westernjournal--2020-07-31--Google Reportedly Has Diminished Breitbart Search Results 99.7%, Daily Caller Gets Savaged Too

At Wednesday ’ s House subcommittee hearing on big tech , Ohio GOP Rep. Jim Jordan was told he was engaging in “ fringe conspiracy theories ” by Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon as she tried to redirect the subject from his questioning of Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai , whose company controls Google and its associated platforms .
Scanlon wasn ’ t specific about what these “ fringe conspiracy theories ” entailed , but one of the things that Jordan questioned Pichai about was the fact that the search engine “ has censored Breitbart so much ” that traffic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He also mentioned the Daily Caller , another conservative news site that has apparently drawn the wrath of Google .
This part , at least , is hardly fringe — and both publications have the data to back it up .
On Tuesday , a day before the hearing , Breitbart ’ s Allum Bokhari penned a piece reminding everyone that “ [ a ] few days after the 2016 election , at an internal meeting later leaked to Breitbart News , top Google executives , including Sundar Pichai , Sergey Brin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s victory , comparing Trump voters to ‘ extremists ’ and discussing their desire to make Trump ’ s election and the populist movement a ‘ blip ’ in history.
” TRENDING : WaPo 's Chief 'Fact Checker ' Calls Barr a Liar for Telling the Truth About Black Murder Rate To the extent that censoring the conservative website accomplished that goal , they succeeded , with Bokhari saying Google had been “ purging Breitbart content from search results ” in the intervening years .
“ Search visibility is a key industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s content is in Google search .
New data shows that Google has suppressed Breitbart ’ s search visibility by 99.7 percent since 2016 , ” he wrote .
“ On April 4 , 2016 , Breitbart ranked in the top ten search positions ( i.e.
, on the first page of Google search results ) for 355 key search terms ; but now , as of July 20 , 2020 , Breitbart ranks in the top ten search positions for only one search term .
And , on April 4 , 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ search positions for 16,820 key search terms ; but now , as of July 20 , 2020 , Breitbart ranks in the top 100 search positions for only 55 search terms .
“ Moreover , organic Google search traffic to Breitbart ( measured by unique visitors ) is down 63 percent when comparing the first half of 2016 with the first half of 2020.
” Daily Caller Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Ingersoll noted a similar effect , too — retweeting a clip of Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz saying that Google had manually altered certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excuse that the Daily Caller “ ended up on some blacklist because of some compliance partnership with law enforcement to stop extremism or election interference.
” The Daily Caller also discovered a similarity with Breitbart ’ s experience — namely , that their search visibility had declined precipitously since May 4 , the same date that Breitbart noticed a downward trend in traffic for search terms related to Joe Biden : RELATED : Agree or Disagree with 'America 's Frontline Doctors , ' But Big Tech Should n't Be Deciding for You “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least last year culminated just this past May with an absolute annihilation of our search traffic .
This isn ’ t a hare-brained , half baked conspiracy or another verbal testimony from some whistleblower .
It ’ s hard numbers , Google ’ s own numbers , in fact , ” Ingersoll told Breitbart .
“ I had my tech guys dig in and the analytics show that first we were quarantined from the general population , then later basically all but shut out of search .
The reduction was stark , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , May 4 .
“ The idea that the discrepancy can be dismissed as an algorithm update is obscene .
Like your graph shows , and our internal audit shows , the presence of a human hand tipping the scales is unmistakable.
” The night before the hearing , Breitbart Editor-in-Chief Alex Marlow appeared on Fox News ’ “ Tucker Carlson Tonight ” to discuss Google ’ s political interference : In the segment , Marlow said that “ in May of this year , we virtually lost all Google traffic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me give you some specific pieces of data — a Google track , something called a visibility index — this is sort of like their Nielsen score .
That ’ s when your content shows up on one of their pages .
Breitbart ’ s is down 99.7 percent .
Overall our Google traffic is down nearly two-thirds .
“ If you want to search for ‘ Joe Biden ’ or ‘ Biden , ’ the chance of you getting a Breitbart article are virtually zero , Tucker .
Virtually no opportunity for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course , you add the word Breitbart , which explains what ’ s left of our Google traffic , ” he said .
“ Naturally , we looked at other outlets to see if there ’ s a pattern .
Of course , we have more access to our own data , but we compared the top 50 or so top publishers , and we found that eight out of the bottom 10 when it comes to Google search are right-of-center outlets .
That includes Fox News and even the Daily Caller , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually somehow performed worse than Breitbart.
” And what ’ s Google ’ s explanation if not some sort of politicized human interference ?
“ They won ’ t tell us specifically why .
They only provide vague talking points about things that are way out of our control , that are non-specified , are totally subjective , ” Marlow said , adding he thought “ this is 100 percent about the 2020 election and controlling the narrative and controlling what people read .
“ If outlets like Breitbart can not reach new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to be all the more people who are getting their news 100 percent from CNN , The New York Times and the people who would do anything in their power to get Joe Biden into the White House.
” As conservatives who bring this sort of information up are constantly reminded , Google is a business , and aren ’ t we supposed to let businesses make their own decisions ?
In the segment , Carlson pointed out the flaw in this theory : Google is “ the gateway to all human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monopoly on web searches which has been almost impossible to break .
Even Microsoft , among the only other tech companies on Earth anywhere near as powerful as Google , failed to make an appreciable dent with their Bing search engine .
Google doesn ’ t just control search .
It has the most powerful video platform in YouTube , the most powerful email platform on earth in Gmail and — perhaps most worrisome for conservative media — the most powerful web advertising platform in Google Ads .
If they don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your content may be , they can ensure you can ’ t monetize it .
And Democrats are fine with Google having that power .
Google , like most Silicon Valley giants , has a corporate culture with left-of-center politics baked into it .
In fact , Democrats think it ’ s particularly troublesome when these companies don ’ t act on their liberal political beliefs to crowd out other viewpoints — as with Facebook , which was raked over the coals for not “ fact-checking ” posts from President Donald Trump by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them as untrue .
These aren ’ t “ fringe conspiracy theories.
” They ’ re merely the facts .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

