuries.
| — Hat tip: MM | [Return to headlines] |
A group combating antisemitism has mailed a brochure to all high schools in the New York City metropolitan region urging them to discourage Jewish students from applying to Cornell University because of perceived Jew hatred on campus.
“Considering Cornell? Cornell is not a safe place for Jewish students,” the group Alums for Campus Fairness claims in the brochure.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Man Arrested for Allegedly Burning Down Florida Jewish Community Center
A man was arrested in connection to an arson attack at a Florida Jewish community center, which suffered major damage just hours before services were set to begin.
Scott Hannaford, 50, was arrested Saturday in Fort Lauderdale on four charges, including first— and second-degree arson, criminal mischief involving a house of worship and possession of cocaine, according to Broward County Sheriff’s Office records.
Police said the arson incident at the Las Olas Chabad Jewish Community Center is not being considered a hate crime, according to NBC Miami.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
College Park, Maryland has launched an investigation into its “racial equity” officer, Kayla Carter, after it was revealed that she had made posts on social media targeting white people.
The self-described “anti-racist,” who has held the position since May 2022, also expressed a desire to see society “collapse” so that her ideology could “rise from the ashes.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Two representatives appointed to a committee considering paying reparations claimed whites were responsible for climate change, slammed Israel and pushed to defund the police.
Ron Daniels and Lurie Daniel Favors — both appointed to New York’s commission on Reparations and Racial Justice by state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie — made several fiery statements including Daniels slamming black US Sen. Tim Scott as “Uncle Tim,” according to a review of their public statements.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Paroled Convict Fatally Stabs 11-Year-Old Boy, Critically Injures Mother 1 Day After Being Released
A convicted felon has been charged with fatally stabbing an 11-year-old boy and seriously injuring his pregnant mother in a home invasion attack in Chicago on Wednesday, one day after the suspect was paroled from prison, police say.
Crosetti Brand, 37, is charged with a slew of crimes including first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder for the vicious attack which took place in the 5900 block of North Ravenswood Avenue in Edgewater, about nine miles north of Downtown Chicago.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Prominent Cardiologist Says COVID Vaccines Should Have Been Pulled Off the Market in 2021
Prominent American cardiologist Dr. Peter McCullough says COVID-19 vaccines should have been pulled off the market in January of 2021 due to safety concerns.
“When we hit a threshold for excess death, it should have been pulled off the market,” he said during a recent special on the “Just the News, No Noise” TV show sponsored by The Wellness Company.
“By my estimation, that probably should have happened in January of 2021. It should have been a very short run for these vaccines like it would for any other safety problem. Instead, here we are over three years later.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
SpaceX, Led by Musk, Constructs Spy Satellite Network for US Intel
As cited by Reuters, SpaceX is constructing a vast network of spy satellites as part of a classified agreement with a U.S. intelligence agency, according to five sources familiar with the initiative.
The project is being undertaken by SpaceX’s Starshield division, operating under a $1.8 billion contract inked in 2021 with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), responsible for managing reconnaissance satellites, the sources revealed. These plans highlight SpaceX’s significant role in American intelligence and defense initiatives, showcasing the Pentagon’s heightened interest in expansive satellite systems orbiting low-Earth, aimed at bolstering ground operations.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Authored by Tom Ozimek via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours)
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has signed a bill into law that revives an oversight panel with powers to discipline and remove wayward county prosecutors, and which could potentially target alleged misconduct by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis in her case against former President Donald Trump.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tide Shift: Former Philadelphia Officer Says Criminals Will be Prosecuted Once Again
The tide is turning in lawless progressive cities after leftist radicals in city halls have pushed disastrous social justice reforms and defunded the police that have sparked crime wave after crime wave.
According to one former Philadelphia Police Department officer, the mayor, the commissioner, and the governor are no longer tolerating the soaring thefts and out-of-control crime that have transformed some parts of the metro area into third-world-like conditions.
If we had to guess, maybe the shift in policing is because progressive policies have been one of the biggest failed social experiments this nation has ever seen. Law-abiding Americans across cities demand a return to law and order after half a decade of crime chaos. And these leftist politicians are getting the message as some are up for re-election.
