Searchers have recovered the bodies of two victims of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore. The bodies were located inside a trapped vehicle that had been submerged by the collapse. The remaining four victims are thought to be buried under the structural steel and rubble of the collapsed bridge, so further searching has been called off.
In other news, new crime statistics from the German city of Frankfurt show that foreigners are responsible for 100% of all serious sexual assault crimes.
To see the headlines and the articles, click “Continue reading” below.
Thanks to Daniel Greenfield, Dean, Dora, Fjordman, Insubria, JW, Reader from Chicago, Roger, SS, Upananda Brahmachari, and all the other tipsters who sent these in.
Notice to tipsters: Please don’t submit extensive excerpts from articles that have been posted behind a subscription firewall, or are otherwise under copyright protection.
Caveat: Articles in the news feed are posted “as is”. Gates of Vienna cannot vouch for the authenticity or accuracy of the contents of any individual item posted here. I check each entry to make sure it is relatively interesting, not patently offensive, and at least superficially plausible. The link to the original is included with each item’s title. Further research and verification are left to the reader.
SWIFT Completes the Second Phase of Sandbox Testing for Its (CBDC) Interlinking
The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) is very much so fully on board with the central bank digital currency (CBDC) push and is developing and testing an interoperability connector.
It has just been announced that this work on some of the infrastructure necessary to make CBDCs a reality is progressing to the organization’s satisfaction.
SWIFT’s CBDC interlinking solution has undergone the second phase of testing the functionality of the “connector” in sandbox conditions and involving “complex use cases” — which is said to have been successful.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
2 Arrested in ‘Cop City’ Protest at Midtown Atlanta Construction Site
ATLANTA — Two people have been arrested after chaining themselves to a crane at a construction site in Midtown during a protest of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.
The demonstration occurred at a Brasfield & Gorrie construction site on 11th Street and Bellingrath Avenue.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Following a segment on Sunday about “misinformation”on social media, it was revealed that CBS’ “60 Minutes” failed to disclose that a researcher the show prominently featured received funding and collaborated with the Biden administration.
According to the Daily Caller, the outlet omitted that University of Washington researcher Kate Starbird, who was featured on the Sunday show about “misinformation” led a project that Biden’s National Science Foundation (NSF) granted $2.25 million in 2021.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The American Medical Association (AMA) President Jesse Ehrenfeld is arguing in favor of more censorship, supposedly targeting those “spreading misinformation.”
Ehrenfeld is happy with how Google/YouTube is doing that, via the controversial “medical misinformation” policy which he says “landed a solid punch” (against suspected medical information, not free speech, according to him). And, Ehrenfeld is urging other platforms to adopt similar rules.
YouTube mandates that its users must strictly adhere to whatever local health authorities or the World Health Organization say about health-related matters.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Baltimore Port Closure Puts Truck Drivers Who Haul Autos in a Bind
By John Kingston of FreightWaves
With the closure of the Port of Baltimore for the foreseeable future, the question of which truck drivers are most affected inevitably focuses first on drayage.
But Baltimore is not a major intermodal port, with estimates that its share of U.S. intermodal traffic is in the low single digits.
What the Port of Baltimore is, however, is a huge gateway for automobile imports and, to a lesser extent, car exports. And that fact is likely to shake up the niche truck segment of auto haulers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Baltimore Ship ‘Black Box’ Data Recorder Taken by Investigators as Search for Missing Continues
The investigation and recovery after the catastrophic bridge strike over the Patapsco River continues, with National Transportation Safety Board officials having boarded the MV Dali and professionals continuing to seek victims of the collapse.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) officials have now removed the MV Dali’s data recorder — like the famous ‘black boxes’ of commercial aircraft — which upon evaluation may contain further information about the cause of the loss of propulsion that seems to have contributed to Tuesday’s disaster.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Berkeley Forced to Abandon Green Agenda Ban on Natural Gas After Court Battle
A nearly four-year court battle has forced the City of Berkeley, California to abandon its landmark ban on natural gas hookups in new buildings.
Berkeley officials have finally agreed to stop enforcing the green agenda rule.
The decision ends a long court battle to beat the ban by industry groups.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Lies to America, Tells the Truth to China
“When I was director of intelligence for the Indo-Pacific Command, for example, I watched as numerous requests to publicize Chinese malign activities were disapproved by Washington,” Rear Admiral Mike Studeman recently warned.
The former head of the Office of Naval Intelligence had served between 2022 and 2023 and during that time one of the suppressed stories about China’s attacks involved “Beijing’s use of high-altitude surveillance balloons over the sovereign airspaces of the US” which came “many months before the shooting down of a Chinese balloon flying over the US.”
After the spy balloon was exposed, Biden administration officials had claimed that there had been multiple spy balloon overflights under Trump and only one under Biden, which went unnoticed at the time, but the US Navy was clearly aware and had been ordered to keep quiet by D.C. about the multiple incursions by Chinese spy balloons under Biden.
When the spy balloon was first detected, the initial response by the Biden administration had been to suppress news about it and then to deny that the administration had been aware of it.
“Before it was spotted publicly, there was the intention to study it and let it pass over and not ever tell anyone about it,” an administration official admitted.
But when a Montana resident’s footage of the spy balloon went viral, the Biden cover-up fell apart. Once it was exposed, the official complained that “It caused so many problems.”
While the Biden administration was publicly criticizing China, the State Department was privately sidelining sanctions and any actions against the People’s Republic of China. A month later, a top State Department official dealing with China was already looking to “move on”.
| — Hat tip: Daniel Greenfield | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Accuses Trump of ‘Lying About Having Money He Definitely Doesn’t Have’
On Monday, Democrat President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign issued a statement filled with false allegations about the presidential election frontrunner.
Biden’s campaign accused President Donald Trump of “lying” for asserting that he possesses the necessary funds to post a $175 million bond in his civil “fraud” case.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Biden Allies Terrified of RFK Jr’s Candidacy
Growing apprehension among top Democratic Party supporters has emerged regarding the potential impact of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s candidacy on President Biden’s reelection prospects in the upcoming election cycle.
A report by Fox News revealed a phone call hosted by key Democratic National Committee (DNC) figures, where the potential threat posed by Kennedy’s candidacy was discussed.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Publisher Simon and Schuster has terminated its contract with Alex Thompson, Axios’ national political correspondent, for a book centered on President Joe Biden’s administration, signaling a challenging market for Biden-related literature.
The decision, revealed by two sources familiar with the matter to Daniel Lippman at Politico, comes amidst lackluster sales for books pertaining to Biden, in stark contrast to the success enjoyed by publications discussing President Donald Trump.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Coral Springs Man Accused of Stabbing Parents After Smoking THC Vape Pen
A 21-year-old Coral Springs man stabbed his mother and father at their home Saturday after he smoked THC, the main compound in cannabis that affects the brain, from a vape pen and took off his clothes, according to police.
As of Wednesday, Alexander Figueroa remains in Broward County jail with no bond on attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon charges.
According to Coral Springs police, the bizarre incident began with Figueroa vaping with his cousin while taking a walk around 4:40 a.m. He asked his cousin, “Where do you want to go, heaven or hell?” according to his arrest report.
He then took off his shirt and began acting aggressively toward his cousin, yelling at him, then grabbing his cell phone and smashing it on the ground, police said.
