Month: September 2022
Is the tide turning in Holland?
By Andrea Widburg
Whenever I read about protesters slinging poop, I am irresistibly reminded of Democrats, whom I’ve called the “Party of Poop” ever since the Bush era, when they were mailing poop, throwing poop, pooping poop, and generally bringing it to all their efforts, real or imaginary. Looking at the state of Democrat-run cities in 2022, nothing has changed. But in Holland, it’s entirely possible that throwing poop really did have an effect. The farmers did it to protest a draconian climate edict and, now, the radical Agriculture Minister behind the push has resigned.
Over the summer, Dutch farmers began to protest radical requirements for cutting nitrogen emissions on the farms. In a massive protest, more than 40,000 farmers blocked roads with their tractors and ended by pouring manure (always plentiful on farms) on government offices, surrounding streets, and even the police. That protest may have had some effect because the radical Minister of Agriculture in the Dutch government has resigned—and not voluntarily:
The Netherlands’ agricultural minister Henk Staghouwer has been forced to resign following widespread protests from Dutch farmers over his radical climate agenda that seeks to destroy their livelihoods.
Staghouwer was leading the Dutch agriculture ministry’s climate policy that involved confiscating farms in a forced government buy-out scheme.
In the wake of the huge protests from farmers, Staghouwer has now been forced to step down.
He told the Dutch cabinet that pushback from farmers had meant he would not be able to meet a September deadline for rolling out the government’s radical green policy, the AP reported.
The climate agenda involves cutting nitrogen emissions from the nation’s farming sector to the point where it made it impossible for farms to continue operating.
The initiative includes a $24.2 billion scheme to buy out local farmers and facilitate the transition away from intensive farming practices.
You noticed, of course, that Staghouwer isn’t giving up on the whole plan. He’s just resigning because he missed a deadline. If the farmers stop now and rest on their laurels, they may as well have saved all the manure to fertilize the teeny little garden patches they’ll have when they’re pushed off their farms. As of now, there’s no indication that the Dutch government has learned from the debacle in Sri Lanka when Lysenkoism ruled, and the country ran out of food.
Whether in Europe, the Indian subcontinent, or Africa, we are getting graphic evidence that the entire green agenda is deadly. It will leave us sweltering in the heat, freezing in the cold, afraid in the dark and, invariably, starving. It serves no one but the self-styled elite who blithely imagine that they will ride out the coming (and desired) mass death and awake to a pastoral land in which they live in first-world luxury while a planet of serfs provides for their every need.
I don’t see American lefties learning their lesson (they all think they’ll be among the saved), so I’m hoping our American farmers have a lot of manure.
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2022/09/is_the_tide_turning_in_holland.html
Czech interior minister: Erdoğan has opened the floodgates. He is letting the Syrians in our country
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has a presidential election ahead of him, so he is opening the way to Europe for Syrians who have been staying in Turkey for a long time, said Czech Minister of the Interior Vít Rakušan during a meeting of the Czech Parliament on Tuesday. He added that he would meet with Slovak and German partners to address the crisis.
“Erdoğan is letting Syrians in here right now before the presidential elections in Turkey. He opens the way to Europe,” said Rakušan in the Chamber of Deputies regarding the wave of Syrian refugees.
Migration levels have increased noticeably in the Czech Republic, and the Czech minister emphasized that Turkey is the cause.
“We have an open floodgate to Europe precisely from the side of Turkey. That’s why there is such an increase,” he added.
According to Rakušan, up to 95 percent of the current migrants are Syrians who fled their country before the war. These men then stayed in Turkey based on its agreement with the EU.
“These people do not come from the country of origin, Syria, but Turkey. It’s proven,” the minister explained.
According to the minister, the problem was also caused by Hungary. The country stopped complying with readmission agreements. Rakušan will meet with his Slovak and German counterparts to discuss the issue.
On Tuesday, the minister responded to the speech of ANO deputy Radek Vondráček, who wanted to include an item entitled “government information on the state of illegal migration in the Czech Republic” in the meeting.