At Wednesday’s House subcommittee hearing on big tech, Ohio GOP Rep. Jim Jordan was told he was engaging in “fringe conspiracy theories” by Pennsylvania Democratic Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon as she tried to redirect the subject from his questioning of Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, whose company controls Google and its associated platforms.
Scanlon wasn’t specific about what these “fringe conspiracy theories” entailed, but one of the things that Jordan questioned Pichai about was the fact that the search engine “has censored Breitbart so much” that traffic to the site has precipitously declined.
He also mentioned the Daily Caller, another conservative news site that has apparently drawn the wrath of Google.
This part, at least, is hardly fringe — and both publications have the data to back it up.
On Tuesday, a day before the hearing, Breitbart’s Allum Bokhari penned a piece reminding everyone that “[a] few days after the 2016 election, at an internal meeting later leaked to Breitbart News, top Google executives, including Sundar Pichai, Sergey Brin, and Kent Walker, lamented President Trump’s victory, comparing Trump voters to ‘extremists’ and discussing their desire to make Trump’s election and the populist movement a ‘blip’ in history.”
To the extent that censoring the conservative website accomplished that goal, they succeeded, with Bokhari saying Google had been “purging Breitbart content from search results” in the intervening years.
“Search visibility is a key industry measure of how findable a publisher’s content is in Google search. New data shows that Google has suppressed Breitbart’s search visibility by 99.7 percent since 2016,” he wrote.
“On April 4, 2016, Breitbart ranked in the top ten search positions (i.e., on the first page of Google search results) for 355 key search terms; but now, as of July 20, 2020, Breitbart ranks in the top ten search positions for only one search term. And, on April 4, 2016, Breitbart ranked in the top 100 search positions for 16,820 key search terms; but now, as of July 20, 2020, Breitbart ranks in the top 100 search positions for only 55 search terms.
“Moreover, organic Google search traffic to Breitbart (measured by unique visitors) is down 63 percent when comparing the first half of 2016 with the first half of 2020.”
Daily Caller Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Ingersoll noted a similar effect, too — retweeting a clip of Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz saying that Google had manually altered certain search results
The idea that we ended up on some blacklist because of some compliance partnership with law enforcement to stop extremism or election interference is just absurd. We have accredited personnel all over Washington, DC. We are not ISIS. https://t.co/AAAzfeHBgC — Geoffrey Ingersoll (@GPIngersoll) July 29, 2020
Ingersoll derided Google’s excuse that the Daily Caller “ended up on some blacklist because of some compliance partnership with law enforcement to stop extremism or election interference.”
The Daily Caller also discovered a similarity with Breitbart’s experience — namely, that their search visibility had declined precipitously since May 4, the same date that Breitbart noticed a downward trend in traffic for search terms related to Joe Biden:
Specifically we struggled with search slowly dwindling until May 4 exactly. We broke down the analytics. The May 4 flat line is clearly the result of the human hand in the process. As Breitbart breaks down here, they felt a similar effect.https://t.co/LdAcHVY0zR — Geoffrey Ingersoll (@GPIngersoll) July 29, 2020
“What we’ve been experiencing since at least last year culminated just this past May with an absolute annihilation of our search traffic. This isn’t a hare-brained, half baked conspiracy or another verbal testimony from some whistleblower. It’s hard numbers, Google’s own numbers, in fact,” Ingersoll told Breitbart.
“I had my tech guys dig in and the analytics show that first we were quarantined from the general population, then later basically all but shut out of search. The reduction was stark, from May 3 to the very next day, May 4.
“The idea that the discrepancy can be dismissed as an algorithm update is obscene. Like your graph shows, and our internal audit shows, the presence of a human hand tipping the scales is unmistakable.”
The night before the hearing, Breitbart Editor-in-Chief Alex Marlow appeared on Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight” to discuss Google’s political interference:
In the segment, Marlow said that “in May of this year, we virtually lost all Google traffic, all search traffic altogether.
Do you think Google is a monopoly that needs to be broken up? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 99% (362 Votes) No: 1% (3 Votes)
“Let me give you some specific pieces of data — a Google track, something called a visibility index — this is sort of like their Nielsen score. That’s when your content shows up on one of their pages. Breitbart’s is down 99.7 percent. Overall our Google traffic is down nearly two-thirds.
“If you want to search for ‘Joe Biden’ or ‘Biden,’ the chance of you getting a Breitbart article are virtually zero, Tucker. Virtually no opportunity for you to get it unless, of course, you add the word Breitbart, which explains what’s left of our Google traffic,” he said.
“Naturally, we looked at other outlets to see if there’s a pattern. Of course, we have more access to our own data, but we compared the top 50 or so top publishers, and we found that eight out of the bottom 10 when it comes to Google search are right-of-center outlets. That includes Fox News and even the Daily Caller, as one of the two outlets that actually somehow performed worse than Breitbart.”
And what’s Google’s explanation if not some sort of politicized human interference?
“They won’t tell us specifically why. They only provide vague talking points about things that are way out of our control, that are non-specified, are totally subjective,” Marlow said, adding he thought “this is 100 percent about the 2020 election and controlling the narrative and controlling what people read.
“If outlets like Breitbart cannot reach new voters via Google, then that is going to be all the more people who are getting their news 100 percent from CNN, The New York Times and the people who would do anything in their power to get Joe Biden into the White House.”
As conservatives who bring this sort of information up are constantly reminded, Google is a business, and aren’t we supposed to let businesses make their own decisions?
In the segment, Carlson pointed out the flaw in this theory: Google is “the gateway to all human information in English.”
It has a monopoly on web searches which has been almost impossible to break. Even Microsoft, among the only other tech companies on Earth anywhere near as powerful as Google, failed to make an appreciable dent with their Bing search engine.
Google doesn’t just control search. It has the most powerful video platform in YouTube, the most powerful email platform on earth in Gmail and — perhaps most worrisome for conservative media — the most powerful web advertising platform in Google Ads. If they don’t like you, no matter how popular your content may be, they can ensure you can’t monetize it.
And Democrats are fine with Google having that power. Google, like most Silicon Valley giants, has a corporate culture with left-of-center politics baked into it.
In fact, Democrats think it’s particularly troublesome when these companies don’t act on their liberal political beliefs to crowd out other viewpoints — as with Facebook, which was raked over the coals for not “fact-checking” posts from President Donald Trump by putting disclaimers on them, essentially branding them as untrue.
These aren’t “fringe conspiracy theories.” They’re merely the facts.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-07-31--Obama Hijacks John Lewis’ Funeral To Forward Leftists’ Agenda While Savaging Trump

No place or event is one that ’ s inappropriate for a stump speech when you ’ re a Democrat .
That includes the funeral of a late civil rights icon .
That being said , it is an election year , and few things are sacred .
It is a time of great uncertainty for a country which is reeling after months of violent civil unrest and divisive racial tensions .
Opportunities for Democrats to help unify a wounded nation are ample , but they refuse to take advantage of such moments — instead choosing more division .
TRENDING @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Does n't Wear BLM Shirt , Gives Perfect Response to Critics Since the May 25 death of George Floyd after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest , a shocked country has seen the principles of its great society attacked by those who are attempting to divide Americans along the lines of race , sex , faith and class .
It should have been a shock when former President Barack Obama used the casket of the late Georgia Democratic Rep. John Lewis as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday .
But , as few things are held sacred when an election is near on the horizon , few things hold shock value anymore .
Obama , who has finally endorsed the candidacy of former Vice President Joe Biden following an underwhelming Democratic primary , used Lewis as a prop for a speech to attack police officers , President Donald Trump ’ s administration and congressional procedure , among other things .
The former president delivered a eulogy for Lewis at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta , where he went far beyond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ representative , essentially using his coffin as a vehicle to drive forth nasty leftist political rhetoric .
“ Bull Connor may be gone , but today we witness with our own eyes police officers kneeling on the necks of black Americans , ” Obama said .
“ George Wallace may be gone , but we can witness our federal government sending agents to use tear gas and batons against peaceful demonstrators.
” Perhaps Obama was referring to those “ peaceful ” demonstrators in Portland , Oregon , who have been arming themselves with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bearings when attacking federal property and officers while also hurling Molotov cocktails .
To be fair , Obama also could have been referring to the peaceful activists who have been blinding federal law enforcement officers with laser pointers in the city .
The former president didn ’ t specify .
Obama also got to the important topic of voting rights during his eulogy , when he brought up the Democrats ’ cheat-by-mail scheme for the November election .
“ Even as we sit here , there are those in power who are doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said , “ by closing polling locations , and targeting minorities and students with restrictive ID laws , and attacking our voting rights with surgical precision , even undermining the Postal Service in the run-up to an election that ’ s going to be dependent on mail-in ballots so people don ’ t get sick.
” Apparently funerals are now acceptable venues for public gatherings during a pandemic , but asking folks to show up , vote only once and prove their identity is a bridge too far .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Senate filibuster ?
Obama went into an impassioned diatribe against the Senate procedure , describing it as a “ Jim Crow relic ” that is standing in the way of making Election Day a national holiday , making Washington , D.C. , a state and preventing gerrymandering .
“ And if all this takes eliminating the filibuster , another Jim Crow relic , in order to secure the God-given rights of every American , then that ’ s what we should do , ” Obama proclaimed .
So , what do any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the death of Lewis ?
That question is of course rhetorical .
Obama ’ s eulogy was a stump speech on behalf of Joe Biden .
Biden , though , is apparently incapable of speaking without his handlers within arm ’ s reach , so Democrats pulled Obama in from the bench to use the funeral of a dead man to dunk on Republicans .
Obama and Democrats turned John Lewis ’ funeral into a lecture proclaiming support for the lawlessness on American streets and anarchy in the halls of Congress .
No @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to defund police departments and to attack democracy and civility , the one Obama espoused his support for Thursday , is based in a desire to advance civil rights .
In an election year , everything is about politics , even the death of a father , a husband and a brother .
Democrats never let a tragedy go to waste .
In the case of Lewis , his death came at a convenient time for the party of Jim Crow , allowing Democrats to send out their retired star player to score @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was right to avoid the political spectacle Tuesday , when he said that he would not be attending the funeral .
The president averted walking into a politicized disaster , and also avoided a health hazard , as the Democrats in mourning seemingly forgot about the coronavirus and social distancing Thursday .
Perhaps they felt immune from falling ill. Everyone knows that the coronavirus doesn ’ t spread during large gatherings hosted by angry Democrats .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards @

No place or event is one that’s inappropriate for a stump speech when you’re a Democrat.
That includes the funeral of a late civil rights icon.
That being said, it is an election year, and few things are sacred.
It is a time of great uncertainty for a country which is reeling after months of violent civil unrest and divisive racial tensions.
Opportunities for Democrats to help unify a wounded nation are ample, but they refuse to take advantage of such moments — instead choosing more division.
Since the May 25 death of George Floyd after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes during an arrest, a shocked country has seen the principles of its great society attacked by those who are attempting to divide Americans along the lines of race, sex, faith and class.
It should have been a shock when former President Barack Obama used the casket of the late Georgia Democratic Rep. John Lewis as a backdrop for a divisive political speech on Thursday.
But, as few things are held sacred when an election is near on the horizon, few things hold shock value anymore.
Obama, who has finally endorsed the candidacy of former Vice President Joe Biden following an underwhelming Democratic primary, used Lewis as a prop for a speech to attack police officers, President Donald Trump’s administration and congressional procedure, among other things.
Do you think Democrats hold anything sacred? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 2% (35 Votes) No: 98% (1705 Votes)
The former president delivered a eulogy for Lewis at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where he went far beyond remembering the accomplishments of the late House representative, essentially using his coffin as a vehicle to drive forth nasty leftist political rhetoric.
“Bull Connor may be gone, but today we witness with our own eyes police officers kneeling on the necks of black Americans,” Obama said. “George Wallace may be gone, but we can witness our federal government sending agents to use tear gas and batons against peaceful demonstrators.”
Eight years in the White House spent dividing America wasn’t enough. Here’s President Obama claiming that federal law enforcement are going after “peaceful demonstrators.” He knows better, but won’t let the truth get in the way of a cheap shot. pic.twitter.com/CURhDkJmuF — YAF (@yaf) July 30, 2020
Perhaps Obama was referring to those “peaceful” demonstrators in Portland, Oregon, who have been arming themselves with rocks, frozen water bottles and ball bearings when attacking federal property and officers while also hurling Molotov cocktails.
To be fair, Obama also could have been referring to the peaceful activists who have been blinding federal law enforcement officers with laser pointers in the city.
The former president didn’t specify.
Obama also got to the important topic of voting rights during his eulogy, when he brought up the Democrats’ cheat-by-mail scheme for the November election.
“Even as we sit here, there are those in power who are doing their darnedest to discourage people from voting,” he said, “by closing polling locations, and targeting minorities and students with restrictive ID laws, and attacking our voting rights with surgical precision, even undermining the Postal Service in the run-up to an election that’s going to be dependent on mail-in ballots so people don’t get sick.”
Former President Obama talking about Voter ID and Mail-in Voting at John Lewis’ Funeral. pic.twitter.com/TSIa186PWn — Benny (@bennyjohnson) July 30, 2020
Apparently funerals are now acceptable venues for public gatherings during a pandemic, but asking folks to show up, vote only once and prove their identity is a bridge too far.
But Obama also honored Lewis by invoking — the Senate filibuster?
Obama went into an impassioned diatribe against the Senate procedure, describing it as a “Jim Crow relic” that is standing in the way of making Election Day a national holiday, making Washington, D.C., a state and preventing gerrymandering.
“And if all this takes eliminating the filibuster, another Jim Crow relic, in order to secure the God-given rights of every American, then that’s what we should do,” Obama proclaimed.
In John Lewis eulogy, Obama calls for making Election Day a federal holiday, giving equal representation to citizens in Washington, D.C. & Puerto Rico, ending partisan gerrymandering, and eliminating the filibuster if it interferes with Americans’ rights https://t.co/wrzcAjBNnU pic.twitter.com/409VCgG4Bp — CBS News (@CBSNews) July 30, 2020
So, what do any of these topics have to do with the death of Lewis?
That question is of course rhetorical.
Obama’s eulogy was a stump speech on behalf of Joe Biden.
Biden, though, is apparently incapable of speaking without his handlers within arm’s reach, so Democrats pulled Obama in from the bench to use the funeral of a dead man to dunk on Republicans.
Obama and Democrats turned John Lewis’ funeral into a lecture proclaiming support for the lawlessness on American streets and anarchy in the halls of Congress.
No serious person believes the current Marxist movement to defund police departments and to attack democracy and civility, the one Obama espoused his support for Thursday, is based in a desire to advance civil rights.
In an election year, everything is about politics, even the death of a father, a husband and a brother.
Democrats never let a tragedy go to waste.
In the case of Lewis, his death came at a convenient time for the party of Jim Crow, allowing Democrats to send out their retired star player to score a few cheap political points.
Trump was right to avoid the political spectacle Tuesday, when he said that he would not be attending the funeral.
The president averted walking into a politicized disaster, and also avoided a health hazard, as the Democrats in mourning seemingly forgot about the coronavirus and social distancing Thursday.
Respectfully, are we or are we not allowed in church shoulder-to-shoulder and singing?? pic.twitter.com/XpJmNuwEfV — ForAmerica (@ForAmerica) July 30, 2020
Perhaps they felt immune from falling ill.
Everyone knows that the coronavirus doesn’t spread during large gatherings hosted by angry Democrats.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-07-31--1 Marine Dead, 2 Injured, 8 Missing After Accident off CA Coast

An accident involving an amphibious assault vehicle off the coast of southern California has left one Marine dead , two injured and eight missing , the Associated Press reported early Friday .
The accident occurred late Thursday night , and all the Marines involved were part of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit , the AP reported .
Search and rescue efforts led by the Marines and Navy were underway Friday , the Marines said in a statement .
Those injured were taken to a nearby hospital , where they are in critical condition , the Marine Corps Times reported .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to USA Today .
TRENDING : WaPo 's Chief 'Fact Checker ' Calls Barr a Liar for Telling the Truth About Black Murder Rate “ We are deeply saddened by this tragic accident , ” Col. Christopher Bronzi , the unit ’ s commanding officer , said in a statement .
“ I ask that you keep our Marines , Sailors , and their families in your prayers as we continue our search.
” The Expeditionary Force is the Marines ’ main war-fighting organization , consisting of ground , air and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The accident comes less than a month after a Marine in California survived a self-inflicted gunshot wound after getting into a standoff with police .
The name of the Marine killed in the vehicle accident Thursday will be released after 24 hours , once his or her family has been notified , according to the Marine Corps Times .
A version of this article appeared on The Daily Caller News Foundation website .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

An accident involving an amphibious assault vehicle off the coast of southern California has left one Marine dead, two injured and eight missing, the Associated Press reported early Friday.
The accident occurred late Thursday night, and all the Marines involved were part of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, the AP reported.
Search and rescue efforts led by the Marines and Navy were underway Friday, the Marines said in a statement.
Those injured were taken to a nearby hospital, where they are in critical condition, the Marine Corps Times reported.
The group was stationed at Camp Pendleton, according to USA Today.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic accident,” Col. Christopher Bronzi, the unit’s commanding officer, said in a statement.
“I ask that you keep our Marines, Sailors, and their families in your prayers as we continue our search.”
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident. I ask that you keep our Marines, Sailors, and their families in your prayers as we continue our search,” said Col. Christopher Bronzi, 15th MEU Commanding Officer. — I MEF (@1stMEF) July 31, 2020
The Expeditionary Force is the Marines’ main war-fighting organization, consisting of ground, air and logistical forces, USA Today reported.
The accident comes less than a month after a Marine in California survived a self-inflicted gunshot wound after getting into a standoff with police.
The name of the Marine killed in the vehicle accident Thursday will be released after 24 hours, once his or her family has been notified, according to the Marine Corps Times.
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of their original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.
A version of this article appeared on The Daily Caller News Foundation website.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-07-31--US Buys European COVID Vaccines for $2 Billion in ‘Operation Warp Speed’

Pharma giants GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur have announced they will supply 100 million doses of its experimental COVID-19 vaccine to the United States .
The United States will pay up to $ 2.1 billion “ for development including clinical trials , manufacturing , scale-up and delivery of its vaccine , ” the companies said in a statement .
Sanofi will get the bulk of the funds .
The U.S. government has a further option for the supply of an additional 500 million doses as part of its Operation Warp Speed program .
“ The portfolio of vaccines being assembled for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we will have at least one safe , effective vaccine as soon as the end of this year , ” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement .
“ Today ’ s investment supports the Sanofi and GSK adjuvanted product all the way through clinical trials and manufacturing , with the potential to bring hundreds of millions of safe and effective doses to the American people.
” TRENDING : WaPo 's Chief 'Fact Checker ' Calls Barr a Liar for Telling the Truth About Black Murder Rate Earlier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal for 60 million doses of a potential COVID-19 vaccine that could start to be rolled out in the first half of next year .
Britain ’ s GSK and France ’ s Sanofi ’ s vaccine prospect is based on the existing DNA-based technology that is used to produce Sanofi ’ s seasonal flu vaccine .
It is one of several vaccines in development .
“ The global need for a vaccine to help prevent COVID-19 is massive , and no single vaccine or company will be able to meet the global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Triomphe , executive vice president of Sanofi Pasteur .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Pharma giants GlaxoSmithKline and Sanofi Pasteur have announced they will supply 100 million doses of its experimental COVID-19 vaccine to the United States.
The United States will pay up to $2.1 billion “for development including clinical trials, manufacturing, scale-up and delivery of its vaccine,” the companies said in a statement. Sanofi will get the bulk of the funds.
The U.S. government has a further option for the supply of an additional 500 million doses as part of its Operation Warp Speed program.
“The portfolio of vaccines being assembled for Operation Warp Speed increases the odds that we will have at least one safe, effective vaccine as soon as the end of this year,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement.
“Today’s investment supports the Sanofi and GSK adjuvanted product all the way through clinical trials and manufacturing, with the potential to bring hundreds of millions of safe and effective doses to the American people.”
Earlier this week the British government signed a deal for 60 million doses of a potential COVID-19 vaccine that could start to be rolled out in the first half of next year.
Britain’s GSK and France’s Sanofi’s vaccine prospect is based on the existing DNA-based technology that is used to produce Sanofi’s seasonal flu vaccine. It is one of several vaccines in development.
“The global need for a vaccine to help prevent COVID-19 is massive, and no single vaccine or company will be able to meet the global demand alone,” according to Thomas Triomphe, executive vice president of Sanofi Pasteur.
[jwplayer jjQQVZiQ]
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-08-01--I Looked Up What Happened When Sweden Refused To Shut Down – They Were Right, We Were Wrong