The cousin then went back to the Figueroas’ home on Northwest 114th Street Drive and told his parents what was happening. Figueroa’s mother drove her Tesla around the neighborhood trying to find her son. The father searched for him in his SUV, according to police, who redacted the parents’ names from the report.
The mother and cousin convinced Figueroa to get into the Tesla, but, once inside, he tried kicking out the window in the backseat, police said.
When they arrived back at the house, Figueroa ran inside through the garage and locked the door behind him, according to the report.
His parents looked through the window and saw him naked and screaming, the report states. He then ran outside and attacked his mother, stabbing and punching her, according to police.
His father tried to stop him, and he began stabbing him, police said. When his mom tried to stop him, he again repeatedly punched her, the report states.
Figueroa then turned his attention to the family dog, which gave the mother a window of opportunity to run to a neighbor’s home and call 911, police said.
| — Hat tip: Roger | [Return to headlines] |
DC Shocker: Woman Acquitted of Murder, Other Charges After Self-Defense Claim
In a verdict that is more notable for where it occurred—Washington, DC—more so than why it occurred—a justifiable self-defense claim, Tierra Posey, a 24-year-old woman, was acquitted of all charges related to fatally shooting another woman during a fight in 2020. The acquittal came after a week-long trial in DC Superior Court, as reported by DC Witness.
The case centered around the events of January 6, 2020, at a gas station on the 3700 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE, Washington, DC, where 21-year-old Tia Carey was fatally shot. Posey faced charges of second-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence and carrying a pistol without a license outside of a home or business. The core of the defense’s argument was that Posey acted in self-defense during an altercation with Carey.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
DeSantis Spikes the Ball as Disney Drops Suit Challenging Loss of Special-District Status
After a year of legal wrangling between the Walt Disney Company and Florida leaders over the company’s ability to control its governing body, the two sides have reached a settlement agreement that includes Disney dropping its lawsuits against a newly created tourism board.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
DeSantis Signs Law to ‘End the Squatters Scam’ in Florida
Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law on Wednesday to effectively end squatters’ rights in the state of Florida.
“We are putting an end to the squatters scam in Florida,” DeSantis said in a statement. “While other states are siding with the squatters, we are protecting property owners and punishing criminals looking to game the system.”
The legislation, set to take effect July 1, will increase penalties for occupying a building without the landlords’ approval and empower police to immediately remove any unlawful tenants who don’t have an authorized lease.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Donald Trump is Now Richer Than George Soros — and on Track to Overtake Mark Cuban
Donald Trump is now richer than George Soros — and is set to overtake Mark Cuban too.
The former president’s net worth has soared by more than $4 billion this year to an estimated $7.2 billion, per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Trump ranked 377th on the rich list at Tuesday’s market close, above the likes of Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings ($6 billion), oil-dynasty heir Gordon Getty ($6.2 billion), and Home Depot cofounder Bernie Marcus ($6.9 billion).
The real estate tycoon’s wealth has soared thanks to his 78.75 million shares, or at least 58% stake, in Trump Media & Technology Group, which merged with Digital World Acquisition Corp. on Monday and began trading under the ticker DJT on Tuesday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A California whistleblower will head to trial next week for his lawsuit alleging the Newsom administration pressured him to illegally withhold drilling permits during his time as the head of the state’s oil and gas regulatory agency.
Uduak-Joe Ntuk, the former head of the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM), filed a lawsuit in September claiming he was pushed to stop issuing new well-drilling permits “without statutory authority or regulations.” Ntuk alleges that he filed a complaint with the state on January 4, 2023, and then nine days later he was “forced and coerced to resign.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Gavin Newsom Snipes at Idaho After State Bans Diversity Requirements for Colleges
In a trend that’s growing quickly among red states, Governor Brad Little recently announced that Idaho is officially banning DEI requirements and “statements” used by public educational institutions as a metric for hiring employees or as an entry model for student candidates applying to colleges and universities.
Senate Bill 1274, now signed into law, will “prohibit the requirement of statements regarding diversity as a condition of employment in postsecondary education” in the state of Idaho. Statements will also be banned as a requirement of “an admissions process” to any public college.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A board member and chair of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board resigned after freeing a man who went on to fatally stab his ex-girlfriend’s 11-year-old son less than 24 hours after he was released.
According to CBS 2, board chair Donald Shelton and board member LeAnn Miller resigned Monday following the March 13 murder of Jayden Perkins, who was stabbed in the chest allegedly by the recently released prisoner.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Catastrophic supply chain snarls are materializing in the Mid-Atlantic area after a container ship rammed a 1.6-mile-long bridge at the Port of Baltimore, causing the bridge to collapse and paralyzing terminals along the port.
Before we shed more color on the worsening supply chain issues, a new Wall Street Journal report cites people familiar with the investigation into the crash as saying contaminated fuel could’ve contributed to the container ship “Dali” losing power.
According to a Coast Guard briefing report viewed by the WSJ, Dali’s lights began to flicker about an hour after the ship began steaming down the marine channel out of the Baltimore Inner Harbor.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Karine Jean-Pierre Melts Down, Ends Interview After Local Radio Host Asks if Biden ‘Has Dementia’
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Piere suffered a meltdown on live radio and stormed out of an interview after the host asked her whether Democrat President Joe Biden “has dementia.”
According to a clip shared by the station, Jean-Pierre appeared to abruptly end the local radio interview.
Biden’s spokeswoman joined Mark Garrison from 99.3 WBT, a radio station based in Charlotte, North Carolina.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Mississippi SOS Hits BlackRock With Cease and Desist Order Over ‘Fraudulent’ ESG Investments
Mississippi’s Republican Secretary of State Michael Watson has just hit investment giant BlackRock with a cease and desist order over the company’s “fraudulent” claims about “environmental, social, and governance” (ESG) investing.
Watson sent a cease and desist letter to BlackRock on Tuesday night.
The state SOS is accusing the company of misleading clients about its involvement in ESG investing.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Most Americans Oppose Israel’s War in Gaza, Poll Finds
Most Americans disapprove of Israel’s war in Gaza, according to a Gallup poll released Wednesday — a downward shift in Americans’ opinions on the war.
More than half of Americans — 55 percent — said they disapprove of Israel’s military action in Gaza, while 36 percent approve of it, according to the poll, which surveyed 1,016 U.S. adults this month. Nine percent said they had no opinion on the matter. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points.
The poll shows growing discontent among Americans with Israel’s war in Gaza. A Gallup poll in November found that 50 percent of Americans approved of Israel’s actions in Gaza, while 45 percent disapproved and 4 percent said they had no opinion on the war. The conflict, which has now killed more than 32,490 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants, followed the Hamas militant group’s Oct. 7 attack in Israel that killed about 1,200 people.
| — Hat tip: JW | [Return to headlines] |
New: 2 Bodies Found Trapped Inside Submerged Vehicle After Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse
On Wednesday, Maryland authorities recovered the bodies of two victims from the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.
The bodies were located around 10 am inside a trapped vehicle that had been submerged underwater and were pronounced dead at the scene. The bridge collapsed on Monday after one of its support beams had been hit by a cargo ship, which resulted in individuals and vehicles plunging to their deaths.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
NSF Paid Universities to Develop AI Censorship Tools for Social Media
By Daniel Nuccio of The College Fix
“Used by governments and Big Tech to shape public opinion by restricting certain viewpoints or promoting others’: report
The National Science Foundation is paying universities using taxpayer money to create AI tools that can be used to censor Americans on various social media platforms, according to members of the House.
