Politics

Dr Fauci Grilled Over Gain-of-Function Research

Published

5 months ago

2024-06-03

Dr. Anthony Fauci: Reuters Image

Dr Fauci received severe examination from House Republicans at a hearing on Monday, as legislators continue to question his reaction to the COVID-19 epidemic and hypotheses about the virus’s origin.

Dr Fauci has already stated that he has “nothing to hide” and is appearing before the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic freely. It’s his first public testimony since leaving the federal government at the end of 2022, following five decades of service.

Fauci’s speech on Capitol Hill comes during a tense election cycle, with Republicans continuing to attack him on his approach to the illness, including mask laws, vaccine protocols, and origin theories.

“Americans were aggressively bullied, shamed, and silenced for merely questioning or debating issues such as social distancing, masks, vaccines, or the origins of COVID,” chairman Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, stated as the hearing began. In this session, Wenstrup accused Fauci of directing “one of the most invasive regimes of domestic policy the U.S. has ever seen.”

Dr Fauci vehemently refuted GOP allegations that he interfered with pandemic research, including assertions that he tried to persuade experts not to conclude the virus originated in a lab.

“The accusation being circulated that I influenced the scientists to change their minds by bribing them with millions of dollars in grant money is absolutely false, and simply preposterous,” he stated.

“The second issue is a bogus charge that I attempted to conceal the likelihood that the virus came from a laboratory. In reality, the truth is exactly the reverse,” he said, before reading an email in which he encouraged scientists to report their findings to authorities.

Democrats, led by ranking member Raul Ruiz, attempted to focus on moving forward, accusing Republicans of using Fauci as a scapegoat for former President Donald Trump’s failures during the pandemic’s early stages.

“After 15 months, the select subcommittee does not possess a shred of evidence to substantiate these extreme allegations Republicans have levied against Dr Fauci for nearly four years,” Ruiz stated.

Tensions erupted when Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, one of Fauci’s most vocal critics, suggested his license should be withdrawn and he should be imprisoned. Chair Rep. Wenstrup, a fellow Republican, interrupted her due to a lack of etiquette. Democrats supported Fauci in the aftermath, with Rep. Robert Garcia describing Greene’s remarks as “completely irresponsible.”

Republicans on the subcommittee have launched their latest attack on Fauci, citing “new evidence” that they believe warrants further investigation: an email exchange between a former Fauci senior adviser and an executive of a virus research organization in which the adviser claims Fauci’s private Gmail account could be used to evade the Freedom of Information Act and future public scrutiny. Prior to the meeting, Republicans wanted access to Fauci’s personal email account and cellphone information.

Dr Fauci denied using his private email

“Let me state for the record that to the best of my knowledge I have never conducted official business via my personal email,” Fauci stated.

Dr. David Morens, Fauci’s adviser, informed EcoHealth Alliance President Peter Daszak that Fauci would take printed copies of documents if Daszak did not want them tracked for the public record — however it is unclear whether Fauci actually had any participation.

According to records, Morens used his private Gmail account to shield information from FOIA’s reach, including sending Daszak official government documents and informing him about information that would become public as a result of a FOIA request for EcoHealth Alliance grant materials and COVID-19 research.

According to its website, the EcoHealth Alliance is a “virus-hunting group” established in the United States that conducts research and outreach projects in global health, conservation, and international development.

Republicans claim the alliance supported gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China, without sufficient oversight, intentionally violated various terms of its multi-million dollar National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant, and allegedly made fraudulent claims to the NIH.

The House select subcommittee issued a report claiming malfeasance and recommending EcoHealth and Daszak’s official removal. Health and Human Services has since discontinued U.S. funding for the organization, which totaled approximately $2.6 million last year.

Death Threats

Morens went behind closed doors for transcribed interviews before the subcommittee on January 18, and later supplied an additional 30,000 pages of records under subpoena before testifying publicly on May 22.

Given Morens’ close relationship with Fauci, Republicans on the subcommittee voiced worry that Fauci was aware of his actions and questioned whether Fauci himself had engaged in any misbehavior.

Fauci told legislators on Monday that he “knew nothing” about Morens’ involvement with Daszak or EcoHealth, and that Morens was not “an adviser to me on institute policy or other substantive issues.”