The Nordic country defeated COVID-19 without seeming to break a sweat — fever-induced or otherwise .
They effectively showed that Fauci & Co. were completely wrong about a shutdown being necessary to save civilization as we know it .
While that accomplishment should be lauded and their efforts duplicated around the world , the media has instead chosen to blast the Nordic state and paint a dismal picture that simply doesn ’ t exist .
A few examples ( among many , many others ) are below : CBS News declared : “ Sweden becomes an example of how not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University of Virginia Health System issued a news release titled : “ Lack of Lockdown Increased COVID-19 Deaths in Sweden.
” Taking a stab at prognostication , Newsweek said : “ Sweden COVID-19 Deaths Linked to Failure to Lockdown as Country Prepares for Second Wave.
” Always eager to bravely embrace the status quo , The New York Times ran a piece headlined : “ Sweden Tries Out a New Status : Pariah State.
” Finally , Business Insider reported : “ Sweden ’ s coronavirus death toll is now approaching zero , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hail it as a success.
” It ’ s all awfully prickly from a leftist media that used to adore Sweden ’ s welfare state .
The reason for the barbed headlines is simple — Sweden dealt with COVID-19 in its own way .
The country didn ’ t truckle to the tyranny of over-educated , under-experienced experts .
It didn ’ t implement authoritarian policies designed as much to break spirits as to break the pandemic .
And it didn ’ t turn its voters into quasi-prisoners .
In other words , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rest of the developed world has responded to contagious diseases until 2020 , which just happens to also be President Donald Trump ’ s re-election year .
Well , first let ’ s consider American results brought to us courtesy of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci , the establishment media , government officials around the country and legions of panic-prone and morally superior “ Karens.
” All around the country , the U.S. tried just about every imaginable combination of mask , lockdown , quarantine , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and including literally refusing entry across some state lines to certain fellow Americans .
The results were , well , not what anyone wanted .
As of Saturday , the U.S. coronavirus death rate was 3.35 new deaths per million per day ( based on a seven-day rolling average ) , which ranks as the 11th worst rating on the planet , according to Our World in Data .
RELATED : Fatality Rates Show How Wrong the Media 's COVID Narrative Really Is And remember , thanks in large part to the Andrew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ containment , New York state accounts for more than a fifth of all U.S. COVID-19 deaths , according to Johns Hopkins data .
So we ’ re probably getting dragged down a little in the ratings by the disproportionate number of deaths in that state .
What else has America ’ s scattershot , but mostly heavy-handed , response yielded ?
If you read The Wall Street Journal , you will learn it led to anywhere between 30 million and 40 million lost jobs .
( Some of those workers have no doubt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen , but millions more haven ’ t .
And economists don ’ t really know how many of those job losses are permanent . )
So we destroyed constitutional rights , shed a few dozen million jobs and watched tens of thousands of people die .
Oh , and we turned Americans against each other , all the way from the state to family levels .
But at least gross domestic product didn ’ t take it too hard , right ?
Not exactly .
Commerce Department numbers released Thursday revealed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 32.9 percent last quarter in what Bloomberg called the “ sharpest downturn since at least the 1940s.
” So what about those rebellious Swedes ?
The ones who refused to play ball with all-knowing scientists and a ridiculously tunnel-visioned medical establishment ?
While much of the rest of the developed world drowned themselves in hand sanitizer , locked ankle monitors onto their citizens and bought super cute masks on Etsy , the stalwart Swedes pressed on .
They didn ’ t mandate masks .
They didn ’ t turn into NKVD-aspiring Karens , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on neighbors , friends and family who dared bare an uncovered nostril .
Sweden defied the ( dare we say ) scientific consensus and has performed exceedingly well compared to the U.S. As of Saturday , Sweden had registered 0.65 deaths per million per day , based on a seven-day rolling average .
Trading Economics projects a second-quarter GDP change of -4.2 percent ( and a third-quarter growth of 2.4 percent ) .
Depending on your preferred method of calculation , we could casually say that ’ s 7.8 times better than what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of June 18 , Statista forecast a 2.6 percent drop in Sweden ’ s employment rate for 2020 .
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , meanwhile , reported unemployment in the U.S. shot up 11.2 percentage points from 3.5 percent in February to 14.7 percent in April , before dropping a bit to 13.3 percent in May and 11.7 percent in June as parts of the economy reopened .
Now we ’ re not going to be like the dogmatic pro-mask Stasi here .
There are lots of factors that impact the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We can ’ t say with 100 percent certainty that Sweden ’ s refusal to lock down saved their economy or is responsible for the miraculously low death rate .
But it would also be foolish to say that the decision didn ’ t play some role in the different outcome .
We can all learn two significant lessons from how COVID-19 responses have played out in the U.S. versus Sweden .
First , it is clear that the expert class in America whom the left appeals to at every turn ( aren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientists say ” or “ experts find ” ? )
is worth substantially less than we pay them .
We ’ ve spent literally trillions of dollars as a result of this virus and have only managed to buy our own personal hell .
Second , Sweden succeeded using an approach that left people free .
The response they got from the U.S. media complex , however , wasn ’ t celebration and an urge toward duplication .
It was derision and aspersion .
That betrays what lays at the heart of everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never been first and foremost a virus to fight .
It has instead been a tool that the left , anti-Trumpers and the establishment could use to mercilessly kick Americans in our collective groin .
With COVID-19 , the left finally found a chink in Trump ’ s armor .
The left knew exploiting it was vital , and they knew that Americans would have to suffer if they wanted to succeed .
As America continues to languish economically even as deaths drop , remember to thank the left for that .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday , Nov. 3 , remember to pay the left back for the hell they ’ ve just put us through — pay them back by voting for Donald J. Trump .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Sweden did it.
The Nordic country defeated COVID-19 without seeming to break a sweat — fever-induced or otherwise. They effectively showed that Fauci & Co. were completely wrong about a shutdown being necessary to save civilization as we know it.
While that accomplishment should be lauded and their efforts duplicated around the world, the media has instead chosen to blast the Nordic state and paint a dismal picture that simply doesn’t exist.
A few examples (among many, many others) are below:
CBS News declared: “Sweden becomes an example of how not to handle COVID-19.” Similarly, the University of Virginia Health System issued a news release titled: “Lack of Lockdown Increased COVID-19 Deaths in Sweden.”
Taking a stab at prognostication, Newsweek said: “Sweden COVID-19 Deaths Linked to Failure to Lockdown as Country Prepares for Second Wave.” Always eager to bravely embrace the status quo, The New York Times ran a piece headlined: “Sweden Tries Out a New Status: Pariah State.”
Finally, Business Insider reported: “Sweden’s coronavirus death toll is now approaching zero, but experts are warning others not to hail it as a success.”
It’s all awfully prickly from a leftist media that used to adore Sweden’s welfare state. The reason for the barbed headlines is simple — Sweden dealt with COVID-19 in its own way.
The country didn’t truckle to the tyranny of over-educated, under-experienced experts. It didn’t implement authoritarian policies designed as much to break spirits as to break the pandemic. And it didn’t turn its voters into quasi-prisoners.
Do you think the media is using COVID-19 to stop President Trump from being re-elected? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 99% (6287 Votes) No: 1% (55 Votes)
In other words, Sweden responded more or less the way the rest of the developed world has responded to contagious diseases until 2020, which just happens to also be President Donald Trump’s re-election year.
What were Sweden’s results?
Well, first let’s consider American results brought to us courtesy of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci, the establishment media, government officials around the country and legions of panic-prone and morally superior “Karens.”
All around the country, the U.S. tried just about every imaginable combination of mask, lockdown, quarantine, curfew and closures orders — up to and including literally refusing entry across some state lines to certain fellow Americans.
The results were, well, not what anyone wanted. As of Saturday, the U.S. coronavirus death rate was 3.35 new deaths per million per day (based on a seven-day rolling average), which ranks as the 11th worst rating on the planet, according to Our World in Data.
And remember, thanks in large part to the Andrew Cuomo nursing home/death camp model of virus containment, New York state accounts for more than a fifth of all U.S. COVID-19 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins data. So we’re probably getting dragged down a little in the ratings by the disproportionate number of deaths in that state.
What else has America’s scattershot, but mostly heavy-handed, response yielded? If you read The Wall Street Journal, you will learn it led to anywhere between 30 million and 40 million lost jobs. (Some of those workers have no doubt been rehired as parts of the economy reopen, but millions more haven’t. And economists don’t really know how many of those job losses are permanent.)
So we destroyed constitutional rights, shed a few dozen million jobs and watched tens of thousands of people die. Oh, and we turned Americans against each other, all the way from the state to family levels.
But at least gross domestic product didn’t take it too hard, right? Not exactly.
Commerce Department numbers released Thursday revealed that the U.S. economy shrank by a record 9.5 percent last quarter, a drop equaling an annualized pace of 32.9 percent and one Bloomberg called the “sharpest downturn since at least the 1940s.”
So what about those rebellious Swedes? The ones who refused to play ball with all-knowing scientists and a ridiculously tunnel-visioned medical establishment?
While much of the rest of the developed world drowned themselves in hand sanitizer, locked ankle monitors onto their citizens and bought super cute masks on Etsy, the stalwart Swedes pressed on.
They lived their lives.
They didn’t mandate masks. They didn’t turn into NKVD-aspiring Karens, eager to publicly shame or quietly narc on neighbors, friends and family who dared bare an uncovered nostril.
Sweden defied the (dare we say) scientific consensus and has performed exceedingly well compared to the U.S.
As of Saturday, Sweden had registered 0.65 deaths per million per day, based on a seven-day rolling average.
Trading Economics projects a second-quarter GDP change of -4.2 percent (and a third-quarter growth of 2.4 percent). Depending on your preferred method of calculation, we could casually say that’s 7.8 times better than what the U.S. saw last quarter.
As of June 18, Statista forecast a 2.6 percent drop in Sweden’s employment rate for 2020. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, meanwhile, reported unemployment in the U.S. shot up 11.2 percentage points from 3.5 percent in February to 14.7 percent in April, before dropping a bit to 13.3 percent in May and 11.7 percent in June as parts of the economy reopened.
Now we’re not going to be like the dogmatic pro-mask Stasi here. There are lots of factors that impact the difference between U.S. and Swedish outcomes. We can’t say with 100 percent certainty that Sweden’s refusal to lock down saved their economy or is responsible for the miraculously low death rate.
But it would also be foolish to say that the decision didn’t play some role in the different outcome.
We can all learn two significant lessons from how COVID-19 responses have played out in the U.S. versus Sweden.
First, it is clear that the expert class in America whom the left appeals to at every turn (aren’t you sick of hearing “scientists say” or “experts find”?) is worth substantially less than we pay them.
We’ve spent literally trillions of dollars as a result of this virus and have only managed to buy our own personal hell.
Second, Sweden succeeded using an approach that left people free. The response they got from the U.S. media complex, however, wasn’t celebration and an urge toward duplication. It was derision and aspersion.
That betrays what lays at the heart of everything COVID-19-related.
In America, COVID-19 has never been first and foremost a virus to fight. It has instead been a tool that the left, anti-Trumpers and the establishment could use to mercilessly kick Americans in our collective groin.
With COVID-19, the left finally found a chink in Trump’s armor. The left knew exploiting it was vital, and they knew that Americans would have to suffer if they wanted to succeed.
As America continues to languish economically even as deaths drop, remember to thank the left for that.
And when you walk into that voting booth on Tuesday, Nov. 3, remember to pay the left back for the hell they’ve just put us through — pay them back by voting for Donald J. Trump.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-08-01--Watch Mom and 3-Year-Old Daughter’s Daily Affirmations: ‘Jesus Loves Me’