In a video interview posted by X user Wall Street Apes, a Philadelphia police officer explains that law and order is returning but will be an uphill battle.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump: Big Names Who Haven’t ‘Behaved Properly’ Have Been ‘Ruled Out’ From VP Shortlist
President Donald Trump just dropped another hint about what he is looking for, or more accurately what he is explicitly not looking for, in a prospective running mate for the November election.
Trump revealed that some big names have been “ruled out” from his shortlist for a vice presidential candidate.
In a recent interview, Trump revealed that he had ruled out from consideration as his running mate a few prominent names that, in his view, haven’t “behaved properly” toward him, according to The Washington Times.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Warns Lawmakers That if They Ban TikTok, Users Will Flock to ‘Worse’ Platform Facebook
During an exclusive interview with Fox News Channel’s “MediaBuzz” on Sunday, former President Trump warned that U.S. lawmakers shouldn’t ban TikTok because it would benefit Facebook, which he called a “worse” social media platform.
Host Howard Kurtz prompted Trump, asking him why he apparently shifted his stance from supporting a ban of TikTok during his presidency to now disagreeing with the 197 Republicans who recently passed a bill to ban the app if its Chinese owners don’t sell it.
Trump replied by saying that he previously “gave the option of banning it” to the U.S. government, but he noted, “I didn’t do any jawboning. I didn’t do anything.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
US Pushes for Global AI Regulations at UN, Calling for “Effective Safeguards”
The US wants to use the United Nations to promote implementing AI regulations in place in member-states, revealing the effort’s ambition to have a worldwide effect and try to put the country in the driver’s seat regarding global AI governance.
The US is doing this through a non-binding resolution it hopes the UN General Assembly will adopt.
Bloomberg is reporting it has seen the draft of this resolution, co-sponsored by some 50 countries, that has Washington looking for global implementation of harmonized rules to enable “responsible, inclusive, safe, secure, and trustworthy” AI use.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Utah’s legislature doubled the funding for a school choice program after an “overwhelming number of applications” from parents.
During a recent general session, the Utah legislature voted to double the funding for the Utah Fits All Scholarship program from $40M to $80M for its inaugural year after high demand for the program.
The application portal for the program opened on February 28 and had available spots for 10,000 students. Within the first 24 hours, the portal received applications from 10,617 students in its first year of starting.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Wild Photos Show Spring Break Mayhem in Miami Beach as Cops Arrest More Than 250 Partiers
Wild photos show the chaos of Spring Break revelry in Miami Beach as officials confirmed they have busted over 250 partygoers despite dramatic preemptive crackdowns by the city, including a midnight curfew implemented over the weekend.
The hotspot for Spring Breakers implemented a curfew that began at 11:59 p.m. and continued until 6:00 a.m. from Friday through Monday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Zuckerbucks 2.0? States Begin Banning New Private, Foreign Funding of Elections
Two states are in the process of banning “Zuckerbucks 2.0” — the injection of private money into public election administration — with one focusing on an outright ban, while the other is looking to prohibit foreign funding of elections.
As Indiana has enacted a law to ban a new form of “Zuckerbucks” — also called “Zuckerbucks 2.0” — the Arizona Senate has passed a related prohibition on the foreign funding of elections. Meanwhile, four counties in two other states have left the “Zuckerbucks 2.0” group.
On Monday, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) signed House Bill 1264 into law, which includes multiple election security measures, such as banning “Zuckerbucks 2.0.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
On last night’s episode of The Ezra Levant Show, Ezra summarized the situation regarding Tamara Lich, the spiritual leader of the Ottawa Trucker convoy, who is entering her second year in prosecution. Lich had been jailed for 49 days before being released, and Ezra described the trial as a bizarre and excruciating exercise, suggesting that the process itself serves as punishment.
Ezra provided an update on trials underway in Lethbridge, Alberta for individuals known as the “Coutts three and four,” referencing the town of Coutts located at the border between Alberta and Sweetgrass, Montana, where another blockade occurred. He noted the seriousness of these trials and their continuation in the weeks ahead.