University of Michigan, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and MIT are among the universities cited in the House Judiciary Committee and the Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government interim report.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Prince Harry Named as ‘Affiliate’ in Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Trafficking Court Filings
Britain’s Prince Harry has been named as an “affiliate” in multiple court filings regarding the allegations of human trafficking made against rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs.
The music mogul has been accused of sexually abusing men, women, and children and also playing a major role in sex trafficking activities.
As Slay News reported earlier, Diddy’s homes in Los Angeles and Miami were raided by federal authorities on Monday.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Protesters Block Entrances at Amazon HQ, Objecting to Planned Use of Fossil Fuels in Oregon
Dozens of environmental activists this morning blocked the entrances at Amazon’s Day 1 building at its Seattle headquarters.
A Washington-based group called the Troublemakers organized the action, calling on the tech giant to cancel its plans to use natural gas from a new pipeline being built in Oregon. The gas would be used to power three data centers in the state.
“The fact that Amazon is still an active participant in a fossil fuel expansion at this moment in time highlights their hypocrisy,” said Emily Johnston, one of the protest organizers.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Return of the ‘Knockout Game’? Women Punched by “Strangers” in New York City
Authored by Paul Joseph Watson via Modernity.news
The New York Post is speculating that the infamous ‘knockout game’ could have made a return after numerous women reported being punched in the head by “strangers” in New York City.
Over the course of the last two weeks, multiple women have released viral TikTok videos explaining how they were taken by surprise and assaulted on the street.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
South Carolina Officials Baffled After Finding Mysterious $1.8 Billion Stash in State Bank Account
Officials in South Carolina are trying to figure out where a whopping $1.8 billion has come from after discovering the huge stash in a mysterious state bank account.
State lawmakers say they have no idea where the money came from or what it was intended to fund.
On Tuesday, Republican Gov. Henry McMaster assured the public that “no money was lost.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
‘Squatter-Squad’ Using Home Inspectors and Other Legal Techniques to Send Squatters Packing
You may have noticed an increase in stories involving homeowners in blue states who can’t evict squatters due to various laws that make it extremely difficult to do so.
- Owner of LA mansion taken over by Airbnb squatter ‘from hell’ accuses her of extortion
- Airbnb host’s ‘tenant from hell’ also lived rent-free in an Oakland house
- I lived illegally in a house for 5 years — I took the time to fix it up and sued for legal ownership, now it’s mine
- California’s Housing Crisis Is So Bad, Families Are Squatting Abandoned Homes Just to Survive (Mother Jones, of course)
And more recently, a Queens woman was arrested after trying to evict squatters out of her house.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Nicholas Sandmann’s Dismissed Lawsuit Against Multiple Media Outlets
The United States Supreme Court has declined to take up the case of Nicholas Sandmann after his lawsuit against multiple corporate media outlets was dismissed.
Sandmann, a young pro-life Trump supporter from Kentucky, attempted to sue several media organizations for alleged defamation and libel over their coordinated public smears of him.
The smear attacks came following a confrontation with a Native American activist during a school trip to Washington D.C. in January 2019.
That lawsuit had been dismissed by a district court and circuit court panel.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Supreme Court Case Could End Biden DOJ’s Jan 6 Witch Hunt
A case heading for the U.S. Supreme Court could finally put an end to Democrat President Joe Biden’s Jan. 6 witch hunt.
The Supreme Court will soon take up the appeal of a man convicted over Jan. 6.
The case could upend the witch hunt by Biden’s Justice Department against President Donald Trump and his supporters.
In Fischer v. United States, the court is being asked to weigh in on the scope of a federal obstruction statute.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump’s VP Shortlist is ‘Very Long, ‘ Constantly ‘In Flux, ‘ Report Suggests
There has been rampant media speculation for months about who President Donald Trump is considering to be his 2024 running mate.
Although he has occasionally dropped a few hints about particular attributes he is looking for, those clues have not been sufficient to reveal who his final choice may be.
That might be because Trump’s vice presidential shortlist is “very long” and constantly “in flux,” CNN reports.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump Selling $60 Bibles to ‘Make America Pray Again’
Authored by Aldgra Fredly via The Epoch Times
Former President Donald Trump announced on March 26 his collaboration with country singer Lee Greenwood to promote the “God Bless The USA Bible,” encouraging people to buy it and “make America pray again.”
“All Americans need a Bible in their home, and I have many. It’s my favorite book,” the Republican presidential candidate said in a video posted to his Truth Social account on March 26.
“I think you all should get a copy of God Bless the U.S.A. Bible now and help spread our Christian values with others. There you have it. Let’s make America pray again,” he added.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trump to Attend Wake of NYPD Officer Killed by Career Criminal During Traffic Stop
Donald Trump is expected to attend the wake for Jonathan Diller, the New York City police officer who was shot dead by a career criminal while carrying out a routine traffic stop in Queens on Monday night.
The gathering is scheduled to take place on Thursday from 2-4 pm in Massapequa.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Up to 18% of Registered Voters in 26 States Are Fake, Investigation Finds
A bombshell election integrity investigation has found that between 7% and 18% of registered voters in 26 U.S. states are fake.
The investigation, conducted by Omega4America, found that the fake voters either didn’t exist or their residing address had been fabricated.
The firm carried out a long audit of voter rolls in multiple states.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
After the Liberals shut down the Parliamentary ethics committee’s investigation into Chinese spying at a top-secret biological lab in Winnipeg, the Official Opposition Conservatives have found another committee to investigate the matter. At issue is why two Chinese scientists at the Winnipeg National Microbiology Laboratory were able to send classified material back to China while conducting research on Canadian soil.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Trudeau’s Online Speech Monitoring
In Canada, Justin Trudeau’s government seems to keep getting mired in ever more allegations of mass surveillance and spying on the population, the latest being a report about contracts designed to monitor social media.
It’s another case of “not new news” — this time, also because of the actual chronology of it all.
Although it’s only now coming to light, Canadian press reports allege that Trudeau embarked on the policy of spending tax money in order to “better surveil” the country’s general population — pretty much since he took office.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The ruling coalition headed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk has accused the head of the central bank, Adam Glapinski, of breaking several laws and of violating his constitutional obligation to uphold the political independence of the National Bank of Poland (NBP).
If the required motion passes, Glapinski will be the first person since 2006 brought before the State Tribunal, a body empowered to sanction the highest officials of the state. However, he has dismissed the accusations against him as “idiotic.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Brussels Slow to React to Chinese Cyberattacks
The EU, like Britain and the U.S., is believed to have been targeted by Chinese cyberattacks. And like their London counterparts in particular, Brussels leaders now stand accused of failing to issue a proper response.
In fact, the disclosure didn’t even come from Brussels administrators. Instead, the American Department of Justice (DoJ) issued an indictment on Monday revealing that Chinese hackers have over recent years targeted “every European Union member” of the Beijing-critical Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC).