Fauci, 83, was the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, acting as a scientific check on Trump during the pandemic and then as President Joe Biden’s primary medical adviser until retiring in 2022.

He previously spoke up about the death threats he received as a result of his prominent and public participation during the COVID-19 pandemic’s early stages. On Monday, he said the threats continue and became tearful when asked about the impact on his family.

In his opening remarks, Fauci addressed those concerns and Republican criticisms, describing certain items as “seriously distorted.”

Source: ABC News

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Trudeau Called a Political Idiot Over Sikhs in Canada

Published

3 hours ago

2024-11-08

Geoff Thomas

Ujjal Dosanjh says that the vast majority of Sikhs in Canada do not support the Pro-Khalistani movement

Ujjal Dev Dosanjh, a former Liberal cabinet member and former Premier of British Columbia, has referred to Prime member Justin Trudeau as an “idiot” who has never comprehended that the vast majority of Sikhs in Canada are “secular” and does not hold pro-Khalistan ideas.

Ujjal Dosanjh, a Sikh, wrote in the National Post that Trudeau’s attitude had “emboldened Khalistani extremists and created fear among Sikhs in Canada with a moderate outlook.”

According to the former minister, less than 5% of Canada’s 8,00,000-strong Sikh community supports the creation of Khalistan, a distinct Sikh entity from India’s Punjab state.

The quiet majority of Sikhs want nothing to do with Khalistan. They just do not speak up because they are terrified of violence and its consequences; Trudeau “never really understood the vast majority of Sikhs are quite secular in their outlook, even though they go to the temple.

Dosanjh also criticized the Canadian premier’s stance on the matter, claiming that the greatest Sikh diaspora population in the world has been “co-opted by the Khalistanis to the point where this obscure separatist movement has become a Canadian problem” in Canada.

Dosanjh also described Canadian Sikhs’ identity dilemma, stating that “Canadians now equate Khalistanis with Sikhs, as if we are all Khalistanis if we’re Sikhs”.

The former minister also recounted a round-table talk with Trudeau during their time in parliament, referring to the Canadian Prime Minister as a sociological and political “idiot.”

“We were MPs together from 2008 to 2011, and I had a long conversation with him about identity, religion, and so on, with all of these Khalistanis gathered around the table. And he agreed with them, not me,” he wrote.

Dosanjh also stated that Trudeau can use various methods to repair strained diplomatic relations with India. “It’s as simple as eating some humble pie and saying, ‘Look, let’s start over.'” India is a good friend. That is all you do. That’s how diplomacy works,” he explained.

Trudeau Silent over temple attack

Meanwhile, People’s Party of Canada (PPC) leader Maxime Bernier has slammed Trudeau and Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre for remaining silent on violent incidents involving Khalistan separatist sympathizers on November 3.

“None of these cowards dares to mention the Khalistani Sikhs who are causing the carnage. They are frightened of offending some votes, even though Khalistani followers are a small minority of Sikh Canadians.

“Khalistani extremism is growing in this country,” he wrote on X.

Can you spot the difference between my tweet and that of the three establishment party leaders?

Not one of these cowards dares to even name the KHALISTANI SIKHS who are committing the violence. They’re afraid to offend some voters, even though Khalistani supporters are a… pic.twitter.com/4B9Qn1RUbk

— Maxime Bernier (@MaximeBernier) November 4, 2024

Bernier was one of the few Canadian politicians to loudly condemn the attackers of the Hindu Sabha Temple in Toronto earlier this month. He also chastised Trudeau and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh for not mentioning Khalistani elements.

His hard stance on the issue has earned him plaudits from Canadian Hindu organizations, including the Hindu Forum Canada, which recently praised Bernier for his readiness to tackle extremism, even at the risk of electoral repercussions.

“The silence of other leaders, who prioritise voter appeal over public safety, continues to enable the growth of radical ideologies that endanger our communities,” the Hindu Forum Canada stated.

“Canadians deserve leaders who condemn violence and hatred without hesitation. “Our votes should reflect values of justice, accountability, and a desire for peace.”

As the pressure mounts, Trudeau’s political future becomes questionable, particularly because the opposition currently leads in estimates for the 2025 federal election.