Shifting focus, he mentioned a third location where truckers staged a sensational blockade, blocking the bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, Michigan, garnering international attention. Ezra highlighted the significance of this bridge as an international hub for the auto industry and mentioned that numerous charges were laid in connection to the blockade.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Breaking: Toronto Police Release Journalist David Menzies From Jail, Charge Him With Two Crimes
The Toronto police violated David’s freedom of the press, freedom of religion, and freedom of movement. That’s illegal. They need to be rebuked by a judge and stopped from doing it again—to David or to anyone else.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Canadian Military Halts ‘Aptitude Tests’ for Dozens of Jobs as Recruitment Struggles Continue
According to the CBC, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has removed its aptitude test from the application procedure for dozens of jobs. The move comes as recruiting problems persist and the Trudeau Liberals have plans to cut $1 billion from the national defence budget.
The CAF also announced that it will be accepting new recruits with pre-existing medical conditions, another new policy aimed at increasing consistently weak recruiting numbers.
In a conversation with the CBC, Brig.-Gen. Krista Brodie, a military official involved with recruitment, said that “We’re changing things and measuring and adjusting as we go. We don’t always get it right but it’s moving in a positive direction.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
CBC Paid Out $14.9 Million in Bonuses to Executives While Slashing Jobs: CTF
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) gave its executives $14.9 million in bonuses in 2023 even as it slashed journalist jobs, according to documents obtained by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) through an access to information request.
The state broadcaster revealed a massive series of programming and job cuts last December because of “budget pressures,” adding up to roughly 600 current positions and 200 planned ones.
CBC received $1.3 billion in taxpayer funding in the last fiscal year. However, the Trudeau government recently increased that funding by 96.1 million. Despite the steady flow of government money, it continues to offer paid advertising on television, though its radio presence remains ad-free.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Exclusive: Ezra Levant Interviews the Mother of One of the Coutts Four
Tomorrow the Coutts Four are back in court in Lethbridge. I’ll be there to report on the proceedings, along with our reporter Robert Kraychik.
Robert’s done a great job covering the trial of Tamara Lich in Ottawa, so he’s got a lot of experience with these political prosecutions. That’s what they really are — political trials. There is no public interest in pursuing these charges. In the case of Tamara Lich, it’s to punish her for leading the greatest peaceful protest in modern Canadian history. Her real crime was embarrassing Justin Trudeau.
The Coutts Four — two of whom have already pleaded guilty to minor offences — are a bit different. They’re important to Trudeau because he needed a pretext to invoke the Emergencies Act, and the peaceful and patriotic trucker protests simply didn’t provide a legal or political basis for martial law.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Freedom Convoy Supporters Sue Trudeau and Cabinet for Ordering Seizure of Bank Accounts
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his Cabinet have been sued in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice Friday for their role in seizing bank accounts during the 2022 Freedom Convoy.
A group of 20 plaintiffs targeted by the extrajudicial measures of the Emergencies Act claim the federal government, financial institutions and law enforcement infringed their Charter rights.
Trudeau, his Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, and former ministers Marco Mendicino and David Lametti are named as defendants in the lawsuit, including former RCMP commissioner Brenda Lucki, acting Ottawa Police commissioner Steve Bell, Canada’s five big banks, and several small regional banks and credit unions.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Tamara Lich Trial Day 38: Judge Rules Against Two Defence Requests, Hiatus Until August
The judge overseeing the Chris Barber and Tamara Lich trial ruled on two outstanding disputes — one regarding evidentiary exhibits submitted by the Crown and another regarding the timing of an incoming Crown application — on the trial’s thirty-eighth day of proceedings on Friday in Ottawa, ON.
Both Barber and Lich are charged with crimes linked to their roles as organizers of the 2022 Freedom Convoy, a peaceful demonstration against decrees, edicts, orders, mandates, and lockdowns imposed by all levels of government and marketed as “public health” measures to reduce the transmission of COVID-19.
The two defendants are being charged with mischief, intimidation, obstruction of police, and counselling others to commit mischief, intimidation, and obstruction of police.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Toronto’s Infamous Officer Bubbles Involved in Illegal Arrest of Rebel Reporter
A 13-post-thread on Twitter by Rebel News publisher Ezra Levant detailed Josephs’ history of “hot-headed” behaviour with peaceful members of the public, including Rebel News reporter David Menzies.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trudeau Thinks About Quitting ‘Every Day,’ Views Job of PM as ‘Super Boring’
Justin Trudeau recently stated in an interview that he thinks about quitting as Canada’s Prime Minister “every day.”