Besides all the work parents shoulder to raise their children , they ’ re tasked with the monumental burden of preparing their children for the ( often cruel ) realities of the world .
Not everyone out there is nice .
Not everyone will spend time to get to know you before passing judgment .
Intentional or not , people will say things that cut you to the core .
Knowing that , many parents have started training their kids to have a healthy view of themselves so they don ’ t suffer as much from the hurtful comments of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , South Carolina , is one of those parents .
Her daughter , 3-year-old Scarlett Smith , is learning how important and loved she is .
“ People are going to look at her as a black woman , ” Haneline told “ Good Morning America.
” “ They ’ re not going to see her as a mixed-race woman.
” “ Instilling that , ‘ I love my brown skin , I am beautiful , my curls are beautiful , ’ I just want to instill that in her .
So whenever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I know she ’ s going to , that it ’ s not going to bother her.
” Haneline shares videos of her reciting affirmations with Scarlett as she ’ s doing her hair or walking along .
Scarlett repeats various phrases , including “ I am beautiful , ” “ I am a good friend , ” “ I love my hair , ” “ I am loved , ” “ I love my brown skin , ” “ I am worthy ” and “ Jesus loves me.
” “ Affirmations with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
” she posted on July 15 .
“ Had to throw that Jesus loves me in there twice !
” While Scarlett is still very young and might not understand all the implications of the phrases she ’ s internalizing , she will one day — and it ’ s already giving her strength .
“ You literally wouldn ’ t think that she gets it , ” Haneline said .
“ But the confidence I feel like she is building it herself — like looking in the mirror and just having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After Little Boy Has Bike Stolen , Local Police Plan Stunning Birthday Surprise Scarlett has not only recited the affirmations ; she ’ s also extended those affirmations to others when she thinks they need them .
“ She will affirm other people , so she ’ ll tell me , ‘ Mommy , you ’ re so beautiful , I ’ m so proud of you.
’ Like it ’ s crazy , ” Haneline said .
“ I feel even at this early age of only being three and just seeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what it will be when she gets older.
” Aside from building their own bond and giving her own daughter confidence , Haneline ’ s videos with her daughter have been a blessing to many viewers as well .
“ I ’ ve had so many teenagers and even adult women that have said , ‘ I wish so much my parents would have done this for me when I was little .
I wouldn ’ t hate myself or I wouldn ’ t hate my hair .
I wouldn ’ t hate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For them to say that to me really makes me feel like I ’ m doing the right thing.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Besides all the work parents shoulder to raise their children, they’re tasked with the monumental burden of preparing their children for the (often cruel) realities of the world.
Not everyone out there is nice. Not everyone will spend time to get to know you before passing judgment.
Intentional or not, people will say things that cut you to the core.
Knowing that, many parents have started training their kids to have a healthy view of themselves so they don’t suffer as much from the hurtful comments of strangers.
Tiania Haneline from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is one of those parents. Her daughter, 3-year-old Scarlett Smith, is learning how important and loved she is.
“People are going to look at her as a black woman,” Haneline told “Good Morning America.” “They’re not going to see her as a mixed-race woman.”
“Instilling that, ‘I love my brown skin, I am beautiful, my curls are beautiful,’ I just want to instill that in her. So whenever she does get called names, because I know she’s going to, that it’s not going to bother her.”
Haneline shares videos of her reciting affirmations with Scarlett as she’s doing her hair or walking along. Scarlett repeats various phrases, including “I am beautiful,” “I am a good friend,” “I love my hair,” “I am loved,” “I love my brown skin,” “I am worthy” and “Jesus loves me.”
“Affirmations with Scarlett while I was doing her hair!” she posted on July 15. “Had to throw that Jesus loves me in there twice!”
While Scarlett is still very young and might not understand all the implications of the phrases she’s internalizing, she will one day — and it’s already giving her strength.
“You literally wouldn’t think that she gets it,” Haneline said. “But the confidence I feel like she is building it herself — like looking in the mirror and just having this fierceness about her.”
Scarlett has not only recited the affirmations; she’s also extended those affirmations to others when she thinks they need them.
“She will affirm other people, so she’ll tell me, ‘Mommy, you’re so beautiful, I’m so proud of you.’ Like it’s crazy,” Haneline said.
“I feel even at this early age of only being three and just seeing her confidence, I can just imagine what it will be when she gets older.”
Aside from building their own bond and giving her own daughter confidence, Haneline’s videos with her daughter have been a blessing to many viewers as well.
“I’ve had so many teenagers and even adult women that have said, ‘I wish so much my parents would have done this for me when I was little. I wouldn’t hate myself or I wouldn’t hate my hair. I wouldn’t hate my brown skin.'”
“For them to say that to me really makes me feel like I’m doing the right thing.”
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-08-01--Dems Push Law That Would Allow More Efficient Killing of African Babies

Rep. Jan Schakowsky has introduced a bill that would allow U.S. taxpayer-funded international aid programs to pay for abortion procedures in Africa and other locations around the world .
On Wednesday , the Illinois Democrat and six Democratic co-sponsors unveiled the Abortion Is Health Care Act of 2020 , which would classify abortion as a “ critical component of comprehensive maternal and reproductive health care.
” The bill seeks to repeal the Helms Amendment , which has prohibited the use of foreign aid for abortions since 1973 .
The law passed following the Supreme Court ’ s landmark Roe v. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unsafe abortions occur in developing countries in Africa , Asia , and Latin America .
In low- and middle-income countries , the annual cost of post-abortion care for all who need it would be $ 4 billion , ” Schakowsky ’ s bill reads .
The legislation adds : “ Restricting abortion does not reduce either the need for or number of abortions .
“ Abortion rates are similar in countries where it is highly restricted by law and where it is broadly legal.
” The proposed legislation then takes direct aim at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law restricting United States foreign assistance funding from being used to provide safe abortion services has the effect of harming people who seek to terminate their pregnancies , ” the bill says .
The legislation does not merely take up the Democrats ’ call for taxpayer money to be used to fund abortion procedures internationally .
The bill also specifically mentions pregnancies in transgender individuals .
According to Schakowsky , U.S. taxpayers should foot the bill for “ transgender men ” and other “ gender non-conforming individuals ” seeking abortion procedures around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that when people , including young women and adolescent girls , gender non-conforming individuals , and transgender men , are able to control their reproductive lives , there are enormous social and economic benefits — not just for the individual and their family , but for entire communities , ” the bill says .
“ Countries that prioritize reproductive health , rights , and justice and human rights are more likely to have better overall health throughout.
” In a statement , Schakowsky claimed the policy designed to prevent Americans from paying for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The Helms Amendment is a policy deeply rooted in racism , ” Schakowsky said .
“ It imposes our arbitrary and medically unnecessary abortion restrictions on international communities , allowing the United States to control the health care and bodily autonomy of billions Black and brown people around the world , ” the Illinois Democrat added .
The lawmaker also touted the bill on social media : According to The Hill , the bill is not scheduled for a vote in the House .
Even if it passed , Democrats do not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Senate , where Republicans hold a slim majority .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Rep. Jan Schakowsky has introduced a bill that would allow U.S. taxpayer-funded international aid programs to pay for abortion procedures in Africa and other locations around the world.
On Wednesday, the Illinois Democrat and six Democratic co-sponsors unveiled the Abortion Is Health Care Act of 2020, which would classify abortion as a “critical component of comprehensive maternal and reproductive health care.”
The bill seeks to repeal the Helms Amendment, which has prohibited the use of foreign aid for abortions since 1973.
The law passed following the Supreme Court’s landmark Roe v. Wade decision.
“Ninety-seven percent of unsafe abortions occur in developing countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In low- and middle-income countries, the annual cost of post-abortion care for all who need it would be $4 billion,” Schakowsky’s bill reads.
The legislation adds: “Restricting abortion does not reduce either the need for or number of abortions.
“Abortion rates are similar in countries where it is highly restricted by law and where it is broadly legal.”
The proposed legislation then takes direct aim at the Helms Amendment.
“United States law restricting United States foreign assistance funding from being used to provide safe abortion services has the effect of harming people who seek to terminate their pregnancies,” the bill says.
Do you think Republicans will hold the Senate after the upcoming elections? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 95% (789 Votes) No: 5% (42 Votes)
The legislation does not merely take up the Democrats’ call for taxpayer money to be used to fund abortion procedures internationally.
The bill also specifically mentions pregnancies in transgender individuals.
According to Schakowsky, U.S. taxpayers should foot the bill for “transgender men” and other “gender non-conforming individuals” seeking abortion procedures around the world.
“Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that when people, including young women and adolescent girls, gender non-conforming individuals, and transgender men, are able to control their reproductive lives, there are enormous social and economic benefits — not just for the individual and their family, but for entire communities,” the bill says.
“Countries that prioritize reproductive health, rights, and justice and human rights are more likely to have better overall health throughout.”
In a statement, Schakowsky claimed the policy designed to prevent Americans from paying for abortions in other countries is racist.
“The Helms Amendment is a policy deeply rooted in racism,” Schakowsky said.
“It imposes our arbitrary and medically unnecessary abortion restrictions on international communities, allowing the United States to control the health care and bodily autonomy of billions Black and brown people around the world,” the Illinois Democrat added.
The lawmaker also touted the bill on social media:
According to The Hill, the bill is not scheduled for a vote in the House.
Even if it passed, Democrats do not expect the legislation would be taken up by the Senate, where Republicans hold a slim majority.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-08-01--Despite Ongoing Genocide, Feinstein Praises China as ‘Growing Into a Respectable Nation’

Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California praised China as a “ respectable ” nation , despite the country ’ s communist government ’ s ongoing espionage campaign in the U.S. , its handling of the international pandemic and its reported human rights abuses .
The Democrat said that China is “ growing into a respectable nation ” and also indicated that individuals should not be able to sue China over the coronavirus pandemic while speaking Thursday during a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting .
“ We hold China as a potential trading partner , as a country that has pulled tens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a short period of time , and as a country growing into a respectable nation amongst other nations .
I deeply believe that , ” Feinstein said .
The comments from Feinstein were in response to a bill introduced by Republican Sen. Martha McSally of Arizona , which would allow U.S. citizens to sue the Chinese government for damages incurred in as a result of the pandemic .
McSally , like many Americans , blames the Chinese government for unleashing the pandemic on the world .
While announcing a bill last week to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McSally said in a statement that Americans were victims of China ’ s “ deceit.
” “ Americans who have been victimized by the lies and deceit of the Chinese Communist Party — to include those who lost loved ones , suffered business losses , or were personally harmed due to COVID-19 — deserve the opportunity to hold China accountable and to demand just compensation , ” McSally said .
“ Our bill will empower Americans to do just that by providing them with the legal tools necessary to sue the Chinese government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID-19 pandemic , ” she added .
“ As the death toll and financial losses of COVID-19 mount , China should be forced to pay the costs of these damages to the American people , ” the Arizona Republican concluded .
The bill was co-sponsored by a number of other GOP senators .
“ Business owners and families who have lost loved ones deserve justice .
Under this legislation , Americans will have the opportunity to bring a lawsuit against China in U.S. court and recover compensation for the harm caused to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Tennessee said .
Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas , meanwhile , was particularly harsh in his criticism of China ’ s government .
“ By silencing doctors and journalists who tried to warn the world about the coronavirus , the Chinese Communist Party allowed the virus to spread quickly around the globe .
Their decision to cover up the virus led to thousands of needless deaths and untold economic harm .
It ’ s only appropriate that we hold the Chinese government accountable for the damage it has caused , ” Cotton @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice for Victims of COVID Act would strip China of sovereign immunity and also allow federal courts to freeze Chinese assets to assist Americans in demanding restitution over the pandemic .
The Washington Free Beacon noted that Feinstein ’ s husband has business interests in China .
The dynamics of those reported business interests can not be independently verified by The Western Journal .
Feinstein ’ s description of China as a “ respectable nation ” puts her at odds with a majority of Americans .
The Pew Research Center recently found that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unfavorably , while 68 percent of Democrats view the country in an unfavorable light .
In addition to China ’ s alleged failure to offer transparency when the novel coronavirus was first discovered last year , the country ’ s government is accused of using its U.S. consulates as centers for espionage and intellectual property theft .
The Chinese government is also reportedly holding more than 1 million Uighur Muslims in internment and forced labor camps in the country ’ s autonomous remote Xinjiang region .
We are committed to truth and accuracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our editorial standards .

Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California praised China as a “respectable” nation, despite the country’s communist government’s ongoing espionage campaign in the U.S., its handling of the international pandemic and its reported human rights abuses.
The Democrat said that China is “growing into a respectable nation” and also indicated that individuals should not be able to sue China over the coronavirus pandemic while speaking Thursday during a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting.
“We hold China as a potential trading partner, as a country that has pulled tens of millions of people out of poverty in a short period of time, and as a country growing into a respectable nation amongst other nations. I deeply believe that,” Feinstein said.
The comments from Feinstein were in response to a bill introduced by Republican Sen. Martha McSally of Arizona, which would allow U.S. citizens to sue the Chinese government for damages incurred in as a result of the pandemic.
https://youtu.be/Wrs-Ek3JZ4s
McSally, like many Americans, blames the Chinese government for unleashing the pandemic on the world.
While announcing a bill last week to allow for legal action against China, McSally said in a statement that Americans were victims of China’s “deceit.”
“Americans who have been victimized by the lies and deceit of the Chinese Communist Party — to include those who lost loved ones, suffered business losses, or were personally harmed due to COVID-19 — deserve the opportunity to hold China accountable and to demand just compensation,” McSally said.
“Our bill will empower Americans to do just that by providing them with the legal tools necessary to sue the Chinese government in federal court for creating and worsening the COVID-19 pandemic,” she added.
Do you support McSally's proposed bill to allow Americans to sue the Chinese government? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 97% (248 Votes) No: 3% (7 Votes)
“As the death toll and financial losses of COVID-19 mount, China should be forced to pay the costs of these damages to the American people,” the Arizona Republican concluded.
The bill was co-sponsored by a number of other GOP senators.
“Business owners and families who have lost loved ones deserve justice. Under this legislation, Americans will have the opportunity to bring a lawsuit against China in U.S. court and recover compensation for the harm caused to our country,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee said.
Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, meanwhile, was particularly harsh in his criticism of China’s government.
“By silencing doctors and journalists who tried to warn the world about the coronavirus, the Chinese Communist Party allowed the virus to spread quickly around the globe. Their decision to cover up the virus led to thousands of needless deaths and untold economic harm. It’s only appropriate that we hold the Chinese government accountable for the damage it has caused,” Cotton said in a statement.
The Civil Justice for Victims of COVID Act would strip China of sovereign immunity and also allow federal courts to freeze Chinese assets to assist Americans in demanding restitution over the pandemic.
The Washington Free Beacon noted that Feinstein’s husband has business interests in China.
The dynamics of those reported business interests cannot be independently verified by The Western Journal.
Feinstein’s description of China as a “respectable nation” puts her at odds with a majority of Americans.
The Pew Research Center recently found that 83 percent of Republican voters view China unfavorably, while 68 percent of Democrats view the country in an unfavorable light.
In addition to China’s alleged failure to offer transparency when the novel coronavirus was first discovered last year, the country’s government is accused of using its U.S. consulates as centers for espionage and intellectual property theft.
The Chinese government is also reportedly holding more than 1 million Uighur Muslims in internment and forced labor camps in the country’s autonomous remote Xinjiang region.
[jwplayer XCt2BwSK]
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-08-01--Dem Governor Vetoes GOP Bill Aiming To Protect Nursing Homes from COVID-19

Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer has vetoed a bill that would have barred patients who test positive for the coronavirus from being sent to nursing homes in her state .
The Detroit News reported that Whitmer , a Democrat , refused to sign legislation Friday that would have directed patients diagnosed with the infection to facilities specifically designed to isolate them from long-term-care facilities with vulnerable residents .
The legislation , known as SB 956 , was sponsored by Michigan state Republican Sen. Peter Lucido and was a challenge to Whitmer ’ s previous order to send coronavirus-positive patients into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the veto , Whitmer said her state ’ s existing system adequately protects nursing home residents .
“ SB 956 is based on the false premise that isolation units created within existing facilities are somehow insufficient to protect seniors—a claim unsupported by the data and refuted by the nation ’ s highest authorities on infectious disease , ” Whitmer wrote .
“ Instead of protecting seniors , this bill would require the state to create COVID-19-only facilities , forcing hospitals and many nursing homes to send COVID-19-positive patients to such facilities without any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or notification to the patient or their family .
“ The legislation fails to explain how such facilities would be staffed or paid for , or how frail residents would be protected during the potentially traumatic transfer from one facility to another , ” she also wrote .
Whitmer noted in her statement , “ I look forward to continuing to work with stakeholders and legislators on the task force to develop real solutions that make sense for Michigan seniors and their families , ” but the governor stated she would not sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this legislation fails to protect them , I am vetoing it , ” she concluded .
Lucido said he would push for a veto override to protect the state ’ s vulnerable seniors .
“ I am very disappointed and saddened that the governor vetoed this extremely important and commonsense legislation , ” he said in a statement .
“ Politics should not prevail over the health and safety of our seniors and health care workers , and I urge my colleagues in the Senate and House to consider passing a veto override @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , especially the seniors and vulnerable members of our communities who can not speak for themselves.
” Michigan is one of several states , all of which are led by Democrats , that have decided to send people hospitalized with the coronavirus into nursing homes , where many elderly residents suffer from health conditions that could make them vulnerable to complications from the coronavirus .
The other states that forced such long-term-care facilities to accept COVID patients have since reversed their decisions , The Detroit News reported .
RELATED : Fauci : 'If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'Make Sure You Wear a Mask' The outlet noted that roughly 33 percent of Michigan ’ s reported coronavirus deaths have been linked to nursing home residents or employees .
Bridge Magazine reported that as of Wednesday , 7,582 Michigan nursing home residents had tested positive for the coronavirus , and 1,986 had died since March , when the state began loading the facilities with coronavirus-positive patients .
Michigan joined New York , New Jersey , California and Pennsylvania as states that sent COVID patients to nursing homes .
U.S. House Republicans last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those states over their decisions to potentially endanger the lives of their state ’ s most vulnerable citizens .
“ The decision of several governors to ignore federal protocols and instead mandate COVID positive patients be forced back to their nursing homes ended up being a death sentence for tens of thousands of our nation ’ s most vulnerable citizens , ” Republican Whip Steve Scalise said .
Scalise , of Louisiana , added that while nursing home residents make up only 0.6 percent of the U.S. population , they have accounted for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo is perhaps the most criticized of the Democrat governors to require nursing homes to accept COVID patients .
As Scalise noted , “ New York has suffered 6,318 deaths in nursing homes.
” Scalise also pointed out that New Jersey lost 6,327 nursing home residents to the coronavirus after Gov .
Phil Murphy packed the state ’ s care facilities with coronavirus patients .
“ Compare that to Florida – a retirement state – 1,454 .
On a per-capita basis , nursing homes deaths in New York @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and New Jersey is 1,120 % higher than Florida , ” he said .
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has vetoed a bill that would have barred patients who test positive for the coronavirus from being sent to nursing homes in her state.
The Detroit News reported that Whitmer, a Democrat, refused to sign legislation Friday that would have directed patients diagnosed with the infection to facilities specifically designed to isolate them from long-term-care facilities with vulnerable residents.
The legislation, known as SB 956, was sponsored by Michigan state Republican Sen. Peter Lucido and was a challenge to Whitmer’s previous order to send coronavirus-positive patients into nursing homes.
In a statement explaining the veto, Whitmer said her state’s existing system adequately protects nursing home residents.
“SB 956 is based on the false premise that isolation units created within existing facilities are somehow insufficient to protect seniors—a claim unsupported by the data and refuted by the nation’s highest authorities on infectious disease,” Whitmer wrote.
“Instead of protecting seniors, this bill would require the state to create COVID-19-only facilities, forcing hospitals and many nursing homes to send COVID-19-positive patients to such facilities without any requirement for consent, doctor approval, or notification to the patient or their family.
“The legislation fails to explain how such facilities would be staffed or paid for, or how frail residents would be protected during the potentially traumatic transfer from one facility to another,” she also wrote.
Whitmer noted in her statement, “I look forward to continuing to work with stakeholders and legislators on the task force to develop real solutions that make sense for Michigan seniors and their families,” but the governor stated she would not sign the bill into law.
“Because this legislation fails to protect them, I am vetoing it,” she concluded.
Should governors who endanger nursing home residents be held accountable? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 99% (2688 Votes) No: 1% (15 Votes)
Lucido said he would push for a veto override to protect the state’s vulnerable seniors.
“I am very disappointed and saddened that the governor vetoed this extremely important and commonsense legislation,” he said in a statement.
“Politics should not prevail over the health and safety of our seniors and health care workers, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate and House to consider passing a veto override. We owe this to our citizens, especially the seniors and vulnerable members of our communities who cannot speak for themselves.”
Michigan is one of several states, all of which are led by Democrats, that have decided to send people hospitalized with the coronavirus into nursing homes, where many elderly residents suffer from health conditions that could make them vulnerable to complications from the coronavirus.
The other states that forced such long-term-care facilities to accept COVID patients have since reversed their decisions, The Detroit News reported.
The outlet noted that roughly 33 percent of Michigan’s reported coronavirus deaths have been linked to nursing home residents or employees.
Bridge Magazine reported that as of Wednesday, 7,582 Michigan nursing home residents had tested positive for the coronavirus, and 1,986 had died since March, when the state began loading the facilities with coronavirus-positive patients.
Michigan joined New York, New Jersey, California and Pennsylvania as states that sent COVID patients to nursing homes.
U.S. House Republicans last month demanded answers from the governors of those states over their decisions to potentially endanger the lives of their state’s most vulnerable citizens.
“The decision of several governors to ignore federal protocols and instead mandate COVID positive patients be forced back to their nursing homes ended up being a death sentence for tens of thousands of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens,” Republican Whip Steve Scalise said.
Scalise, of Louisiana, added that while nursing home residents make up only 0.6 percent of the U.S. population, they have accounted for 42 percent of nationwide COVID-19 deaths.
“The American people have decided it is time to safely reopen & get back to work so they can rebuild & reopen.” “It is time for us to stand together for justice and equality. To do this requires we protect those most vulnerable to this virus” Full remarks from @SteveScalise: pic.twitter.com/oM6pW6fUGj — Select Committee Republicans (@SelectGOP) June 11, 2020
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is perhaps the most criticized of the Democrat governors to require nursing homes to accept COVID patients.
As Scalise noted, “New York has suffered 6,318 deaths in nursing homes.”
Scalise also pointed out that New Jersey lost 6,327 nursing home residents to the coronavirus after Gov. Phil Murphy packed the state’s care facilities with coronavirus patients.
“Compare that to Florida – a retirement state – 1,454. On a per-capita basis, nursing homes deaths in New York are 500% higher than Florida, and New Jersey is 1,120% higher than Florida,” he said.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-08-01--Lone Player Kneels for Anthem as NHL Drops Puck on Playoffs

Minnesota ’ s Matt Dumba on Saturday became the first NHL player to kneel during the U.S. national anthem when he did so before the opening playoff game between the Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks in Edmonton , Alberta .
Dumba knelt at center ice while fellow black players Malcolm Subban of Chicago and Darnell Nurse of Edmonton each stood with a hand on one of his shoulders .
Several teams this week stood together during the U.S. and Canadian anthems , with some players locking arms .
With the message “ END RACISM ” on the video screens around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speech about racial injustice on behalf of the league and the Hockey Diversity Alliance .
Dumba and a handful of other black hockey players formed the organization in June in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd .
“ Racism is everywhere , and we need to fight against it , ” Dumba said .
“ We will fight against injustice and fight for what is right .
I hope this inspires a new generation of hockey players and hockey fans because black lives matter , Breonna Taylor ’ s life matters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it could be a whole lot greater , and it starts with all of us.
” “ I think everyone in the league stands with those guys , ” Colorado forward Matt Nieto said .
“ There ’ s just no room for racism in our sport or any sports or just in general for that matter.
” J.T .
Brown , who raised his right fist during the anthem prior to a game in 2017 with the Tampa Bay Lightning , said on Twitter he applauded “ this great start ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teammates shouldn ’ t let teammates fight this battle alone , ” Brown tweeted .
“ We always show up for each other on the ice , this shouldn ’ t be any different.
” “ We ’ re trying to make the game more diverse , and the diversity in the game doesn ’ t happen with racism still going on , so that ’ s an important thing for us to address , ” Avalanche center Nazem Kadri said .
RELATED : Zamboni Driver Called Up by NHL Team To Serve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ As players we have addressed that .
From a league standpoint , I think we ’ d maybe like to see a little more acknowledgement and having them address the situation and know that they stand with their players.
” Asked about Kadri ’ s comments , NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman told The Associated Press on Friday , “ We ’ re in complete agreement as to the ultimate goal.
” When the playoffs began Saturday , one banner in Toronto ’ s Scotiabank Arena read , “ # WeSkateFor Black Lives.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ received a call from Vegas forward Ryan Reaves prior to the exhibition game between the Coyotes and Golden Knights about players locking arms .
“ I ’ m all in on that stuff , ” Tocchet said .
“ I thought it was terrific .
I watched all the other teams do different things .
To show that awareness is terrific.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

