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Federal Judge Rules COVID Capacity Limits on Religious Gatherings Are Unconstitutional

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A federal district court judge ruled Thursday caps on religious services in Washington D.C. were unconstitutional going into the Easter holiday.

Judge Trevor N. McFadden, appointed under former President Donald Trump in 2017, concluded the district’s guidelines set the nation’s capital apart from the 37 states with no attendance caps on church gatherings.

The ruling comes just in time for Easter Sunday on April 4, one year after the holiday was interrupted by state and local officials who implemented guidelines to ban large congregations. Restrictions targeting religious services quickly became a theme of the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns.

In Louisville, Democratic Mayor Greg Fischer sought criminal penalties for those who even attended a drive-in Easter service before a federal judge in Kentucky blocked the mayor’s power grab. In Greenville, Mississippi, residents who attended church gatherings were slapped with $500 fines in a case that provoked the Trump Department of Justice to take action. (Read more from “Federal Judge Rules COVID Capacity Limits on Religious Gatherings Are Unconstitutional” HERE)

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Location of Origin of COVID-19 Pandemic Identified – Between Two of China’s Biological Warfare Facilities in Wuhan

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According to China’s own data, the original hot spot for COVID-19 infections occurred in a residential area in the four miles between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the Biological Preparations Institute of the China Biology Technology Group Corporation.

Both of those institutions have been associated with China’s biological warfare program and, prior to and since the onset of the pandemic, they have collaborated on vaccine development.

For months after the start of the pandemic in December 2019, China flooded the scientific literature with subtle and sometimes not so subtle messages supporting its narrative that COVID-19 is a naturally-occurring disease that “jumped” from animals to humans in the Wuhan seafood market.

On May 26, 2020, the Wall Street Journal reported that China was finally forced to admit that COVID-19 did not originate in the Wuhan seafood market, a theory now totally discredited, even by the Chinese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nevertheless, China’s attempts to cover-up the origin of COVID-19 continue.

Even as recently as February of this year, China has refused to give raw data on early COVID-19 cases to a World Health Organization (WHO) team probing the origins of the pandemic.

The WHO team had requested raw patient data on 174 cases that China had identified from the early phase of the outbreak in the city of Wuhan in December 2019, as well as other cases.

At the same time, Beijing has sought to cast doubt on the notion that COVID-19 originated in China, pointing to imported frozen food as a conduit.

Eventually, the WHO team was pressured by China to include in its report that dubious explanation for the origin of the pandemic.

There is, however, a far simpler and more accurate explanation for the origin of COVID-19, based on China’s own data.

Statistics published by the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission show that Wuchang district had the highest number of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 early in the pandemic.

Wuchang also had the highest concentration of asymptomatic infections during that same period.

It was also the case that the early international spread of COVID-19 had occurred in people who had visited the Wuchang district in the first half of January 2020, but had not gone to the Wuhan seafood market.

Data published by the Wuhan Wuchang District Health Bureau state that the highest concentration of infections in the early phase of the outbreak occurred in the residential areas along Huanghelou and Ziyang streets, both located within the four miles between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the Biological Preparations Institute.

Those observations match closely, in time and location, the social media data obtained from the Sina Weibo platform, which was designed as a channel for people who think that might be infected to seek help.

A figure from that publication, but slightly modified to show the locations of the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV, black star) and the Biological Preparations Institute (BPI, yellow square), shows that the highest concentration of help seekers before January 18, 2020, were in the areas between those two research institutions.

Note that there are fewer help seekers outside that area, including at the Wuhan seafood market (red circle).

Based on the available scientific evidence, the COVID-19 virus was the product of “gain of function” research, not a natural transmission from an animal host to humans.

Gain of function research is defined as when a naturally-occurring virus is genetically or otherwise manipulated to make it either more contagious, more lethal, or both.

There are only two reasons for conducting gain of function research, (a) to understand the structural features and actions of a virus to create a vaccine in anticipation of a potential disease outbreak or (b) to create a biological weapon, or both.

It is most likely that China was conducting, within the framework of a biological warfare program, parallel development of a unique genetically-engineered coronavirus pathogen and a vaccine to treat it. (For more from the author of “Location of Origin of COVID-19 Pandemic Identified – Between Two of China’s Biological Warfare Facilities in Wuhan” please click HERE)

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Lawrence Sellin, Ph.D. is retired from an international career in business and medical research with 29 years of service in the US Army Reserve and a veteran of Afghanistan and Iraq. He is a member of the Citizens Commission on National Security. His email address is [email protected].

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‘Bat Lady’ Denial of Chinese Military Involvement in Wuhan Lab Has Put China on Collision Course With U.S. Intelligence

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The Chinese scientist responsible for overseeing research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology said Tuesday that the U.S. government is incorrect in stating that her lab engages in secret projects with the Chinese military.

Dr. Shi Zhengli, known as the “bat lady” in China for her work on bat-based coronaviruses, gave the comments in response to a question from World Health Organization advisory committee member Jamie Metzl during a seminar Tuesday hosted by Rutgers University.

