Totalitarianism 2.0

Austria and Germany have both announced plans to relax Covid-19 measures, weeks after pushing for compulsory vaccinations to curb infections.

Although unvaccinated people will still face restrictions, Germans are being promised a "freedom day" on 20 March while most measures will be dropped in Austria on 5 March.

The Omicron variant has not led to a feared surge in hospital admissions.

However, Germany's chancellor still aims to make vaccinations mandatory.

"The pandemic isn't over," said Olaf Scholz after a summit with Germany's 16 states. Legislation on compulsory jabs has been left for parliament to decide but the chancellor said it remained important especially ahead of next autumn and winter.

Austria passed a law earlier this month that made vaccination against Covid-19 mandatory, the first country in Europe to do so.

However, no-one will be penalised for breaking the law until 16 March, and the government has until then to decide whether to suspend the requirement. Chancellor Karl Nehammer said an advisory commission would recommend how best to proceed.

Much of Europe has already announced plans to loosen Covid restrictions as infections fall.

www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60404382

The City of Boston apologized for "accidentally" sharing information disclosing that about 100 employees were unvaccinated and had tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a report.

www.foxnews.com/us/boston-apologizes-accidentally-email-names-unvaccinated-employees

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced more pressure from opposition parties once again on Wednesday in Question Period in the House of Commons after he invoked the Emergencies Act amid the weeks-long protests occupying Ottawa and border crossings across the country.

‘Tucker Carlson Tonight’ host argues Canadian prime minister is combatting trucker protests through ‘tyranny.’

The 'Outnumbered' panel reacted to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau enacting the Emergencies Act to cut off funding to the protesting truckers.

Canadian truckers protesting in Ottawa told Fox News that Ontario's easing of COVID-19 restrictions wasn't nearly enough to get them to leave. "It's like a little piece of bone thrown in front of a very hungry pitbull," trucker Csaba Vizi told Fox News. "It's just not enough."

Canadian trucker Jan Groen joined 'America's Newsroom' to discuss Justin Trudeau invoking the Emergencies Act to cut off funding to the trucker protests.

Canadian protester Terry Callaghan reacts to message from the Ottawa police telling protesters to leave immediately or face charges.

Gov. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., argues the role of government is to ‘educate’ and ‘communicate’ citizens, not to ‘mandate’ amid Canadian trucker protest.

India’s ambassador, Deepak Vohra, tears into Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his blatant hypocrisy. Last year when thousands of farmers protested in Delhi, causing blockades, Trudeau was in support of the protestors and urged the Indian government to have a dialogue with the disgruntled farmers.

“The fellow who was trying to give us advice has actually gone into hiding,” Vohra stated. “He has betrayed their trust. The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies, it comes from those you have faith in. Some of the most poisonous people come disguised as friends and family.”

www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/canada/indias-ambassador-trudeau-is-an-embarrassment-to-canada-india

India summoned Canada’s ambassador on Friday, saying comments made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding the protests by farmers near Delhi were an interference in India's domestic affairs and would seriously hurt bilateral ties.

When asked about comments made earlier this week — when he said he was concerned about Indian farmers protesting against farm reforms, mostly in the state of Punjab — Trudeau responded outside of Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Friday that Canada will “always stand up" for peaceful protesters anywhere around the world, but did not further elaborate on how his remarks could impact relations with India.

Farmers in India are protesting en masse against agriculture laws that they say will destroy livelihoods. There have been reports of violence against demonstrating farmers, protesting against their government’s market reform laws.

Canadian Civil Liberties Association’s Noa Mendelsohn Aviv says the association takes very seriously the need for citizens to “stand up and be able to defend their rights”.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been condemned after telling a Jewish conservative politician that her party is "standing with people who wave swastikas.

" In the aftermath of the comments, Melissa Lantsman demanded an apology from the prime minister, which was not forthcoming.

Fox News correspondent Alexis McAdams details action against Canadian protesters from the police and banks on ‘Your World.’

Canadian prime minister delivers on his threat to crack down on freedom protesters

The small number of Italians who refuse to be vaccinated against COVID-19 are largely responsible for the continued health crisis, Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Monday.

The government last week made vaccinations mandatory for everyone aged over 50, one of very few European countries to take such a step . . .

"We must never lose sight of the fact that most of the problems we have today are because there are non-vaccinated people," Draghi told a news conference. "For the umpteenth time, I invite all those Italians who are not yet vaccinated to do so, and to get the third shot."

www.reuters.com/world/europe/italys-covid-woes-mainly-caused-by-unvaccinated-draghi-says-2022-01-10