Belgian politician Samuel Cogolati, who is co-chair of IPAC and was himself targeted by Chinese cyber attackers in 2021, the same year he was sanctioned by Beijing, told Politico:
It is absolutely ridiculous to find out about all the other victims of Chinese cyberattacks in Belgium and across Europe through an indictment—issued by the U.S. DoJ.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Confirmed: European Parliament Sues Commission Over Hungarian Funds
The European Parliament officially submitted its lawsuit to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) against the von der Leyen Commission over its unblocking of €10 billion EU funds owed to Hungary, both the Parliament and ECJ confirmed on Tuesday, March 26th, following inquiries from sovereigntist think tank MCC Brussels.
After meeting with leaders of the parliamentary groups, EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola agreed to launch the lawsuit two weeks ago, on March 14th. The deadline for the court submission was set for March 25th, with the final say reserved for Metsola in the meantime. Both EU institutions have now confirmed that the lawsuit against the European Commission is live and awaiting the Court’s investigation.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Austria has retained its second-highest terror alert level for the Easter holidays, but authorities are still taking extra precautions in the aftermath of the Moscow attack that killed at least 137 people.
Extra digital surveillance and an added police presence are expected across Easter markets and celebrations in Vienna over the weekend, particularly outside St. Stephen’s Cathedral, which was the target of a thwarted terror attack at Christmas.
Armed guards will man the Christian landmark and plain-clothes police officers will be on hand among civilians to root out any suspicious activity.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU Fails to Break Deadlock Over Spanish Judicial Appointments
The political negotiations over Spanish judicial appointments have once again run into a roadblock.
The country is due to appoint new leaders for the General Council of the Judiciary (CGPJ), the body that oversees administrative and ethical aspects of the judicial system, including appointing judges. The new appointments should have happened five years ago but are still pending. They require the approval of a super majority of the parliament, forcing Spain’s two major parties to reach an agreement. In the past, this proved less problematic, but now the highly divided political situation, the extreme policies of the socialist-led government such as an amnesty for Catalan secessionists, and the socialist government’s moves to control the courts have made it impossible for the parties to reach an agreement.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
EU Mulls Restoring Cooperation With Russia on Counterterrorism
The Kremlin this week has publicized conditions under which it would enter negotiations with the United States toward restoring relations.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said Russia remains “open” to such dialogue but only on the basis of comprehensively addressing all issues of concern. Peskov said that Moscow has the “political will” for talks with Washington, but is “in favor of a comprehensive discussion of all issues.”
President Putin “has repeatedly said that we are open to a dialogue, that we believe it is necessary to discuss all issues comprehensively. You cannot take some issues out of the general context that now dominates our bilateral relations,” Peskov elaborated, according to Russian media.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
On Tuesday, farmers will be demonstrating again in Brussels. They are demanding guarantees to ensure that agriculture remains viable in Europe. They also want to see a relaxation of the reporting and regulatory regime, and for Brussels to abandon free trade agreements with countries outside the EU.
According to conservative Polish MEP Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, the EU establishment is applying a form of moral blackmail by saying that in order to help Ukraine, the EU must open its borders to duty-free trade in agricultural goods. In reality, Ukraine needs more ammunition and money, and those are goods the EU cannot or will not deliver.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Adopted last year as benchmark EU legislation, the Digital Services Act (DSA) already forces social media platforms and search engines to remove illegal and harmful content in Europe, especially what it classifies as mis— and disinformation related to democratic and electoral processes. Now, with the EU elections—and a dozen national ones—rapidly approaching, Brussels is busy ensuring that every company in Silicon Valley knows what its duty is.
Attempts at regulating online content as a means of controlling the political agenda should concern Europeans, under the old adage “never give the government more power than you would want your worst enemy to have.”
On Tuesday, March 26th, the European Commission released a lengthy document entitled “Guidelines for providers of VLOPs and VLOSEs on the mitigation of systemic risks for electoral processes,” meant to be implemented as prescribed or replaced by equally effective measures.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
European Countries Issue Terror Warnings Ahead of Easter
Austria, France, and Italy have all issued warnings of potential terrorist threats to Europe by the Islamic State (IS) following the group’s Moscow concert hall attack that killed 139 people.
The French government increased the country’s security alert to its highest level, which means more soldiers will be put on standby and ready to patrol sensitive sites, including schools. According to Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, France has thwarted two attack attempts by IS since the start of the year, including a foiled attack on the city of Strasbourg.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Expert Debunks US Ambassador’s Attacks Against Hungary’s Energy Policy
U.S. ambassador to Hungary David Pressman is spreading misinformation about Hungary and its use of Russian energy sources in his latest video post, according to a Hungarian energy expert interviewed by the Magyar Nemzet newspaper.
Energy lawyer Maté Tóth said in his interview that the countries cited in the video as positive examples of rejecting Russian oil and gas paid several times more for alternative energy sources and were less reliant on Russian energy before the war in Ukraine began.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Farmers Pressure EU Agriculture Ministers in Latest Brussels Protest
In what has become a familiar sight for Brussels commuters, Belgian police faced off with protesting farmers in the heart of the EU capital on Tuesday morning as Europe’s wave of agrarian demonstrations again swept into the city ahead of June’s European elections.
A combination of Flemish, Wallonian, and French farmers lined the streets of Brussels’ European district from 10 a.m. in a protest against the EU’s prohibitive green policies as well as cheap imports and looming trade agreements threatening the bloc’s farmers.
The day’s events were spearheaded by the Federation of Young Farmers (FJA) and the Walloon Federation of Agriculture (FWA) with the Belgian press placing numbers at approximately 300 tractors.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germans Fed Up With Greens as Founding Member Resigns
The aggressive policies of the German Greens have alienated not only many voters in Germany but also their own supporters, including one of the founders of the party who has accused them of pursuing a warmongering foreign policy.
According to a recent survey published in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung daily, the Greens, who entered into government with the Social Democrats (SPD) and the liberal FDP in December 2021, have seen their support plummet from 18% to 8% compared to five years ago. Meanwhile, the number of people who claim not to like the party has risen considerably from 25% to 56%, meaning it is one of the most hated parties in Germany. Two-thirds of those surveyed say the Greens want to create too many regulations, and 63% said the Greens are out of touch with the needs of the citizens. A plurality of people, 43% also believe the Greens are the most influential force in the current government, even though the SPD are the largest party.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Germany’s Ambitious Military Upgrade Initiative May Run Out of Money
The German federal government’s plans to upgrade its ailing military are yet to be realized.
Germany has struggled to reach the 2 percent of GDP defense budget set by NATO as a minimum, while plans to spend €100 billion on force development, which Chancellor Scholz announced shortly after the war in Ukraine broke out, have stalled.
Much of the €100 billion is being spent by the government to buy weapons, most of which will take years to arrive, while reports year after year tell of the continuing deterioration of the working conditions of the German army, shortages of equipment, and an ever-increasing lack of personnel amid failed recruitment drives.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Homes of Polish Opposition Politicians Raided by Security Services
The homes of a former justice minister, Zbigniew Ziobro, and other figures linked to his Sovereign Poland party, which is allied with Law and Justice (PiS), were raided on Tuesday by the security services on the orders of prosecutors over alleged abuses in the disbursement of public funds.
The acting leader of Sovereign Poland, Patryk Jaki, announced that the authorities had “broken into Ziobro’s house on the orders of Tusk and Bodnar’s neo-prosecutors.” The latter is a reference to Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his Justice Minister Adam Bodnar who appointed public prosecutors without the required consultation of the president.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Hungarian Central Bank Raises Alarm Over State of Healthcare
The poor general health condition of Hungarians is having an impact on the country’s economy, the Hungarian Central Bank (MNB) warned in its recent competitiveness report.