“I think about quitting every day. It’s a crazy job I’m doing, making the personal sacrifices,” said Trudeau, who has been in office since 2015. “Of course, it’s super tough. It’s very challenging at times.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Czechia Set to Begin Penicillin Production
The initiative aims to address medicine shortages, including penicillin. Prime Minister Petr Fiala emphasized the need for Czech self-sufficiency in medicine production.
As cited by Ceskenoviny, in December last year, Health Minister Vlastimil Valek announced plans for the construction of a penicillin factory by the end of the government’s term, offering no specifics. He indicated the announcement of a start date either by the end of the previous year or within the initial 14 days of the current one.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Europe Lacks 56 Billion Euros for NATO Defense Needs
European NATO members need 56 billion euros per year to reach the target of spending 2% of GDP on defense, writes the Financial Times.
This is the amount that countries in the bloc are currently committed to allocating to defense, but not all are meeting this requirement. According to research, many EU countries with the lowest military spending, including Italy, Spain, and Belgium, “have some of the highest levels of debt and budget deficits in Europe.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany: Mass Brawl in Berlin — 60 People Clash
On Saturday evening, Berlin’s Neukölln district saw a major clash, prompting a substantial police presence. Around 60 mostly young men were reportedly involved in the altercation.
The incident unfolded within the confines of a secluded courtyard on Kiehlufer, where the clash escalated to include the deployment of weapons, including a sword, alongside bare fists.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Polish Farmers Are Blockading the Border With Germany, Extending Their Protest Until Wednesday
As reported by RMF24, the blockade began at 1:00 p.m. at the Swiecko border crossing, with a similar action planned for Gubin seven hours later.
Motorists seeking to bypass the agricultural blockade must exit the A2 motorway at either the Rzepin or Jordanowo interchanges and follow police-directed detours. Truck drivers will be redirected onto the S3 expressway at the Jordanowo interchange, continuing until they reach the Olszyna border crossing.
Challenges may also arise in the border town of Slubice.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Prague Will Construct Central Europe’s Biggest Park
The upcoming Soutok suburban park, set to emerge in the next few years at the junction of the Vltava and Berounka rivers in the southern part of the city, is unparalleled in the Czech Republic, reports 420ON.
Marek Zderazdichka, the deputy director of the Prague Planning and Development Institute, made this announcement during a public gathering where the winning architects from an international competition presented their forthcoming study.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Samantha Norris, 56, of Ringwood, Hampshire, who is transitioning to become a woman, wrote out sexual fantasies about a child and had a ‘New Year’s resolution to have sex with a girl under 10’.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
UK: London Borough to Finally Remove Palestinian Flags From Public Property After Months of Backlash
The London Borough of Tower Hamlets has announced that it would finally remove Palestinian flags from its streets after months of backlash and claims that the local government was violating the law.
The Labour Party-controlled council said this week that it had decided to remove Palestinian flags from street furniture and public buildings in Tower Hamlets after consulting with the Metropolitan Police while blaming “unfair and divisive sentiment” from critics of flying foreign flags on public property.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
United Kingdom Should Reinstitute Military Conscription to Deter Russia, Urges NATO Ally
The United Kingdom should reinstitute military conscription of British citizens to act as a deterrent against Russia invading other countries in Europe, a NATO ally has urged.
Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins argued that Britain should once again start conscripting citizens into military service, after having scrapped the World War-era system in 1960.
Latvia, like Finland, has instituted a conscription programme following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, requiring men between the ages of 18 to 27 to carry out at least 11 months of military service.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden’s ‘Trojan Pier’ for Gaza
Five Americans are still being held hostage by Hamas, and Biden has sent no troops to help them, but at the State of the Union address, he promised to send troops to build a pier for Gaza.
The estimated over 1,000 troops will spend as long as 2 months laboring to build a floating pier in a war zone under potential attack to help transfer aid to the Hamas supporters living in Gaza.
Nothing about this plan makes sense.
The media has taken to falsely claiming that the Arab Muslims occupying parts of Gaza are starving. Vice President Kamala Harris attacked Israel, claiming that she had “seen reports of families eating leaves or animal feed.” Social media videos however show the locals gorging themselves on shawarma and other foods in preparation for the Islamic period of Ramadan.
