The kind and tolerant left pic.twitter.com/wmlw09nC3k
— Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) February 10, 2022
Lawmakers allege ‘secret’ CIA spying on unwitting Americans
Two US senators have raised concerns that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is again spying upon unwitting Americans.
The agency has “secretly” conducted warrantless surveillance through a newly disclosed programme, Senators Ron Wyden and Martin Heinrich alleged.
In a letter to intelligence officials, the two Democrats called for declassifying details of the programme.
Government data collection has been the subject of much controversy in the US.
Officially, the CIA and National Security Agency (NSA) have a foreign surveillance mission and domestic spying is prohibited by the CIA’s 1947 charter.
Carson Jerema: Border blockades show Canadian incompetence is the biggest threat, not insurrection
The ongoing blockade at the Ambassador Bridge is nothing short of a colossal failure of the Canadian state to assert its authority over one of its most basic functions: securing the border. That the federal Liberal government has so far refused to take full responsibility, declaring it a local policing issue, is an incredible embarrassment. The greatest threat to Canada right now is not insurrection or foreign interference, but the incompetency baked into the country.
"To the protestors I say, we have heard you and it's time to go."
Ontario Premier Doug Ford declares state of emergency in wake of protests against COVID-19 restrictions, calling the demonstration a "siege of the city of Ottawa." https://t.co/0B1PwDDDDJ pic.twitter.com/e0iV2dSPpL
— ABC News (@ABC) February 11, 2022
Nigeria’s Sharia police bulldoze four million bottles of beer in Kano
Religious police in Nigeria have destroyed nearly four million bottles of beer in a crackdown on alcohol.
The bottles were crushed into the ground by bulldozers in the northern city of Kano in front of crowds cheering “Allahu Akbar” (God is Great).
The predominantly Muslim city is in one of several northern Nigerian states that prohibit alcohol under Sharia law.
Paris braces for ‘Freedom Convoy’
Paris police prepared on Friday for the arrival of the so-called ‘Freedom Convoy’ which is due to arrive in the French capital later that same day. The authorities said that “special machines would be utilized” to prevent the demonstrators, who have already been banned from the city, from blocking Paris.
PARIS – Des blindés de la gendarmerie sont positionnés dans la capitale. Ils pourront être utilisé pour pousser des voitures à l'arrêt. #convoisdelaliberte @CLPRESSFR pic.twitter.com/TNKByuBDOX
— Clément Lanot (@ClementLanot) February 11, 2022
Windsor Police issue a statement aimed directly at Ambassador Bridge protesters
“Message to Demonstrators from Windsor Police Service
“The Windsor Police Service wants to make demonstrators clearly aware that it is a criminal offence to obstruct, interrupt or interfere with the lawful use, enjoyment, or operation of property. The offence itself is known as mischief to property.
“The unlawful act of blocking streets at and near the Ambassador Bridge is resulting in people being denied the lawful use, enjoyment and operation of their property and causing businesses to close down.
“We are providing notice that anyone blocking streets or assisting others in the blocking of streets may be committing a criminal offence and must immediately cease further unlawful activity or you may face charges. You could be arrested if you are a party to the offence or assisting others in the direct or indirect commission of this offence.
“Vehicles or other property related to an offence may be seized. Once a vehicle is seized, it may be detained and, following a conviction, possibly forfeited.
“Charges and/or convictions related to the unlawful activity associated with the demonstration may lead to denial in crossing the USA border.”
Feds are still using ID.me to scan your face — and human reviewers can’t keep up
On Monday, the IRS stated that it would be transitioning away from using third-party facial recognition services provided by ID.me, ending a period of intense scrutiny for the newly prominent vendor. But inside the company, workers and executives have been dealing with a very different set of challenges.
Injunction to end Windsor border protest granted following Ontario court hearing
An injunction to remove protesters blocking traffic to the Ambassador Bridge International border crossing in Windsor, Ont. has been granted following an Ontario Superior Court of Justice hearing on Friday.
The Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA) and Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association took the legal step, which was backed by the City of Windsor.
The injunction will go into effect at 7 p.m. to give protesters the chance to clear the area.
Who is who? A guide to the major players in the trucker convoy protest
What started as a convoy to end vaccine mandates for Canadian truckers travelling across the U.S. border has snowballed into an evolving, fluid protest about COVID-19 and the Trudeau government in general.
Here, CTVNews.ca takes a look at who has stepped forward publicly as the organizers and influential protesters of the Ottawa convoy.
The Middle East: The US Is All In or All Out
It is time for the Biden administration to come to terms with the challenging situation in Yemen. It seems that the administration is trying to pick a middle ground, but the Houthis’ ongoing terrorist attacks and the massive scale of the humanitarian crisis rules out staying the course of strategic compromise.
Despite multiple attacks on Abu Dhabi, which include an air base that hosts American military personnel, the current administration seems unwilling to designate the Houthis as the terrorist organization it is. At the same time, however, it wants to put constraints on the use of weapons the U.S. might sell to the United Arab Emirates, whose civilian population has been targeted by the Houthis. As so often happens when you fail to identify a clear direction, the status quo is maintained. For Yemen, this is no longer acceptable.
The State Department is pulling out of the ME, a process begun under Obama.
Gov. Whitmer Says It’s ‘Downright Dangerous’ for Conservative Media to Be ‘Inciting’ Trucker Protest
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) told CNN on Thursday that is dangerous for conservative media to be covering the ongoing Canadian truckers protest in a light that doesn’t smear them as lawbreakers or racists.
Truckers in Canada have taken the extra step to block the Ambassador Bridge that connects Detriot, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario, where at least 25 percent of all trade between the U.S. and Canada takes place. Two other ports of entry along the U.S.-Canadian border have also been blocked by protesters calling for an end of COVID-related mandates.
Smile
Stop what you’re doing and watch this.
Kids at a Las Vegas elementary school burst out into cheers after learning they no longer have to wear a mask to school pic.twitter.com/xIuHgFtmHo
— Courtney Holland 🇺🇸 (@hollandcourtney) February 11, 2022
Trudeau’s Canada: Ex-Tehran police chief linked to rights abuses spotted working out at Toronto-area gym
Iranian ex-patriates and human-rights groups are voicing outrage after evidence emerged that Canada had issued a visitor visa to a former Tehran police chief linked to various human-rights abuses.