Hungary ranked 26th among the 27 EU member states in terms of health in 2023, with a score of 39.3, with only Romania ranking worse, according to the report.
Hungary’s score fell by 2.2 points compared to the previous year, dropping one place in the ranking. The Hungarian score is still well below the regional score of 52.5 and the EU score of 60.7.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Bari Mayor Denies Paying Visit to Mobster’s Sister
Decaro says Puglia Governor Emiliano’s memory is faulty
Bari Mayor Antonio Decaro (Left-wing, Democratic Party) said Sunday that Puglia Governor Michele Emiliano’s (Left-wing, Democratic Party) memory was faulty after he sparked a major furore by saying he had accompanied him to the home of a mobster’s sister when they were both covering different roles in the southern city many years ago.
Emiliano made the comments that triggered the row during a demonstration held on Saturday to show support for Decaro after the interior ministry launched an inspection of the Bari municipal administration for possible mafia infiltration.
Decaro, a member of the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), says the move by the centre-right central government is linked to June’s local elections in the city.
Emiliano spoke about a visit to the sister of mafia boss Antonio Capriati when former prosecutor Emiliano was Bari mayor between 2004 and 2014 and Decaro was the traffic chief on his city executive, amid protests about the decision to close the Bari Vecchia quarter to cars.
The statement led to calls from centre-right figures for both Decaro and Emiliano to quit and for the city council to be dissolved.
But Decaro said Sunday that, while he did have a run-in with Capriati’s sister over the traffic restrictions, he had not visited her at home.
“Emiliano does not remember that episode, which took place almost 20 years ago, correctly,” Decaro said.
“It is certainly true that he gave me all his support, in the face of protests from a good part of the neighbourhood, when we began to close Bari Vecchia to cars, but I never went to anyone’s sister’s house.
“After arguments with some residents, one day we met some lads in the street who were also quite “sceptical” about the new rules and began to rail against me as we entered the Cathedral and Michele told them to leave me alone because I was working for the children of the neighborhood.
“I met the the lady in question, as reported in the news at the time, in a street after it was closed to traffic and I argued with her because she refused to accept the installation of the flower boxes that stopped the cars passing”.
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Italy: Salvini Calls Macron a ‘Warmonger’, Danger to the EU
League leader says he doesn’t want EU ready for World War III
Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini called French President Emmanuel Macron a “warmonger” on Saturday during a Rome convention of Identity and Democracy (ID) group that his League party belongs to at the European level.
“With his words Macron with is a danger for our country and for this continent,” Salvini told the ‘Winds of Change’ convention.
“I don’t want to leave a continent ready to enter World War III to my children”.
Salvini also spoke about this year’s presidential elections in the United States.
“The years the Republicans were in government always coincided with years of peace,” he said.
“I hope that Americans will to back to choosing peace.”
| — Hat tip: Insubria | [Return to headlines] |
Le Pen and Salvini Criticise Italian PM for Supporting Von Der Leyen
The European parliamentary group Identity and Democracy (ID), whose members include anti-globalist parties such as the German AfD, the French Rassemblement National, and the Italian Lega, gathered in Rome for a convention on Saturday, March 23rd. On this occasion, Marine Le Pen for RN and Matteo Salvini for Lega reaffirmed their refusal to support a new mandate for Ursula von der Leyen as head of the European Commission and urged Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to do the same—despite the fact that Meloni cultivates a privileged relationship with the EPP from which von der Leyen comes.
During the convention, Marine Le Pen broadcast a very stark video message to Giorgia Meloni, playing up the proximity and familiarity with the Italian leader: “I have a real question for the Italian Prime Minister: Prime Minister, will you or will you not support a second term of office for Mrs von der Leyen?” she asks insistently, demanding “the truth” for the Italian people.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Moderna Vaccine Recipients Have Greater Risk of Developing Chronic Condition: Study
Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours)
People who receive Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine have a greater risk of developing chronic hives, according to researchers in Denmark.
The Danish Medicines Agency review of data from Denmark and the European Union validated a safety signal that arose for chronic hives, or chronic urticaria, and Moderna’s shot, the agency said on March 20.
Of 360 cases reported in Europe following the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, 58 were deemed probably caused by vaccination and 228 were determined to be possibly caused by the vaccination, Martin Zahle Larsen from the Danish Medicines Agency said in a statement.
Most of the cases were reported by patients, doctors, or pharmaceutical companies.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Neither NATO Leader Candidate is Ideal for Hungary, Says Defense Expert
Neither candidate earmarked for the position of NATO secretary-general is ideal for Hungary, a Hungarian defense policy professor has told the Magyar Nemzet newspaper.
Although one of the founding missions of NATO is to defend democracy, there is little democratic about the nomination of its secretary-general. The post is not even decided in the North Atlantic Council, the organization’s highest decision-making forum, but is the subject of negotiations in the background until member states can find a consensus candidate.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poland: Lawfare Continues Against Opposition Conservatives as Former Officials’ Homes Raided
Polish special services searched the homes of former government officials on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 26th and 27th, as part of an investigation into alleged misuse of funds. Opposition lawmakers are fuming at what they see as yet another attempt by the recently installed Tusk government to purge its political foes.
On Tuesday, special services forced their way into the home of former justice minister, Zbigniew Ziobro, who served in the previous conservative government. On Wednesday, they searched the home of former deputy justice minister Michal Wos and another house belonging to Ziobro’s family, Reuters reports. Three former justice ministry officials and one other person were detained.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
After a Russian missile entered Polish airspace for 39 seconds on its way towards western Ukraine, Ukrainian politicians are complaining that Poland did not shoot the missile down.
Krzysztof Bosak, joint leader of the right-wing Confederation party, expressed his displeasure with Andriy Sadovy’s remarks on Polish commercial TV Polsat, in which the Ukrainian politician said that it would have been good for the Russian missile to have been shot down over Poland, as that would have made the Ukrainians’ job a little bit easier.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Police Scotland to Stop Investigating Crimes While Enforcing New Anti-Free Speech Law
Authored by Paul Joseph Watson via Modernity.news
As it prepares to investigate every report it receives under the new Hate Crime Act, Police Scotland admits that a separate plan to stop investigating crimes like theft and criminal damage will help criminals.
A Police Scotland pilot in Aberdeen which was deemed a “success” means “more than 24,000 offences a year will no longer be allocated to a front-line officer.”
The body refused to tell the Telegraph which offences would not be investigated, asserting that it would provide criminals with a “tactical advantage”.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Prestigious Belgian University Investigates Antisemitic Hate Crime on Campus
The College of Europe has launched an investigation after a Jewish student’s door was tagged with spray painted swastikas and other antisemitic graffiti Saturday night on the university’s Bruges campus, College Rector Federica Mogherini confirmed in an email to students, threatening the perpetrators with “sanctions.”
“Promoting hate is not and will never be tolerated within our walls,” Mogherini said.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Russian Homeless Man Sets Hungarian Homeless Man on Fire in Austria
The Hungarian man who was set on fire in Austria on Saturday is in a critical but stable condition under intensive care. According to Austrian police, a 65-year-old Russian man doused him in flammable liquid and set him on fire.