“Citizens came to me with fears about what is happening on the Slovakian-Czech border, meaning that Syrian migrants are moving there. And the situation is escalating,” said Vondráček.
The number of captured refugees, for whom Czechia is predominantly a transit country, rose to 3,651 by Aug. 21 this year. For the whole of last year, there were 1,330 of them, in previous years it was around 200 to 400.
War or peace? The future of Transnistria
The war is getting closer to Transnistria every day, but the region – a self-proclaimed republic with Russian backing – is still calm and life goes on as usual. However, several threats are on the horizon. Is Transnistria the first country to which war will spill over? We visited this almost forgotten part of Eastern Europe where the Soviet heritage is still visible and present.
As the conflict continues in Ukraine, more recently eyes have been looking towards a small strip of land located between the east bank of the Dniester River and Moldova’s border with Ukraine. There lies the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR), better known in the West as “Transnistria”.
Internationally it’s recognised as part of Moldova but has been independent since 1992 with backing from Russia. Near the monument of Alexander Suvorov in the centre of Tiraspol fly the flags of the three countries that officially recognise the PMR; Abkhazia, Artsakh and South Ossetia – all of them also break-away republics without international recognition.
Although this is a self-proclaimed republic, it operates and functions just like any other country. It has its own army, police, fire service and currency. Transnistria has its own central bank, which issues the Transnistrian Ruble (PRB). It is also the only country in the world to use the Transnistrian Ruble coin, which is made of a plastic composite material.
Russia provides the region with free natural gas and at present there are around 1 500 Russian soldiers based here who act as peace-keepers.
With its population of around 475 000, over 30 percent here in Transnistria speak Russian and as I wander the streets, unlike Ukraine, Lenin monuments still stand along with other Soviet monuments. The St. George’s ribbon is displayed on vehicles and virtually everyone that I met speaks Russian. Schools along with many other buildings still have Soviet mosaics proudly displayed on their establishments.
Bars and cafes stay open late into the night, and as children play in fountains near the main square there is a sense of calm here. Soviet taxis are parked on the road against a backdrop of both ultra-modern buildings and traditional Soviet apartment blocks. Because the region benefits from free Russian natural gas, life is good compared to nearby Moldova, which is the poorest country in Europe.
The 90’s war
In 1990 the region declared its independence, as did many other former Soviet republics and regions, but this declaration of freedom was met with dismay from Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. The situation deteriorated into an armed conflict with Moldova in 1992. Although the war only lasted a few weeks, it is claimed that over 1 000 people were killed and over 3 000 injured in this “short but bloody” conflict. On the 21st of July 1992 a ceasefire was declared which remains to this day with the help of Russian peacekeepers.
In the city of Bender, a monument dedicated to the work of those Russian peacekeepers has been erected in the centre as a way of saying thank you for helping to maintain peace for the past 30 years.
War in Ukraine
Whilst the war in Donbass has raged for over eight years, this region has remained peaceful and played no role in the current operation launched into Ukraine by Russia back in February earlier this year.
Since Russia launched its operation in Ukraine on February 24, Transnistria has constantly stated that they do not pose a threat to anyone and that they are not an enemy of Ukraine. However, as rumours emerge that Ukrainian forces are on the verge of running out of munitions, it has been suggested that Kiev is seriously considering a raid on Russia’s 14th Army munitions storage, located near the village of Cobasna in the north of Transnistria and about 3km from the Ukrainian border.
Russian have kept this huge munitions depot, the largest in Europe, since the region was part of the Soviet Union. The reason is said to be that there was simply too much ammunition to move. According to various estimates, more than 20 000 tons of ammunition has been stored there since the Soviet era.
Shortly after Russia launched their operation, Ukraine closed all their border crossing points along Transnistria’s 400-kilometre border, creating problems for citizens on both sides. Many here believe that this was an unnecessary act which only targeted civilians whom they believe hold “pro-Russian” sympathies.
Although there is peace here, one cannot ignore the geographical importance of this area due to its close proximity to the strategic Black Sea port of Odessa in Ukraine. However, nobody is certain, what, or if, Russia has any plans for this strip of land.