Metzl told the Daily Caller News Foundation following the seminar that Shi’s credibility would be destroyed if the U.S. government can prove that the WIV was indeed collaborating with the Chinese military. Metzl added that since the Chinese government’s assertion that COVID-19 did not leak from the WIV rests almost entirely on Shi’s credibility, the lab leak hypothesis would “become to seen as the most credible hypothesis,” if the U.S. government produces receipts.

“Did you have knowledge of all of the research that was being done by everyone at the WIV and the full repository of viruses that were being held there by everybody, all the laboratories?” Metzl asked Shi during the seminar, according to audio obtained by the DCNF. “To your knowledge, are the U.S. government claims of classified Chinese military research being carried out at the WIV correct, and if so, did you have full awareness of and access to all aspects of this research?”

Shi said in response: “From my knowledge, all our research work is open, is transparent. At the beginning of COVID-19, we heard the rumors that claimed our laboratory would have some project blah blah with army blah blah … but this is not correct, because I am the director and responsible for research activity. I don’t know any kind of research work performed in this lab.”

(Read more from “‘Bat Lady’ Denial of Chinese Military Involvement in Wuhan Lab Has Put China on Collision Course With U.S. Intelligence” HERE)

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Thousands Take Action Opposing COVID Vaccines Developed With Fetal Cells

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Thousands of Catholics, including some leaders of prominent organizations, have signed a document that opposes COVID vaccines developed using fetal cells.

Judie Brown, president of the American Life League, highlighted “a call to arms for Catholics and all men and women of good will.”

The issue is that while COVID vaccines approved for emergency use don’t contain cells of aborted infants, some were developed using such cells.

The document, “State of Conscience To Awaken Conscience,” was produced by a professor, Catherine Pakaluk, to give Catholics “a voice in resisting the so-called consensus from Catholic leaders who have jumped on the COVID-19 vaccine train.” . . .

Brown said: “In the age of Biden and the recent confirmation of avid pro-abortion politician Xavier Becerra, it is certainly appropriate to ask whether or not Americans will continue to enjoy freedom of conscience. We already had concerns when the Biden administration offered its support of the radical Equality Act, which is set to cancel freedoms that we have always taken for granted, including freedom of religion and freedom of conscience. What a perfect storm for Becerra and his many godless allies.” (Read more from “Thousands Take Action Opposing COVID Vaccines Developed With Fetal Cells” HERE)

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Restaurant Owner Put in Jail After Defying COVID Rules

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An online fundraising campaign created to support jailed Michigan restaurant owner Marlena Pavlos-Hackney surpassed its original $200,000 goal on Sunday afternoon. The owner of Marlena’s Bistro and Pizzeria was arrested last week after repeatedly refusing to follow the state’s operational mandates for food service establishments during the COVID pandemic.

The fundraising initiative’s host increased the goal to $250,000 on Sunday. Pavlos-Hackney’s legal proceedings have garnered national attention from conservatives, many of whom have pushed back against Michigan’s COVID-19 mitigation measures for the better part of a year. Among other programs she was recently featured on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight.

Hundreds of local residents, hopeful elected officials and state Republican leaders rallied behind Pavlos-Hackney’s cause during a demonstration held outside her eatery on Saturday in Holland, Michigan. . .

Pavlos-Hackney appeared before Ingham County Circuit Judge Rosemarie Aquilina during a court hearing on Friday, and will remain in custody at Ingham County jail while state personnel monitor the restaurant to confirm it is truly closed. The owner also faces a $7,500 fine, which she voiced intent to pay on Friday in addition to shutting down the restaurant. Aquilina further ordered that Richard Martin, who attempted to represent Pavlos-Hackney during the hearing without a license to practice law in Michigan, be held in contempt of court for up to 93 days. (Read more from “Restaurant Owner Put in Jail After Defying COVID Rules” HERE)

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Texas Roadhouse Founder Takes His Life After Worsening Post-Coronavirus Symptoms

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Texas Roadhouse CEO and founder Kent Taylor died Thursday after he took his own life following a worsening battle with post-coronavirus symptoms. . .

Greg Moore, Lead Director of Texas Roadhouse, said Taylor touched everyone he met in a statement on behalf of the Board of Directors.

“During this pandemic, he gave up his entire compensation package to help support his frontline workers,” Moore said. “This selfless act was no surprise to anyone who knew Kent and his strong belief in servant leadership. He was without a doubt, a people-first leader. His entrepreneurial spirit will live on in the company he built, the projects he supported and the lives he touched.” . . .

Taylor died by suicide after his post-coronavirus symptoms worsened, a joint statement from Taylor’s family and Texas Roadhouse obtained by the Daily Caller said. Taylor was reportedly suffering from severe tinnitus, which causes ringing in the ear. The coronavirus can make this condition worse, according to the Associated Press.