Minnesota’s Matt Dumba on Saturday became the first NHL player to kneel during the U.S. national anthem when he did so before the opening playoff game between the Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks in Edmonton, Alberta.
Dumba knelt at center ice while fellow black players Malcolm Subban of Chicago and Darnell Nurse of Edmonton each stood with a hand on one of his shoulders.
Several teams this week stood together during the U.S. and Canadian anthems, with some players locking arms.
With the message “END RACISM” on the video screens around him, the Wild defenseman gave a speech about racial injustice on behalf of the league and the Hockey Diversity Alliance.
Dumba and a handful of other black hockey players formed the organization in June in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd.
“Racism is everywhere, and we need to fight against it,” Dumba said.
“We will fight against injustice and fight for what is right. I hope this inspires a new generation of hockey players and hockey fans because black lives matter, Breonna Taylor’s life matters. Hockey is a great game, but it could be a whole lot greater, and it starts with all of us.”
“I think everyone in the league stands with those guys,” Colorado forward Matt Nieto said.
“There’s just no room for racism in our sport or any sports or just in general for that matter.”
Do you support the decision to kneel during the national anthem? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 1% (4 Votes) No: 99% (684 Votes)
J.T. Brown, who raised his right fist during the anthem prior to a game in 2017 with the Tampa Bay Lightning, said on Twitter he applauded “this great start” from Dumba.
“Moving forward, teammates shouldn’t let teammates fight this battle alone,” Brown tweeted. “We always show up for each other on the ice, this shouldn’t be any different.”
I applaud this great start by Matt Dumba and the National Hockey League, moving forward teammates shouldn’t let teammates fight this battle alone! We always show up for each other on the ice, this shouldn’t be any different. — JT Brown (@JTBrown23) August 1, 2020
“We’re trying to make the game more diverse, and the diversity in the game doesn’t happen with racism still going on, so that’s an important thing for us to address,” Avalanche center Nazem Kadri said.
“As players we have addressed that. From a league standpoint, I think we’d maybe like to see a little more acknowledgement and having them address the situation and know that they stand with their players.”
Asked about Kadri’s comments, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman told The Associated Press on Friday, “We’re in complete agreement as to the ultimate goal.”
When the playoffs began Saturday, one banner in Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena read, “#WeSkateFor Black Lives.”
Arizona coach Rick Tocchet said he received a call from Vegas forward Ryan Reaves prior to the exhibition game between the Coyotes and Golden Knights about players locking arms.
“I’m all in on that stuff,” Tocchet said. “I thought it was terrific. I watched all the other teams do different things. To show that awareness is terrific.”
[jwplayer pJ1ST4Q6]
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.


westernjournal--2020-08-01--US Official: Company Working on COVID Vaccine Target of Chinese Attack

An American company that is working on a coronavirus vaccine was targeted by hackers linked to the Chinese government , according to a new report .
Reuters , quoting a U.S. security official it did not name , said the biotech company Moderna was targeted in a bid to steal data .
In its reporting , Reuters linked Moderna to a July 7 indictment released by the Department of Justice that said Chinese hackers “ conducted reconnaissance ” against the computer network of a biotech firm in Massachusetts known to be working on a novel coronavirus vaccine in January .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for China ’ s Ministry of State Security .
China has denied it hacked the company .
The indictment did not name the company ; however , Moderna is based in Cambridge , Massachusetts , and announced its COVID-19 vaccine candidate in January .
According to Reuters , “ Reconnaissance activities can include a range of actions , including probing public websites for vulnerabilities to scouting out important accounts after entering a network , cybersecurity experts say.
” Moderna told Reuters it was in contact with the FBI and was made aware of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the indictment .
“ Moderna remains highly vigilant to potential cybersecurity threats , maintaining an internal team , external support services and good working relationships with outside authorities to continuously assess threats and protect our valuable information , ” company spokesman Ray Jordan told Reuters , declining to provide further details .
According to a Justice Department news release issued last week , John C. Demers , assistant attorney general for National Security , said “ China has now taken its place , alongside Russia , Iran and North Korea , in that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a safe haven for cyber criminals in exchange for those criminals being ‘ on call ’ to work for the benefit of the state , here to feed the Chinese Communist Party ’ s insatiable hunger for American and other non-Chinese companies ’ hard-earned intellectual property , including COVID-19 research.
” FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich said , “ Today ’ s indictment demonstrates the serious consequences the Chinese MSS and its proxies will face if they continue to deploy malicious cyber tactics to either steal what they can not create or silence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cybercrimes directed by the Chinese government ’ s intelligence services not only threaten the United States but also every other country that supports fair play , international norms , and the rule of law , and it also seriously undermines China ’ s desire to become a respected leader in world affairs .
The FBI and our international partners will not stand idly by to this threat , and we are committed to holding the Chinese government accountable.
” “ The hackers operated from China both for their own gain and with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chinese government ’ s Ministry of State Security , ” said William D. Hyslop , U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington .
Last week , the United States forced China out of its Houston consulate , alleging the location became a hub for stealing secrets after Chinese researchers were caught lying to enter the country .
One commentator said the report should be no surprise .
RELATED : Dems Push Law That Would Allow More Efficient Killing of African Babies “ The targeting of pharmaceutical research is not something new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m afraid cases like this are considered fair game for cyber-spies , ” Stefan Tanase , an intelligence expert at CSIS Security Group , said , according to Newsweek .
“ What we ’ re witnessing right now is a direct result of the current global situation , where there ’ s an ongoing race to discover an efficient vaccine against COVID-19 , ” he said .
Tanase said that as vaccines move through multi-phase drug trials , hackers will pick up their pace as well .
“ This race has led multiple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operations targeting the pharmaceutical industry , ” he said .
“ We shouldn ’ t be surprised these attacks are happening .
What would be surprising is if they stopped.
” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism .
Read our editorial standards .

An American company that is working on a coronavirus vaccine was targeted by hackers linked to the Chinese government, according to a new report.
Reuters, quoting a U.S. security official it did not name, said the biotech company Moderna was targeted in a bid to steal data.
In its reporting, Reuters linked Moderna to a July 7 indictment released by the Department of Justice that said Chinese hackers “conducted reconnaissance” against the computer network of a biotech firm in Massachusetts known to be working on a novel coronavirus vaccine in January.
The indictment said the hackers were contractors for China’s Ministry of State Security.
China has denied it hacked the company.
The indictment did not name the company; however, Moderna is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and announced its COVID-19 vaccine candidate in January.
According to Reuters, “Reconnaissance activities can include a range of actions, including probing public websites for vulnerabilities to scouting out important accounts after entering a network, cybersecurity experts say.”
Moderna told Reuters it was in contact with the FBI and was made aware of the activities of the hackers cited in the indictment.
“Moderna remains highly vigilant to potential cybersecurity threats, maintaining an internal team, external support services and good working relationships with outside authorities to continuously assess threats and protect our valuable information,” company spokesman Ray Jordan told Reuters, declining to provide further details.
Is China our top enemy? Yes No
Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Yes: 97% (172 Votes) No: 3% (6 Votes)
According to a Justice Department news release issued last week, John C. Demers, assistant attorney general for National Security, said “China has now taken its place, alongside Russia, Iran and North Korea, in that shameful club of nations that now provide a safe haven for cyber criminals in exchange for those criminals being ‘on call’ to work for the benefit of the state, here to feed the Chinese Communist Party’s insatiable hunger for American and other non-Chinese companies’ hard-earned intellectual property, including COVID-19 research.”
FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich said, “Today’s indictment demonstrates the serious consequences the Chinese MSS and its proxies will face if they continue to deploy malicious cyber tactics to either steal what they cannot create or silence what they do not want to hear. Cybercrimes directed by the Chinese government’s intelligence services not only threaten the United States but also every other country that supports fair play, international norms, and the rule of law, and it also seriously undermines China’s desire to become a respected leader in world affairs. The FBI and our international partners will not stand idly by to this threat, and we are committed to holding the Chinese government accountable.”
“The hackers operated from China both for their own gain and with the assistance and for the benefit of the Chinese government’s Ministry of State Security,” said William D. Hyslop, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Last week, the United States forced China out of its Houston consulate, alleging the location became a hub for stealing secrets after Chinese researchers were caught lying to enter the country.
One commentator said the report should be no surprise.
“The targeting of pharmaceutical research is not something new for state-sponsored hackers, and I’m afraid cases like this are considered fair game for cyber-spies,” Stefan Tanase, an intelligence expert at CSIS Security Group, said, according to Newsweek. “What we’re witnessing right now is a direct result of the current global situation, where there’s an ongoing race to discover an efficient vaccine against COVID-19,” he said.
Tanase said that as vaccines move through multi-phase drug trials, hackers will pick up their pace as well.
“This race has led multiple state-sponsored hacking groups to ramp up their operations targeting the pharmaceutical industry,” he said. “We shouldn’t be surprised these attacks are happening. What would be surprising is if they stopped.”
Truth and Accuracy Submit a Correction → * Name
* Email
* Message
* All fields are required. Success! We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.