Recent attacks
On April 25, three masked men pulled up in a car outside the Ministry for State Security in the centre of Tiraspol and fired a number of RPG grenades at the building. Nobody was injured, and to date, no one has been caught. Then the following evening on April 26, there were reports of a drone attack which caused an explosion. Again, nobody was killed nor caught.
That same morning, the antennas of a powerful transmitter were blown up in the village of Maiac. Then on April 27, there was a shooting near the ammunition storage base outside the village of Cobasna.
Authorities in Transnistria claimed that there was a Ukrainian connection to those attacks and declared the highest level of a terrorist threat. Russia expressed concern, and Ukraine blamed Russian intelligence services for provocations.
Transnistrian President, Vadim Krasnoselsky, was adamant that Ukraine were behind the attacks, stating: “We know where the terrorists came from and where they went afterwards. I assure you, they have nothing to do with the Transnistria issue, as reported by Azerbaijan 24 news channel on May 17.”
Since the attacks, checkpoints have been set up all across Transnistria at the entrance and exit of all major towns and cities in order to increase security and prevent future attacks.
Although there is open support here for Russia, to date there has not been any demonstrations on the street in support of the operation launched into Ukraine by Russia. This has helped to maintain the status quo in what is classed as a peaceful region where Ukrainians, Russians and Moldovans live side by side.
Whilst heading north from Tiraspol on the M4 towards Malaesti, Ukraine, Transnistria and Moldova are separated by just one road which runs between the two borders. The road is in the territory of Transnistria, on the left is Moldova and on the right Ukraine.
I stop to take a look at the Ukrainian side of the road which now takes the form of mined trenches. Locals have expressed concern over the fact that there are no warning signs (which are normally red and have the skull and crossbones symbol). This mined area presents a huge danger for children, farmers and livestock. One resident told me that this was “reckless behaviour and typical of Ukrainian forces trying to provoke trouble in this peaceful region”.
International travel for those living here can be an issue, as holding a Transnistrian passport naturally restricts movement. Many people have chosen to obtain a Ukrainian, Russian, Moldovan, Romanian or Bulgarian passport in addition to the Transnistrian one. Many of those I spoke to had a combination of these passports, with some claiming to hold all five.
Banning Soviet Symbols
More recently Moldova has taken the bold decision to ban the screening of Russian and Soviet films about the Great Patriotic War. The St.George’s ribbon along with “Z” and “V” symbols have also been banned in an attempt (like Ukraine) to seek closer ties with the West.
On April 14, Moldova’s President Maia Sandu stated, as quoted by Interfax News Agency: “I have today promulgated a law banning the use of signs symbolising war and aggression. This does not affect our historical memory. On the contrary, we must further honour and respect the memory of those who died in the most dreadful war of the 20th century. At least 100 000 citizens of Moldova perished in that war. For the sake of their memory, we must preserve peace and social harmony.
“Nobody is banned from celebrating May 9. On the contrary, it is our duty to remember the victory of civilization over Fascism and Nazism. We must honour the memory of those who brought peace on earth. Regrettably, war has now returned to Europe. And we all see what signs are being used in Kharkiv or in Mariupol, and in devastated Bucha,” she said.
Anyone violating the ban faces a fine of 4 500 – 9 000 leu ($250-$500) or unpaid community service of 30 – 60 hours for individuals, and a fine of 9 000-18 000 leu ($500 – $1,000) for legal entities and state officials.
Not everybody in Moldova was happy about this new law and on April 15 in the Moldovan city of Balti, a demonstration was organised by socialists and communists. They claimed that the decision to introduce this law was a betrayal of their past and was only created to satisfy the EU.
For many in both Eastern Europe and Russia, the St. George’s ribbon symbolises the Victory over Nazi Germany in the Great Patriotic War (1941-45) in which 27 000 000 Soviet citizens gave their lives. As expected, the reaction from the Russian embassy in Chisinau was stern with them stating that this decision “complicated movement toward peace and friendship”.