Trudeau Accused of Sowing Divisions Between Sikhs and Hindus

Trudeau Accused of Sowing Divisions Between Sikhs and Hindus

Geoff Thomas

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Politics

Trudeau Liberals in Panic Mode Over Trump Presidency

Published

4 hours ago

2024-11-08

Geoff Thomas

Trump called Trudeau "dishonest and weak" after Trudeau said Canada would retaliate on new U.S. tariffs.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday that he is re-establishing a special Cabinet committee on Canada-US ties to address Liberal concerns about another Donald Trump administration.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, the country’s finance minister, will chair the group, including the foreign affairs, public safety, and industry ministries.

“Following President Donald Trump’s election for a second term, the Cabinet Committee will focus on critical Canada-U.S. issues,” Trudeau’s office said in a statement Thursday.

During Trump’s first term, Canada saw his move to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and claimed that he was considering a 25% tariff on the car sector as an existential danger.

Trudeau contacted Trump on Wednesday to congratulate him, and the two talked about the new free trade agreement he signed with Canada and Mexico during his first term, known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which replaced NAFTA.

Although Trump dubbed Trudeau “weak” and “dishonest” during his first term, relations between the two countries have remained strong under Biden’s government.

Trudeau and his Rhetoric

However, after four years of anti-MEGA rhetoric and using Trump as a political scapegoat, Trump’s administration has confirmed Trudeau’s worst concerns. During the last election campaign, Trump advocated 10% to 20% tariffs on imported goods, and in certain rallies, he indicated much larger percentages.

According to the AP reports, Nelson Wiseman, a political science professor at the University of Toronto, believes Canada could expect further levies and pressure to increase its military spending.

According to NATO estimates, Canada will spend 1.33% of GDP on its military budget in 2023, less than the 2% target that NATO countries set for themselves.

Trudeau stated that Canada would fulfill the alliance’s aim by 2032. Trump has asked NATO allies to increase their defense spending to reduce the United States burden and deter the alliance’s adversaries.

“I expect that the free trade deal will be slightly modified as it was during Trump’s first presidency and not dramatically,” according to Wiseman.

“Tariffs will harm the Canadian economy but not cripple it. Countervailing tariffs, the concerns of American business leaders, and Canada’s storehouse of key minerals are all factors to consider during negotiations.

Canada’s border trade

The Canadian government emphasizes that the United States and Canada are each other’s top trading partners, with approximately $3.6 billion Canadian (US$2.7 billion) in products and services crossing the border daily in 2023.

There is strong cooperation in defense, border security, and law enforcement, as well as a significant overlap in culture, traditions, and pastimes, such as shared baseball, hockey, basketball, and soccer leagues. Approximately 400,000 individuals cross the world’s longest international border daily, while an estimated 800,000 Canadians live in the United States.

Robert Bothwell, a professor of Canadian history and international affairs at the University of Toronto, believes Canadians should be concerned about possibly aggressive tariff and trade policies.

“How would you feel if old Uncle Donald was feeling whimsical one morning and decided to do … oh, whatever he’d just heard on Fox News?” Bothwell stated.

Past Trump Rhetoric By Trudeau May Hurt Canadians

Past Trump Rhetoric By Trudeau May Hurt Canadians

Geoff Thomas

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Politics

Hamas Calls for Peace After Trump Wins Election

Published

5 hours ago

2024-11-08

Geoff Thomas

Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian National Authority, congratulated Trump on his election victory

After former President Donald Trump’s election victory, a senior Hamas official issued a statement in which he called for the immediate cessation of Israel’s war against the group in Gaza and a strategy to achieve Palestinian statehood.

“The election of Trump as the 47th president of the USA is a private matter for the Americans,” the political bureau member and spokesperson for Hamas, Basem Naim, told The Washington Post.

Palestinians look forward to an immediate cessation of the aggression against our people, especially in Gaza, and look for assistance in achieving their legitimate rights of freedom, independence, and the establishment of their independent self-sovereign state with Jerusalem as its capital.”

“The blind support for the Zionist entity ‘Israel’ and its fascist government, at the expense of the future of our people and the security and stability of the region, must stop immediately,” according to him.

During his tenure in office, Trump developed a close relationship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently involved in a multi-front war against the Iran-aligned Axis of Resistance. This conflict commenced with a large-scale Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023.