The 52-year-old victim was lying in the open street in front of a shop in Graz when the Russian man allegedly approached him and set him ablaze, Austrian press outlet Die Presse reported. A witness identified the Russian man as setting the Hungarian man on fire, which led to the Russian man’s successful apprehension.
People in the area attempted to help the burn victim until ambulance and fire services arrived. Firefighters applied first aid and extinguished the blaze near the convenience store.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf Supports Police Recording “Non-Crime Hate Incidents”
Bad as that can be, and misinterpreted — not even “awful but lawful” is a thing in Scotland.
In Scotland, there is a concerted political and legislative effort from those currently in power to make “non crime hate incidents” happen.
But not everyone seems prepared to “go gently into that (dystopian) night” — that’s because Scottish Parliament Member (MSP) Murdo Fraser seems ready to take legal action against the police because his social media posts have been “cataloged” as just that — “non-crime hate incident.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Secret Documents Reveal Germany’s Public Health Agency Warned Lockdowns Cause More Harm Than Good
Following a long legal battle, Germany’s public health agency, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), has released the confidential protocols that show the RKI was aware that “lockdowns cause more harm than good” and evidence for “making masks mandatory was lacking.”
The RKI voiced concerns in 2020 that shutting down German society could lead to increased child mortality and other negative outcomes. The RKI experts also disagreed with the implementation of FFP2 face masks, saying there was a lack of data to support such a measure.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The Green Paradox: German Greens’ Popularity Plummets But Party Retains Stable Polling
Support for the German Green Party has plummeted in recent years, with the left-wing group paying the electoral price for its coalition with Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats.
Polling conducted by the Institut für Demoskopie Allensbach (IfD) for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung revealed that the party’s popularity has more than halved.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The number of migrants to have crossed the Channel has hit a record total for the first three months of the year as Rishi Sunak insists his ‘stop the boats’ plan is working.
A total of 4,644 people have arrived on the south coast on England from France in small boats since the beginning of January, including 338 on Tuesday, according to Home Office figures.
The figure is larger than even in 2022 — a year which saw the highest number of Channel migrant arrivals on record — when 4,162 landed in Britain.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A Londoner claims to have racked up £30,000 of ULEZ fines simply for driving his son to school.
The man was filmed proudly showing off dozens of letters supposedly carrying correspondence from Transport for London (TfL) demanding he pay up for allegedly breaking the rules of the hated scheme.
The defiant motorist insists he will ‘never pay’ the the charges, which were extended by London Mayor Sadiq Khan to cover outer London last year, and is seen laying out the letters on the bonnet of his van.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Reports Suggest ‘Smart Meter’ Doubters May Have Been Right
Britain’s energy regulator is considering forcing households fitted with heavily government-promoted ‘smart meters’ to pay more for their electricity at the busiest times of the day.
Responding to reported discussions around ‘surge pricing’, journalist Ross Clark, a sceptic regarding green policies, said the reason smart meters are being “foisted” on Britons “is clear”:
[They are designed] to enable Uber-style surge pricing of electricity in the absence of any other effective plan to cope with the intermittency of wind and solar.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Tories Urge Government to Do More to Combat China Threat
The UK government has imposed sanctions on two people and a company in response to “malicious” cyberattacks against MPs and the Electoral Commission. But so-called China ‘Hawks’ in the Conservative Party say it should go much further and describe Xi Jinping’s regime as a “systemic threat.”
The row broke out after Britain and the U.S. accused China of launching a “prolific” global campaign of cyberattacks spanning more than a decade and targeting the personal information of politicians, journalists and voters. An attack on Britain’s Electoral Commission is said to have given Beijing the names and addresses of more than 40 million people on the electoral roll.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Serbian President Issues Cryptic Warning to Nation
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic surprised his nation on Tuesday evening issuing a cryptic warning of an impending but undefined major threat supposedly manifesting in the next few days. The president posted about this coming challenge on his Facebook page on Tuesday night, March 26th, and hasn’t followed up on it since.
“Difficult days are ahead of Serbia,” Vucic wrote. “At this moment, it is not easy to say what kind of news we have received in the last 48 hours, [but] they directly threaten our vital national interests, both of Serbia and [Republika] Srpska.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Israeli Scientists Chronicle the Early Stages of a Supernova
University) — HubbleSite: gallery, release., Public Domain)
About 20 million years ago, in a galaxy not so far away, a large star exploded and sent elements representing the building blocks of life racing through space.
About a year ago, by chance, as the light it emitted reached Earth, a team of scientists in Israel observed it and for the first time collected data on the earliest stages from such an explosion, known as a supernova.
The picture they are putting together offers a detailed look at the origins of crucial elements around us, like the calcium in our teeth and the iron in our blood.
“We are actually seeing the cosmic furnace in which the heavy elements are formed, while they are being formed. We are observing it as it happens. This is really the unique opportunity,” Weizmann Institute of Science astrophysicist Avishay Gal-Yam says.
The findings, published today in the journal Nature, also indicate that the giant star, located in a neighboring galaxy called Messier 101, likely left behind a black hole after it exploded.
| — Hat tip: Dora | [Return to headlines] |
America Has No Ukraine Plan B Except More War
US foreign policy establishment blindly intent on beating Russia on the battlefield and crushing its economy. Neither will happen.
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
EU to Putin: Don’t Use Moscow Attack as Pretext to Intensify War on Ukraine
A spokesperson of the European Commission said on Monday that the European Union is “naturally concerned” by Russian officials’ allegations that Kyiv was involved in Friday’s shooting at a concert venue, which killed at least 137 and left more than 180 injured.
The Kremlin’s accusations have sparked fears in Europe that Putin could use the Moscow massacre to justify an escalation in Ukraine, now in its third year.
“We reject this. There is no indication, no evidence, that Ukraine was linked to this attack,” the bloc’s spokesperson for foreign policy, Peter Stano, told reporters.
“We call on the Russian authorities not to use the terrorist attack in Moscow as a pretext or a motivation to increase the illegal aggression against Ukraine, or to use it as a pretext for increasing internal repression against critics of the Russian regime,” Stano added.
An Afghanistan-based affiliate of the Islamic State (IS) group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which saw camouflaged men storm Moscow’s Crocus City Hall and open fire on the crowd. The IS claim, which US intelligence sources say they have corroborated, is yet to be acknowledged by Russia.
| — Hat tip: Dean | [Return to headlines] |
Ukraine Losing Patience: Give Us the Damn Weapons
The West should hurry up and hand over the “damn” missiles Ukraine demands, their foreign secretary says, remarking: “We need air-defence systems on the frontlines”.
An essential role of the Ukrainian state since even before Russia’s re-invasion in 2022 has been cajoling and even begging the West for more military equipment, but these calls have occasionally tripped into a more demanding mien. That time has rolled around again with one of the nation’s top politicians making strident demands to help stop the bombs falling.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, perhaps the final remaining senior member of Volodymyr Zelensky’s government to regularly wear a suit and tie rather than the near-ubiquitous olive green in public, said in quotes distributed by Ukrainian state media: “Give us the damn Patriots.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
India: Machete Attack in Kochi: Hindu Woman Sandhya Hacked for Severing Relationship…
Muslim murderer Farooq arrested from Goa after 15 months.