But if the Biden administration really believed that Gazans were starving right now, what would be the purpose of spending two months building a pier to deliver aid? A program with a two month lead time will not help people who are starving right now. It would be a grim joke.
And the pier plan only gets stranger from there.
| — Hat tip: Daniel Greenfield | [Return to headlines] |
Netanyahu Snaps Back Against Growing US Criticism After Being Accused of Losing His Way on Gaza
TEL AVIV, Israel — (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu railed Sunday against growing criticism from top ally the United States against his leadership amid the devastating war with Hamas, describing calls for a new election as “wholly inappropriate.”
In recent days, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in the country and a strong Israel supporter, called on Israel to hold a new election, saying Netanyahu had “lost his way.” President Joe Biden expressed support for Schumer’s “good speech,” and earlier accused Netanyahu of hurting Israel because of the huge civilian death toll in Gaza.
Netanyahu told Fox News that Israel never would have called for a new U.S. election after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001, and denounced Schumer’s comments as inappropriate.
“We’re not a banana republic,” he said. “The people of Israel will choose when they will have elections, and who they’ll elect, and it’s not something that will be foisted on us.”
When asked by CNN whether he would commit to a new election after the war ends, Netanyahu said: “I think that’s something for the Israeli public to decide.”
| — Hat tip: JW | [Return to headlines] |
Netanyahu Rejects Allies’ Pressure, Vows to Continue Offensive
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu brushed off international pressure and affirmed his commitment to continue the military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, despite warnings from aid agencies about the looming famine.
As cited by Reuters, ceasefire negotiations were scheduled to resume amidst the ongoing conflict.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Police Clashed With Protesters in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem During the Saturday Night Protest
Anti-government protesters in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem engaged in confrontations with law enforcement on Saturday evening during their weekly demonstrations, which called for new elections and an immediate hostage deal, reports The Times of Israel.
In Tel Aviv, disrupting traffic has become a regular tactic for the protesters in recent weeks. However, on Saturday, protesters in Jerusalem also joined in, blocking the intersection at Paris Square for the first time since October 7. The decision to block the intersection followed speeches from relatives of hostages held in Gaza.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Dozens of Arrests as Protests Break Out at Polling Stations Across Russia on Final Day of Voting
(AP) — Russians crowded outside polling stations at midday Sunday on the last day of a three-day presidential election, apparently heeding an opposition call to protest against President Vladimir Putin.
Putin is poised to extend his nearly quarter century of rule for six more years after a relentless crackdown on dissent.
The election was taking place amid attacks within Russia by Ukrainian missiles and drones, which have killed several people. Polls opened Friday in a tightly controlled environment where there are no real alternatives to Putin, little public criticism of him or his war in Ukraine.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Molotov Cocktail Attack on Russian Embassy in Moldova on Last Day of Election
Sunday is the final day of three days of presidential elections in Russia. Yulia Navalnaya, the wife of deceased opposition activist Alexei Navalny, is urging mass protests against President Putin as he stands of the verge of winning another six year term as president, an outcome quite obvious to all observers. She’s calling on Russians to disrupt the final day of voting in what’s been dubbed “noon against Putin”.
While some sporadic minor incidents at polling stations have been reported, there has been a major incident in the small country of Moldova which borders Ukraine. Moldovan police have detained a man who attacked the Russian embassy with two Molotov cocktails as voting was underway there.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Putin Wins Fifth Term as Russian President With 87% of the Vote
Update: It will surprise no one that Vladimir Putin secured another six years as Russia’s president — effectively ensuring that he will surpass Joseph Stalin as Russia’s longest-serving ruler should he successfully complete his latest term when he will be 77-year-old — in a bid to step up his war in Ukraine and challenge the West, with the Kremlin claiming record public support for him in a vote whose outcome was largely pre-determined even without mystery sacks of mail-in ballots arriving at 3am.
Putin won 87%, according to an exit poll broadcast on state television late Sunday, shortly after the end of three days of voting. That exceeded the previous high of 77% support that the incumbent president received in 2018 elections, according to Bloomberg.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Putin Basks in Electoral Victory That Was Never in Doubt Even as Russians Quietly Protest
Russian President Vladimir Putin basked in a victory early Monday that was never in doubt, as partial election results showed him easily securing a fifth term after facing only token challengers and harshly suppressing opposition voices.