Last week Transnistrian President Vadim Krasnoselsky started pushing for the West and Russia to sign a document that would provide security guarantees for the region. He did this whilst attending the “5+2” peace talks, which consisted of Transnistria, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine and the OSCE, with the EU and US as observers. And because Moldova has now applied for EU membership, Krasnoselsky added that ”Moldova and the PMR were moving in opposite directions”.
Russian troop rotation in Transnistria has become another issue to contend with. Russian officers who travel to Transnistria via Chisinau Airport every six months have repeatedly been detained without any explanation, thus aggravating an already tense situation. Moldova continues to deny that it is in any way attempting to sabotage the rotation of these troops, many of whom make up the peace-keeping force there. The bulk of the Russian troops not connected with the peace-keeping force are guards for the munitions depot in Cobasna. Until 2014, the troops used the land crossing from Ukraine, but once the conflict started in Donbass back in 2014, this was no longer an option.
Regardless of various rumours, it’s not realistic to think that the 1 500 Russian troops based in Transnistria could be used to enter Ukraine. Nobody here wants to see a repeat of the war in 1992.
Although there have been numerous appeals for calm, only last week whilst discussing the ongoing issue in Moldova, the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence in Ukraine, Kirill Budanov, stated that Ukrainian forces were ready to “get rid of the occupying forces on its territory” (referring to Transnistria and Russian soldiers).
Many people saw this statement as a deliberate provocation to what has up to now been a relatively peaceful region.
At present, there are only occasional attacks from Russian forces on Odessa and the south west of Ukraine, but as the conflict draws ever closer to the region, it’s anybody’s guess what will happen next…
https://freewestmedia.com/2022/09/07/war-or-peace-the-future-of-transnistria/
Retail Fatwa: WH Smith Bans “European Conservative” Magazine From Shops Due to Leftist Pressure
Italy: FdI cement poll lead
Giorgia Meloni’s conservative Brothers of Italy (FdI) has cemented its lead in the latest opinion poll ahead of the September 25 general election.
The rightwing party is now on 25.8% according to Radar SWG, more than four percentage points ahead of the second-ranked party, the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), on 21.4%.
Meloni, a 45-year-old Roman, is widely expected to become Italy’s first women premier after the vote.
FdI’s main ally the rightwing League party is third on 12.1% for SWG, closely followed by the leftwing populist 5-Star Movement, which is running independently, on 11.9%.
The centrist Azione-Italia Viva (IV) alliance is fifth on 7.2%, followed by the third cog in the centre right machine, Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza Italia (FI) party, in sixth on 6.7%.
The PD’s main allies, EuropaVerde-Italian Left (SI), are on 4.2% and other leftwing parties total about 3-4%.
The centre-right coalition is on 46.1%, up 0.2% on last week, and the centre-left one on 28.8%.
The centre right is projected to win by a landslide and may get the two thirds majority in both houses it needs to pass a Constitutional reform bringing in a directly elected Italian president without having to put the issue to a referendum.
India: Archdiocese raises alarm over targeting of Christian girls through ‘love traps’ by extremist organisations
The Archdiocese of Thalassery in Kerala, Archbishop Mar Joseph Pamplany, has raised concerns over the rising cases of alleged targeting of girls from Christian families through “love traps”. In a pastoral letter, he urged the parents to be cautious against such incidents. The letter was read in the churches under the archdiocese in Kerala on Sunday, August 4.
The letter read, “During this eight-day Lent of Mary, let us fervently pray for the sorrows of parents who feel helpless when their children fall into the traps of religious extremists.” The letter further urged the members of the church to make use of the program to create awareness among teenagers as well as their parents to ensure they do not fall into the “trap” of extremist groups.
It read, “We have envisaged three action programs as a birthday present to St Mary – to protect all believers from extremists, donate land to provide houses for the landless, and to ensure that all residents have proper paths to their houses.”
It further added, “During these times when atrocities against women are on the rise, we should learn to respect women and womanhood as we respect the Holy Mother.” It is notable that last year the department of catechesis of the diocese of Thamarassery issued a handbook that warned about ‘Love Jihad’.
The handbook mentioned that Love Jihad was being implemented in nine stages and went on to explain the same. It also had a section on how to avoid falling into the trap set by extremist groups. Following the controversy over the handbook, the Thalassery diocese withdrew the controversial remarks published in the handbook by the diocese.