B Upendran | HENB | Kochi | march 27, 2024:: A Muslim man from Uttarakhand who had absconded after hacking a Hindu woman in broad daylight at Azad Road in Kerala’s Kochi was nabbed from Goa on Sunday night after a 15-month-long pursuit. Farooq Ali, 25, belonging to the Pauri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand, was brought to Kochi on Monday by the Ernakulam North Police and his arrest recorded. The horrific machete attack by the Muslim guy in Kochi in December 2022 for ending a relationship by his girl friend then created a huge sensation.
It was on December 3 in 2022 that Farooq Ali attacked Sandhya Mangar, 27, — belonging to Alipurduar, Jalpaiguri, in West Bengal — who was staying at a rented accommodation in Kaloor. Sandhya and Farooq worked together at a beauty parlour in Kollam, and they were close friends. However, Sandhya ended the friendship and shifted to Kochi by joining a beauty parlour in Kaloor. Angered by the decision, Farooq reached Kochi to force her to go with him, the police said.
While the woman was walking towards the beauty parlour, Farooq arrived near her on a motorcycle. When Sandhya refused to heed his call, Farooq took out a machete and swung it towards her neck, which she managed to block. He then hacked Sandhya on her back and left hand. Farooq soon fled the spot and Sandhya underwent multiple surgeries at a private hospital in Kochi. After the incident, the accused left Kerala and remained in hiding in various other states.
“He even disposed of his SIM card and mobile phone to evade police detection. We kept the investigation on and our team went to his native place. But we could not trace him out then,” Ernakulam North Police SHO Prathap Chandran K G said.
Recently, the police found that his social media accounts had become active again, prompting the police to reactivate the pursuit for him.
“He would become active on social media platforms only late night or early morning. A sub-inspector was deployed to monitor his activities on social media. By then, we managed to get the mobile phone number using which these social media accounts were being operated. That led us to Goa where he was hiding for the past several months,” the officer said.
Soon, a special squad from the Ernakulam North police station was dispatched to Goa to trace Farooq. The police stayed in Goa for a day and monitored his activities before nabbing him on Sunday night. The police suspect that Farooq was threatening the woman to withdraw her complaint. He was produced before the court and remanded to judicial custody.
Making a relationship with a Muslim guy by a Hindu or non-Muslim girl or woman in a Love Jihad truce is the most dangerous thing. Killing of Sandhya Mangar by Farooq Ali is a glaring example of that.
| — Hat tip: Upananda Brahmachari | [Return to headlines] |
The ABC has apologised to Dick Smith after the outraged businessman wrote to it demanding corrections to a fact check report on renewable energy and nuclear power he said was ‘full of lies’.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Australia Launches Official Inquiry in Soaring Excess Deaths
Australia has become the first nation to launch an official inquiry into the alarming spike in excess deaths that the country has suffered over the past three years.
On Tuesday, the Australian Senate voted to establish a parliamentary inquiry into the nation’s excess deaths.
The passing of the motion gives the green light to what is possibly the first inquiry of this nature in the world.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The two males were seen on CCTV walking up to the home’s back doorstep in Paddington, Brisbane , wearing balaclavas and wielding an axe and a crowbar about midday on Tuesday.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Coles supermarket and liquor stores could potentially be cash-free over the Easter Long weekend in a ‘temporary’ measure amid industry-wide issues with cash flow.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Footy legends Johns posed an unexpected question during this week’s episode of Freddy and the Eighth ahead of the Christian celebration this weekend.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Ms O’Neil was visibly angry on Wednesday as she held a press conference hours after the Coalition sided with the Greens to delay the passage of this bill.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Ray Hadley has taken aim at an ABC presenter who appeared to avoid using the word Easter when broadcasting from Sydney’s Royal Easter Show.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
The Australian government has tried to force a Canadian man to delete an ‘offensive’ tweet about a UN trans expert, threatening X owner Elon Musk with a $800,000 fine.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
Jaco Kleynhans is the head of international liaison at the Solidarity Movement, an organization of more than twenty conservative community organizations with more than half a million members across South Africa. Kleynhans is responsible for political, economic, cultural, academic, and linguistic engagement with countries, organizations, political parties, businesses, and individuals around the world. He has worked on political campaigns in the U.S. and Europe and has an extensive knowledge of international politics.
Murders of white farmers in South Africa have become commonplace. What is the South African government’s response to this endless list of crimes?
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
“There’s a Lot More Chainsaw”: Argentine President Milei to Fire 70,000 Government Workers
Argentina’s libertarian president Javier Milei, perhaps best known for his shotgun approach to government jobs…
[…] plans to fire 70,000 government workers in the coming months, in what Bloomberg called “one of the clearest signs yet of how the libertarian’s chainsaw-style approach intends to slash the swollen state.”
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
France: Le Pen’s Party Launches Immigration Conference
Inspired by a conference organised by Jacques Chirac in the 1990s, the Rassemblement National’s (RN) Tuesday event on immigration was intended to signal a continuity between the classic governmental Right of yesteryear and the Rassemblement National of today.
The États Généraux de l’Immigration (States General on Immigration) was organised by Jordan Bardella—current RN president and head of his party’s list for the European elections—and Franck Allisio, RN deputy for Bouches-du-Rhône, the department around Marseille, also representing the ‘Rassemblement pour la République’ (RPR). In 2022, the MP bought back the RPR brand by using the former name of the Right’s main governing party under Jacques Chirac, which had fallen into disuse several years earlier.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
The new crime statistics from the German city of Frankfurt contain shocking figures regarding foreigners and major crimes, including one particular figure that shows they are responsible for 100 percent of all serious sexual assault crimes and 57.4 percent of all crimes.
The data shows that even for the worst crimes, well over half of all suspects are foreigners — those without a German passport. The rest of the suspects, 42.6 percent, are German citizens, but it is important to note that the data does not track whether these German suspects have a migration background, as Germany does not record this data.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A family is desperately fighting to stay together and in Australia with a Scottish-born mum facing deportation because of a government computer bungle.
| — Hat tip: SS | [Return to headlines] |
An illegal immigrant, who had been previously deported from the US, has been charged with crimes that could potentially carry multiple life sentences in the death of a Michigan woman.
According to The Midwesterner, Brandon Ortiz-Vite, 25, who has a criminal record dating back to 2017, was arraigned Tuesday on six charges, including murder, carjacking, felony firearm, illegally carrying a concealed weapon, operating while intoxicated, and driving on a suspended or revoked license.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
An illegal migrant allegedly raped a 14-year-old girl who was ‘mentally incapacitated’ in Alabama as the state’s senator slams Biden for aiding the immigrants he refers to as ‘monsters’.
Pablo Mendoza, 23, is being held without bond in the Coffee County Jail after police charged him with the rape of a 14-year-old girl.
The girl was unable to consent to sexual intercourse with Mendoza because she was ‘physically helpless or mentally incapacitated’ and under the legal age of consent, which is 16 in Alabama.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Immigrant Turks and Kurds Bring Ethnic Violence to Belgian Streets
Intercommunal tensions simmer as rival gangs of immigrated Turks and Kurds continue to fight across eastern Belgium this week, following Sunday’s eruption of imported sectarian violence.
After an incident involving the flying of Kurdish PKK flags in a predominantly Turkish area, Belgian security services were deployed to protect mosques in the Limburg municipality of Heusden-Zolder on Monday. Reportedly, a convoy of Kurds flew Marxist-Leninist PKK militia flags through a Turkish neighbourhood, leading to an immediate response from local youth.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Nepalese Migrant Arrested in Lyon for Brutal Murder of Elderly Frenchman
A Nepalese migrant has been arrested in France for the brutal murder of a 67-year-old man who was found lying in a pool of his own blood in his apartment in Lyon last year.