With little margin for protest, Russians crowded outside polling stations at noon Sunday, on the last day of the election, apparently heeding an opposition call to express their displeasure with Putin. Still, the impending landslide underlined that Russian leader would accept nothing less than full control of the country’s political system as he extends his nearly quarter-century rule for six more years.
Putin hailed the early results as an indication of “trust” and “hope” in him — while critics saw them as another reflection of the preordained nature of the election.
“Of course, we have lots of tasks ahead. But I want to make it clear for everyone: When we were consolidated, no one has ever managed to frighten us, to suppress our will and our self-conscience. They failed in the past and they will fail in the future,” Putin said at a meeting with volunteers after polls closed.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
Rare Drone Attack on Military Base in Breakaway Pro-Russian Republic of Transnistria
An unprecedented or at least extremely rare attack has just targeted a military base in the pro-Russian breakaway Moldovan republic of Transnistria on Sunday.
A kamikaze drone hit a military base in Tiraspol, the capital of unrecognized Transnistria, local officials have told RIA Novosti. The attack reportedly resulted in fire and damage to military assets at the airfield, but there were no casualties.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukrainian Porn Star Poses With Mangled War Veterans for Charity Photo Shoot
First there was the bizarre contingent of pro-Gaza porn stars that twerked their way into the media limelight in support of Palestinians. Now Ukraine appears to be hosting a charity calendar featuring porn actress Yulia Senyuk, also known as Josephine Jackson, posing with armless and legless war veterans wearing tuxedos. Who could have guessed that porn stars would become a staple of public war relations?
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Indian Navy Captures Ship Hijacked by Somali Pirates
The Indian Navy has successfully taken control of a vessel that was hijacked by pirates back in December, rescuing all 17 crew members aboard, as reported by Haberler.
In a statement released late on Saturday, the Indian Navy announced that the INS Kolkata, within the past 40 hours, executed a series of strategic maneuvers resulting in the surrender of all 35 pirates involved. This operation culminated in the safe evacuation of the crew from the pirate-held vessel, without any casualties.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Taiwan Confirms Presence of US Green Berets on Islands Very Close to China’s Coast
Authored by Dave DeCamp via AntiWar.com
Taiwanese Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng confirmed on Thursday the presence of US Army Special Forces soldiers in Kinmen, a group of islands that are controlled by Taiwan but located just off the coast of mainland China.
Some parts of the Kinmen islands are just 2.5 miles away from the mainland Chinese city of Xiamen. The presence of US troops on the islands was first reported by Taiwanese media last month.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Holly Candy, known professionally as Holly Valance, has taken a stunning swipe at climate activist Greta Thunberg in an explosive interview with GB News’ Chopper’s Political Podcast.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
A Victoria Police officer who was fired for refusing to get a Covid vaccination has been permanently banned from rejoining the force, despite being 800 police short.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Niger Terminates Military Cooperation With the US and Demands the Urgent Withdrawal of Troops
The government has deemed the presence of Washington’s military contingent illegal. The country denounces the agreement on Pentagon’s military and civilian representatives in the Republic, reports NDTV.
This was stated in an official communiqué by Colonel-Major Amadu Abdraman, a representative of the Nigerian government. In their statement, the representative of Nigerian authorities essentially accused the American delegation led by Deputy US Secretary of State for Africa Molly Fee, who visited Niger this week, of violating diplomatic protocol, pressuring the leadership of Niger, and showing contempt for the authorities and the people of the republic. Abdraman described the presence of the US military contingent as imposed unilaterally by Washington.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Close to 500,000 Foreigners Live in Germany Without Residency Permits or Asylum Status
As of the end of January 2024, 492,390 foreigners in Germany do not have residency permits or permits to stay, which are issued, for example, to asylum seekers during the procedure.
As cited by BILD, this became known in connection with the response of the federal government to the request of the deputy from the “Alternative for Germany” René Springer.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Group of Illegal Immigrants in El Paso, TX, Attempt to Intimidate Reporter
A group of illegal immigrants outside a church being used as a shelter in El Paso, Texas, intimidated a Border Hawk reporter before attempting to break into his vehicle.