People In Czech RISE UP Against Globalist Establishment 👏
France: Two Christians, aged 15 and 17, attacked after mass and assaulted with anti-Catholic and anti-white insults
Police source to
@Cnews
The incident took place after the 7.30pm mass that the two victims, a brother and a sister, were attending with their mother. The brother and sister are leaving the church … and go back to the family car, which is parked further back. They see a boy on a scooter (the perpetrator) who immediately drives away and later returns accompanied by six other people. One of them shouts at them: “You racist, you Catholic, you white man , you idiot, don’t pretend to be so clever”
Energy crisis: 30 public pools in France suddenly close after energy bills jump from €15 million to €100 million
For French people looking to exercise in a public pool or cool off as the summer comes to an end, Europe’s energy crisis is hitting close to home. Faced with rising energy prices, which are hitting all aspects of daily life in France, one swimming pool operator is now in deep water and shutting down 30 pools.
This Monday, the company Vert Marine, which has 2,000 employees and operates dozens of swimming pools in France on behalf of local authorities, announced the closure of a third of the public pools the company operates, saying it could longer cope with soaring bills. The company is pointing to an astronomical increase in its energy bill, stating that it went from €15 million to €100 million, which now equals the entire annual turnover of the company.
Vert Marine stated that it was forced to close “for a temporary period” a third of its establishments and place “staff on partial unemployment,” according to the Le Figaro daily.
In some European countries, gas prices have soared 1,200 percent in one year. Although prices have dropped somewhat since hitting a peak last month, they are back on the rise following Russia’s announcement that the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline would be closed indefinitely until sanctions are lifted. Electricity prices, in turn, have also skyrocketed over the last year.
Public pools are especially energy-intensive, and although Vert Marine says it has been in discussions with communities since June, it has been unable to find a solution, claiming it does not want to triple the price of entry. It is now appealing “to local and governmental authorities to take the necessary and unprecedented decisions to [bring about] a return to bearable energy costs and allow public service obligations to be assumed, firstly, learning to swim in schools.”
Although this is only one company, European industry, agriculture, and public services are likely to face unprecedented energy and inflationary costs over the coming months, and the seven-fold increase in electricity bills experienced by the company are being felt by many European consumers. The elderly, who are often prescribed low-impact exercise in swimming pools over running or weightlifting, may be especially hard hit.
“In general, the energy bill of metropolises has doubled, or even more,” says Urban France, an organization that tracks public services in the country. “Sixty percent of public swimming pools are over 30 years old and have high consumption in terms of water, ventilation, equipment, insulation, showers. They are extremely expensive.”
In Germany, electricity prices hit €700 per megawatt-hour last month before dropping to €189 per megawatt-hour on Sept. 3. In the last two days, they have jumped back up to €462 per megawatt-hour. In France, prices now stand at €580 per megawatt-hour.
Mayors angry as swimming pools close shop
According to Le Figaro, Vert Marine manages equipement in different municipalities, including Bar-sur-Aube, Mantes-la-Jolie, Saint-Martin-de-Ré, Épinay-sur-Seine or Béthune, Cassis, Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, Alfortville and Granville.
When questioned, the mayor of Bourg-de-Péage, Nathalie Nieson, said she was annoyed by the “slightly brutal methods of Vert Marine.” The aquatic center of her municipality, Diabolo, is managed by Vert Marine. Closed for maintenance, it was to reopen on Monday. “On Friday, we heard that Vert Marine swimming pools will close in France, but we had no feedback. We concluded that it was not relevant to us, but we intended to discuss it with them on Monday,” Nieson says.
Energy Defense Councilor Agnès Pannier-Runacher pleads for “chosen sobriety rather than suffered cuts.” Vert Marine’s decision will put the inhabitants of Bourg-de-Péage in difficulty, worries the elected official, who also points out that other establishments managed by other delegates have not taken the same decision as Vert Marine. “We could have considered other solutions,” such as lowering the temperature of the water or limiting the opening hours,” she says.