An Israeli official informed Newsweek that “the special relationship between the U.S. and Israel has been a bipartisan feature of American politics since the founding of the Jewish state” when contacted for comment.

Netanyahu congratulates Trump

The Israeli official stated, “We are certain that this will persist.” “Going forward, we look forward to a strong working relationship with his administration to bring about a more peaceful, secure and prosperous Middle East.”

President Joe Biden and Netanyahu disagreed regarding the war’s progression despite substantial U.S. military assistance. Consequently, Netanyahu was the first to congratulate Trump on “history’s greatest comeback.”

In his statement on Wednesday, Netanyahu declared, “Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America.”

Afterward, Netanyahu conversed with Trump. The Israeli side characterized the conversation as a “warm and cordial” exchange in which the two “agreed to work together for Israel’s security and also discussed the Iranian threat.”

The Israel-Hamas war, which has since expanded to include an Israeli air and land offensive against the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon, strikes from other Axis of Resistance factions in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, and even direct exchanges of strikes between Israel and Iran, has served as a polarizing foreign policy issue in the United States.

Biden has been accused by Israel supporters of not doing enough to aid the U.S. ally and by pro-Palestinian factions of failing to sufficiently rein in Netanyahu, despite his continued provision of military assistance to Israel and his advocacy for greater safeguards to mitigate civilian harm.

Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign largely mirrored the Biden administration’s stance, calling for peace and expressing empathy for the plight of civilians entangled in the conflict. However, she rejected any demands to withhold arms sales to Israel.

Hamas Issues Statement

Additionally, Hamas issued a statement on Wednesday that urged the United States to “cease providing military support and political cover to the Zionist entity and to recognize the legitimate rights of our people.” The statement also called for an end to Israel’s campaign in Lebanon.

“The American president-elect is required to listen to the voices that have been raised from American society itself for more than a year regarding the Zionist aggression on the Gaza Strip,” according to the statement, “rejecting the occupation and genocide, and objecting to support and bias toward the Zionist entity.”

On Wednesday, Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian National Authority, congratulated Trump on his election victory. Abbas is the leader of the West Bank-based government that competes with Hamas, which is based in Gaza.

The Palestine News and Information Agency (WAFA) released a statement in which Abbas expressed “his aspiration to collaborate with President Trump to promote peace and security in the region” and underscored “the dedication of our people to the pursuit of statehood, self-determination, and freedom in compliance with international law.”

Abbas was reported to have said, “We will remain steadfast in our commitment to peace,” and we are confident that under your leadership, the United States will support the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people.”

While in office, both Hamas and Abbas had frequently denounced Trump’s Middle East policies, such as his 2018 decision to relocate the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to the disputed city of Jerusalem and his 2020 proposal to resolve the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Abraham Accords

The proposal, which was widely referred to as the “deal of the century,” would have conferred Israel control over occupied areas along the Jordanian border and internationally unrecognized Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

Hamas and other Palestinian factions would be disarmed, Palestinians would acknowledge Israel as a Jewish state, refrain from participating in any international organizations without Israeli consent, and receive the right to access international investments and a portion of the desert territory along the Israel-Egypt border.

In addition, the proposition proposed the construction of a tunnel connecting Gaza and the West Bank, one of its most ambitious moves.

Even though the Arab world did not support the plan, Trump successfully oversaw the Abraham Accords later that year, establishing diplomatic relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.

The U.S. withdrawal from a multilateral nuclear agreement in 2018 and the U.S. killing of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force chief Major General Qassem Soleimani in Iraq in 2020 were also significant factors in the sharp increase in tensions between Washington and Tehran that Trump oversaw.

The Republican leader has since accused Biden and Harris of being too lenient toward Iran and has consistently maintained that the war in Hamas would not have occurred under his presidency. In the meantime, Trump has accused his Democratic opponents of attempting to incite a more extensive conflict in the Middle East, a course of action that he has pledged to avoid.

Trump stated during his election night victory speech, “We desire a robust and capable military, and we would prefer not to employ it.” He also said, “You are aware that we did not experience any wars for four years.” There were no conflicts. Except for the fact that we defeated ISIS, we did so in record time.

“They predicted that he would initiate a conflict.” “I will not initiate a war,” Trump declared in the early hours of Wednesday. “I’m going to stop wars.”

Source: Newsweek