In a video posted on X, a group of men outside the Sacred Heart Church are seen flipping off the reporter and cursing at him in Spanish. The group began to surround the vehicle and knock on windows before one threw a rock at the car.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A Guatemalan migrant who spent ten months in custody accused of killing a longtime Florida cop has been freed.
Virgilio Aguilar Mendez, 19, was arrested in May 2023 after he was approached by officers and one deputy suffered a fatal heart attack amid a struggle to detain him.
Sgt. Michael Kunovich, an officer of 25 years with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office in St. Augustine, Florida, keeled over during the chaos.
The 7th District State Attorney’s Office deemed farmworker Aguilar Mendez ‘incompetent’ to stand trial partly due to the language barrier and dismissed the charges against him.
[Comment: Attorney Robert Barnes calls it the “No hablo ingles” defense.]
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A Lebanese migrant who was caught sneaking over the border admitted he’s a member of Hezbollah, he hoped to make a bomb, and his destination was New York, The Post can reveal.
Basel Bassel Ebbadi, 22, was caught by border patrol on March 9 near El Paso, Texas. While in custody he asked what he was doing in the US, to which he replied: “I’m going to try to make a bomb,” according to a Border Patrol document exclusively obtained by The Post.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Illinois Slashes Healthcare for Illegal Immigrants
Illinois authorities are preparing to make cuts to two state-sponsored health insurance programs that provide coverage for non-citizens and undocumented immigrants, due to the costs significantly exceeding their initial estimates.
Last week, the state issued a notice indicating that adjustments to the eligibility criteria for the Healthcare Benefits for Immigrant Adults and Seniors program are imminent, following the program’s expenses rising to over $1 billion in the past year, Fox News reported.
Starting April 1, undocumented immigrants and non-citizen green card holders who have lived in the U.S. for less than five years will be excluded from these two health insurance schemes, as confirmed by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS).
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Cops Arrest Man While He is Raping Woman in Domodossola
Senegalese man, 26, accused of sexual violence
Italian police on Friday night arrested a 26-year-old Senegalese man while he was allegedly raping a 60-year-oldl Italian woman in a building near Domodossola station near the Swiss border.
The man was arrested on suspicion of sexual violence in flagrante delicto.
The man reportedly hit the woman and caused her to hit her head on the floor before raping her.
The woman said she had already been raped by the man on another occasion recently.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Man Arrested for Assaulting Woman in Street
Tunisian allegedly attacked victim out for a walk near Brescia
A 22-year-old man was arrested Thursday night on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 31-year-old woman in the street near Brescia in Lombardy.
The man was arrested on charges of sexual assault at the small town of Chiari.
The alleged victim, who had left the house for a walk, managed to free herself, escaping to a better-lit area.
There she called the Carabinieri, who located and arrested the 22-year-old man, of Tunisian origin.
The woman sustained slight injuries.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Vanuatuan visa-holder Claude Kalo, a onetime judo champion, allegedly raped a teenage girl at Mareeba on the Atherton Tablelands about 65km south-west of Cairns.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Albanian gangs have launched an £18,000 ‘women and children’ only smuggling service to reunite them with male relatives who have already sneaked into the UK.
Traffickers arrange genuine EU passports issued by corrupt Italian officials that use the name of a real person but with the illegal migrant’s photo, an undercover Mail investigation found.
They then hire drivers to take customers to the UK using these apparently legitimate travel documents, either via the Channel Tunnel or ferry from France.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
New York Governor Kathy Hochul went on the The View to bewail the current border crisis and to blame its deteriorating condition on Republicans, and especially on former President Trump.
According to Hochul, the proposed Senate border deal would have helped mitigate the crisis, but Trump interfered and pressured Republican congressmen and senators to kill the bill.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Sham Tough-on-Migrants Policies Launch in New York City and Chicago
Officials in New York City and Chicago are feeling the political heat over their policies giving billions of tax dollars to illegal aliens while taking benefits away from their citizens, and now both cities are pushing policies that may lead people to assume they are toughening their stance on illegals. But a close look at the policies shows what a sham these ballyhooed policies really are.