The 30-year-old suspect was detained by authorities on March 20 and taken into custody.
The arrest pertains to a discovery made on Aug. 27, 2022, when firefighters were alerted by residents of an apartment block about a stench emanating from one of the apartments. A response unit entered the property to find the remains of a 67-year-old man who had been viciously attacked.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Poll: Next-to-No European Voters Think Politicians Doing a Good Job on Illegal Migration
New polling by Ipsos for Euronews suggests that just 16% of European voters believe that EU leaders are doing a good job of handling what the paper euphemistically describes as “irregular”—that is, illegal—migration.
Presumably, many leading Brussels officials would view a heavy portion of the almost 26,000 respondents as being on the ‘far right,’ given that 59% said the “fight” against illegal migration should be a “priority.” Though they might not say this now, given their own efforts to look tough on migration in order to attract right-wing voters ahead of the European elections. Euronews itself does not, however, mind blaming “far-right parties” for “fuel[ing]” concerns surrounding migration issues.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Vladimir Putin is rounding up illegal migrants in Russia to fuel his bloody invasion of Ukraine, just days after four Tajik nationals were charged over the Crocus terror attack in Moscow, with migrant groups left fearing bloody retaliation.
Paddy wagons sporting the National Guard insignia arrived at a vast online shopping warehouse in Elektrostal, Moscow today, where thousands of migrant workers were reportedly forced to show their documents.
Checks were carried out by armed and masked Russian guards and military enlistment officers, before at least 40 people were hauled away from the Wildberries warehouse.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
Taxpayers Billed $115 Million for Niagara Falls Refugee Hotels
Taxpayers have paid over $115 million to accommodate asylum seekers in hotels throughout Niagara Falls last year.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada disclosed the figure following a query raised by Niagara Falls Conservative MP Tony Baldinelli in the House of Commons last month.
From Feb. 2023 to Feb. 2024, nearly 5,000 individuals seeking asylum were accommodated in the tourist city.
The majority of these asylum seekers originated from Nigeria, Venezuela, Kenya, Turkey, and Colombia.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A German public broadcaster has uncovered a “cash for test results” scam in which migrants can pay for the answers to a German-language test required to obtain citizenship in the country.
An undercover operation by an employee of the WDR broadcaster exposed the scheme in which those seeking to pass the B1 German-language exam could join a group on the end-to-end encrypted messaging app Telegram and obtain the test results just days before they sit the exam.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A Venezuelan migrant infamous for sharing tips on how to invade vacant homes and live off the US government is on the run from ICE, it’s been revealed.
Leonel Moreno’s TikTok account @leitooficial_25, where he had amassed half a million followers, has been suspended after his controversial videos went viral. A spokesperson for TikTok told DailyMail.com the platform doesn’t allow users to promote criminal activities.
It has now emerged that Moreno has been on the run from immigration authorities since he crossed the US-Mexico border at Eagle Pass, Texas, illegally in April 2022, as reported by The New York Post.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
ADL Defines ‘100%’ as Racist, White Supremacist
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is gaining attention online for its “Glossary of Extremism and Hate” including the term “100%.” The organization claims that it is shorthand for “100% white,” a phrase allegedly utilized by white supremacists to promote their ideology.
The ADL’s Center on Extremism created this glossary to provide an explanation of terms and individuals used to promote “extremist or hateful ideologies.” While the ADL’s glossary does contain terms commonly used by white supremacists, such as “88” and “14 words,” some argue that the organization is attributing racism and bigotry to seemingly innocuous terms.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
American First Legal (AFL) has sent a demand letter to Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger, along with the Board of Directors and management team, alleging breaches of fiduciary duty and violations of federal civil rights laws. The letter highlights concerns over Disney’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, which the group claims have led to a significant drop in the company’s value.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
California Welcomes Men Into State’s Women’s Prisons: ‘Agenda for Female Erasure’
California is now welcoming male inmates into female prisons if they claim to “identify” as “non-binary” or “transgender women.”
Women’s prisons in the Democrat-controlled state now offer flavorful condoms to inmates, one activist and former inmate revealed.
Amie Ichikawa, a women’s rights advocate and former inmate of the Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF), spoke with Fox News about California laws that she said are being exploited by men pretending to be transgender.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
A Rutgers University professor has warned that colleges will not have the “ability to make meaningful progress” unless all campuses have Marxism-rooted “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) offices for students.
On Thursday, Harvard University held a panel featuring scholars and academics to discuss advancing the far-left DEI agenda in education.
Specifically, university representatives discussed the role of DEI bureaucracy on college campuses.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
UK: Gesture Eggs: Cadbury Outlet Store Criticised Over Easter Rebrand
A Cadbury store has been criticised by a Christian campaign group for advertising chocolate Easter eggs as “gesture” eggs.
According to the Daily Telegraph, the shop in Springfields Outlet in Spalding, Lincolnshire, was offering a two for £10 deal on the “gesture” eggs.
Cadbury’s owners said it had “no involvement” in the promotion. The BBC has approached the store for comment.
Christian Concern said people were “overly worried about offending”.
| — Hat tip: Fjordman | [Return to headlines] |
UN Chief Demands Slavery Reparations to Tackle ‘White Supremacy’
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres is demanding that Western nations must pay slavery reparations in order to tackle “systemic racism and white supremacy.”
Guterres warns that taxpayers in the West must compensate for the trans-Atlantic slave trade as a way to tackle “its legacy” in today’s society.
The head of the unelected globalist organization made the demand in a statement to mark the UN International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery.
| — Hat tip: Reader from Chicago | [Return to headlines] |
We do not need a ” Stop the boats” plan.
That does not seem to be working.
What they should try is a ” Sink the boats” plan.
I am pretty sure that if you start sinking the boats, with gunfire say, the boats will STOP coming very quickly.
What have I been saying since 2005?
I wrote here in the comments about a migrant human rights activist Valentina Chupik who was deported from Russia and now settled in Erbana, Illinois.
Now after the terrorist attack she has become more active. You can read a mention of it here.
https://www.rferl.org/a/32881171.html
Tajik Man Detained In St. Petersburg Amid Migrant Crackdown
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68665896
Moscow attack: Central Asian migrants hit by backlash in Russia
I have to hand it to you pesky Ruskies, when 3 rod muzzy’s kill yours, you get all Ivan the Terrible on those bloody savages of islam in response, and it is the regular citizen that gets involved.
Based on recent briefings I’ve had with US gov’t officials, it’s clear that, when it comes to the war in Ukraine, these folks’re either completely [and, likely, willfully] ignorant or knowingly LYING. Probably, a bit o’ both.
It’s literally like someone switched the names on the scripts—suggesting that Ukraine’s winning; and Russia’s lost “hundreds of thousands” of troops and putting those few that’re left into suicide “meat assaults” (their words!), Russia’s economy’s shattered and they’re outta ammunition.
Just sayin’ (as much as I’m able to)..
Well Fred, to be fair, the Ruskies are losing men left and right with tactics straight out of WWII and are suffering for it, they are emptying their prisons and using them as cannon fodder. What was it that ole Stalin once said, quantity has a quality all it’s own.