“Kent battled and fought hard like the former track champion that he was, but the suffering that greatly intensified in recent days became unbearable,” the joint statement said. (Read more from “Texas Roadhouse Founder Takes His Life After Worsening Post-Coronavirus Symptoms” HERE)

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Oregon Proposes Making Mask Mandates Permanent

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Oregon state health officials unveiled a new proposal in January which seeks to make temporary mask mandates permanent.

The current order, passed in November by the state’s workplace safety department, which requires all employers to implement state-imposed guidelines for social distancing and mask compliance, is set to expire on May 4. Oregon health bureaucrats are now seeking to make the rules permanent.

“Although the rule must be adopted as a permanent rule, its purpose is to address the COVID-19 pandemic,” the proposal reads. “Oregon [Occupational Safety and Health] intends to repeal the rule when it is no longer necessary to address the pandemic.”

No threshold for what constitutes when the mandate is “no longer necessary” however, is offered in the proposal. (Read more from “Oregon Proposes Making Mask Mandates Permanent” HERE)

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Democrats Ban White Farmers From Federal COVID Relief Program

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Last week, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act into law. The bill, comprised of $1.9 trillion in the name of “COVID relief,” received no support from Republicans in the House or Senate, and it’s not hard to see why. . .

What most don’t know about this bill, however, is the small provision known as “Section 1005” that authorizes the secretary of agriculture to make payments of 100 to 120 percent of the “outstanding indebtedness of socially disadvantaged farmers.” Under this provision, those included in the socially disadvantaged category are American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Asians, Blacks, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics.

Putting aside all of the Washington jargon that makes little sense outside of a committee hearing room, this provision—specifically written into the American Rescue Plan by Democrats—pushes a blurred vision of so-called “social equity” by providing relief for farmers based on the color of their skin. Rather than offering much needed relief to all farmers, Sec. 1005 prioritizes race, just as it would ethnicity, sex, or any other factor.

It bears repeating: Sec. 1005 focuses debt relief on farmers based on their race, not based on how harshly the pandemic has affected them—the very reason for relief in the first place. Ironically, this racial discrimination is the very focus of what officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have worked so hard to combat.

The 1999 Supreme Court case Pigford v. Glickman handled this very issue when a class-action discrimination suit against the USDA by black farmers found true discrimination on the basis of race that subsequently resulted in cash relief, debt relief, and tax payments. In the years since, the case has provided billions to claimants due to proven discrimination within the department. (Read more from “Democrats Ban White Farmers From Federal COVID Relief Program” HERE)

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One of the Lockdowns’ Greatest Casualties Could Be Science

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The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns have not only been devastating for society, they have had a chilling effect on the scientific community. For science to thrive, opposing ideas must be openly and vigorously discussed, supported, or countered based on scientific merit.

Instead, some politicians, journalists, and (alas) scientists have engaged in vicious slander of dissident scientists, spreading damaging conspiracy theories, even with open calls for censorship in place of debate. In many cases, eminent scientific voices have been effectively silenced, often with gutter tactics. People who oppose lockdowns have been accused of having blood on their hands, their university positions threatened, with many of our colleagues choosing to stay quiet rather than face the mob. . .

Dr. Scott Atlas served as a special advisor to the president on COVID policy between July and November 2020. This would be a difficult job in normal circumstances when the science is more mature.

With his background in public health policy, Atlas’s advice emphasized balancing risks imposed by viral spread against collateral public health harms from the lockdowns in a rapidly changing scientific and policy environment. Scientists who did not share his views had every opportunity to do so responsibly by reporting scientific facts and conjectures and engaging with his ideas.

Instead, the Journal of the American Medical Association—the flagship medical journal in the United States—published an opinion article defaming him without engaging his actual scientific views. The editors of the journal then refused to publish letters supporting Atlas. (Read more from “One of the Lockdowns’ Greatest Casualties Could Be Science” HERE)

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U.S. Plans To Send AstraZeneca Vaccines To Mexico, Canada

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The Biden administration is working on plans to send about 4 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to neighboring countries as a loan, the White House announced Thursday.

According to the Associated Press, the Biden administration has been developing plans to distribute AstraZeneca vaccines to other countries on a “loan” that would involve sending 2.5 million vaccines to Mexico and 1.5 million vaccines to Canada. The AstraZeneca vaccine hasn’t been authorized for emergency use in the United States, meaning that the supply owned by the government has stayed idle even as other countries have begun to publicly administer it. According to ABC News, the U.S. currently owns about 10 million AstraZeneca vaccines.

“Our first priority remains vaccinating the U.S. population,” said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki during a press conference Thursday. She also remarked that “ensuring our neighbors can contain the virus” is “mission-critical to ending the pandemic.”

Psaki, who noted other countries have requested AstraZeneca vaccines from the U.S., said the tentative plans involve “assessing how we can loan doses” to other countries.

“That is our aim, it’s not fully finalized yet, but that is our aim and what we’re working toward — to Canada and Mexico. This is a complex process, and our team is working with the companies to move it forward,” added Psaki. (Read more from “U.S. Plans To Send AstraZeneca Vaccines To Mexico, Canada” HERE)

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