Both of these deep blue, Democrat-dominated towns have made what might at first glance seem to be an about face on their generous treatment of illegal immigrants. In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson has been all over the news, pounding podiums and beating his chest over his plans to “evict” illegal aliens who have stayed too long in city-sponsored shelters.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Canada: Prof Accuses Justice Department of Deplatforming Her Over Sex and Gender Views
A U.K. university professor says she was deplatformed by the Canadian government over her views on transgender issues.
University College London sociology professor Alice Sullivan had been scheduled to give an online presentation to staff at the Canadian Department of Justice on International Women’s Day last Friday.
Her talk was to be about data collection on sex, which is biological, versus gender, which isn’t.
Canada now collects self-reported, gender-based data by “default,” after it became the first country to collect and publish official data on gender identity through its national census several years ago.
Sullivan takes issue with this approach and planned to raise that in her remarks.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Colorado May Become First in Nation to Build Segregated Prison Cells for Transgender Inmates
The state of Colorado may soon have to accommodate transgender women in prison due to a lawsuit filed in 2019.
Segregated holding cells for those specific individuals are a definite possibility, Fox News reported Saturday.
The outlet continued:
After a class action lawsuit was filed by several transgender inmates in 2019 against the Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) alleging discrimination, harassment and assault, a judge is scheduled to rule on a consent decree that would bring further changes — including surgical sex changes and hormone treatment — to the state’s penitentiary, Fox News Digital has learned.
The consent decree, a court-ordered settlement in a legal dispute, would also require all trans women currently or previously in CDOC to receive a $2.1 million payout, depending on the severity of the alleged assault, discrimination and harassment while in prison. Rewards could range from $1,000 to $10,000 per plaintiff.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Queer Theory’ Has Now Infiltrated Math and Science: Dr. James Lindsay
On last night’s episode of The Ezra Levant Show, author Dr. James Lindsay joined the show to discuss how Queer Theory is impacting America’s youth through its infiltration of educational institutions.
Mr. Lindsay recently released a new book called The Queering of the American Child, which dives deeper into how Queer Theory and gender ideology are poisoning the minds of impressionable young students.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The United Nations General Assembly Adopted a Resolution on Combating Islamophobia
On the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, the “Measures to Combat Islamophobia” resolution secured approval with 115 votes in favor, 44 abstentions, and zero opposing. Ukraine, Armenia, France, Poland, Germany, and other countries abstained.
As reported by Anadolu Agency, the resolution advocates for the appointment of a UN special envoy tasked with combating Islamophobia and urges member nations to take decisive actions against religious intolerance, specifically targeting Islamophobic sentiments.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Ukrainian Porn Star Poses With Mangled War Veterans For Charity Photo Shoot
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What a shame and disgrace… A disgusting orchestrated war – like SNAFF for white and colored “sahibs”
An Arab woman from Sweden called Ukrainian women prostitutes.
https://samnytt.se/ukrainsk-protest-nar-svt-pekar-ut-ukrainska-flyktingar-som-horor
According to broadcast licensing rules, SVT’s broadcasts must be characterized by “the equal value of all people.” This provision means that the TV channel must distance itself from and respond to derogatory statements against ethnic groups. However, in practice this only applies to statements about Arabs, Africans and the like, while any derogatory remarks are freely expressed towards European ethnic groups, with the exception of Jews.
https://swedinfo.ru/novosti-stokgolma/6086-ukrainskij-posol-obidelsya-na-shutku-shvedskogo-televideniya-o-ukrainkakh
In other somehow related news the usurper in chief still resides for his fourth year in the senior living center on 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., in Columbia’s feral district after stealing the 2020 presidential election by somehow accruing more votes for any presidential candidate in American history. All while campaigning from his basement and only attracting a few hundred people at any one of his campaign rallies. All while now an estimated 10 million foreign nationals have invaded the country while the usurper pays their way, busing and flying them to any destination in the country they want.
Here is that corrupt and evil fraud, Joe Biden, admitting that he and Obama put together election fraud in America.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MA8a2g6tTp0
The election was stolen from Real President Donald John Trump.
“Here is that corrupt and evil fraud, Joe Biden, admitting that he and Obama put together election fraud in America.”
I could be wrong, but, to me, the video looks fake.