Cynthia Phillips was mesmerized when she saw the latest pictures of her favorite moon. Here at last was a fresh look at Europa, an icy satellite of Jupiter. The moon resembles a truffle drizzled haphazardly with strips of melted white chocolate, as if the universe had rushed to finish a baking-show challenge. The images gave us a new sense of Europa’s topography, its collection of ridges and troughs appearing more intricate than ever. The lighting was different this time, Phillips told me, and the shadows brought out dramatic shapes in the terrain.
The images were taken by a Jupiter-observing spacecraft as it swept past Europa last week, coming within just 222 miles (358 kilometers) of the frozen surface. Phillips, a planetary geologist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, immediately reached for the Europa globe on her desk and began comparing the real-world views with the topography stretched over the plastic orb. The last probe to come this close to Europa was disposed of in 2003, when NASA deliberately plunged it into Jupiter’s atmosphere after the mission started running low on fuel. “We haven’t seen Europa’s surface in this level of detail for 20 years,” Phillips said.
Europa might be the best place to search for life elsewhere in the solar system. Scientists are almost certain that beneath the Jovian moon’s frozen surface is a salty ocean with more water than all of Earth’s oceans combined. And such a watery subsurface environment could provide a comfortable home for small Europan life forms.
[Read: Jupiter’s frozen moon is studded with 50-foot blades of ice]
Two years from now, another NASA spacecraft will depart for the Jupiter system, specifically designed to study Europa. The probe will swing past the moon dozens of times, sometimes coasting just 16 miles (25 kilometers) above the surface. Each pass will bring scientists closer to understanding the workings of this celestial truffle and its mysterious interior. Beneath that frosty coating could be the answer to one of our biggest questions: Is there life anywhere else in the universe?
Europa is enveloped in a thick coat of water ice. (Some other moons in our solar system have ice made of methane and nitrogen—the cosmos is a weird place.) The criss-crossing lines visible in the new pictures are actually cracks and fissures in that frozen exterior. Scientists suspect that they’re caused by the stretching and squashing that Europa experiences as it orbits giant Jupiter. The moon’s terrain is sprinkled with chemical compounds such as sodium chloride and magnesium sulfate—more commonly known to Earthlings as table salt and Epsom salt—and they could indicate briny waters below.
A close-up view of Europa’s textured surface (NASA / JPL-Caltech / SWRI / MSSS
Scientists got their best evidence that a Europan ocean might exist two decades ago, when that earlier NASA spacecraft detected a magnetic connection between Europa and Jupiter that could easily be explained by the presence of a salty, global sea. This deep into the solar system, Europa’s underground ocean wouldn’t feel the warmth of the sun; it would stay liquid because of Jupiter’s gravitational tugging. In recent years, telescopes have detected signs of plumes of water vapor spewing out of the cracks and into space. Scientists believe that Europa’s ocean could be as old as the moon itself, about 4 billion years or so, which would give life plenty of time and a stable environment in which to evolve, Phillips said.
[Read: Europa’s mysterious glow]
The data suggest that Europa has a rocky mantle—the layer between the moon’s crust and core—and when rock and water come together, magical things can happen: Chemical interactions between them are known to produce hydrogen-rich materials for tiny creatures to metabolize. “On our own planet, hydrothermal systems at the seafloor provide energy for communities of microorganisms,” Samantha Trumbo, a planetary scientist at Cornell who studies icy ocean worlds like Europa, told me.
The upcoming NASA mission, named Clipper—a nod to the speedy, lightweight vessels favored by 19th-century merchants—will study nearly every bit of the Europan surface. If it gets lucky, the spacecraft could fly through some plume particles, take a sip, and analyze the contents. Alyssa Rhoden, a planetary geophysicist at the Southwest Research Institute who studies Europa, is most excited about a Clipper instrument designed to detect warmer-than-usual spots on the moon’s surface. “When you look at Europa’s surface, you can see a lot of pits where the surface seems to have dropped down a little bit, places where the surface has been disrupted,” Rhoden told me. “We think that that’s happening from heating coming from below.” That signature could simply indicate the presence of melted bits of ice near the frigid crust—or it could mean a roiling sea has floated toward the surface, perhaps bringing any tiny inhabitants with it.
[Read: Exploring the oceans of the outer solar system]
The Clipper mission is not meant to find definitive proof that life exists on Europa, only explore whether the moon has the right conditions and chemistry to make life possible. Evidence of life will require more missions, guided by Clipper’s data, that could land on the Europan surface and drill into the ice. NASA is also searching for life elsewhere in the solar system, notably on Mars, where a rover is collecting samples from a dried-up river delta. But Europa is a more tantalizing target, and so are the other ocean moons sprinkled across the solar system, such as Enceladus and Titan, which orbit Saturn, and Triton, around Neptune. The Mars mission is designed to search for signs of fossilized life that existed several billion years ago, when water once flowed on the planet. “It’s quite possible that Mars could have had life in the past, in a warmer-weather era, and it’s possible that there are subsurface pockets on Mars that could have remnants of this living biosphere,” Phillips said. “But on somewhere like Europa, life could exist there now.”
And what might humanity, by way of carefully engineered machines, find on Europa, once we’ve figured out which melty bits to inspect? “I would love for there to be Europan whales swimming around in that ocean,” Phillips said with a laugh. But alien life, if it exists, is likely to be small and simple. Energy sources are limited in the Europan depths, and scientists don’t think the environment can support the development of more complex organisms, Phillips said. Still, even the discovery of a single microbe would mark an explosive event in human history. It would mean that life had managed to spring up in two different places around the same star—in a universe absolutely brimming with stars. If it happened more than once here, in our own solar system, it’s likely happened elsewhere in the cosmos, around someone else’s sun. This is why scientists are so eager to catch a glimpse of Europa, and prepare as much as they can for the exploration to come. “We all want it to be water,” Rhoden said. “We all want it to be a cool plumbing system in the shell with lots of activity, and someday we’ll get down there and find little Europan sea urchins clinging to the bottom of the ice.”
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Bannon’s War Room | Morning Edition Hour 1 | Recorded March 16, 2021 | The Rot in the White House … Biden’s Moral Bankruptcy | Video: 48 Minutes 54 Seconds
The ballots had no creases, were identical, and looked like a machine bubbled in votes for Joe Biden, according to four sworn affidavits of election workers. Our guest is: John Fredericks.
Biden In. ISIS Back. Isis-linked Militants Beheading Children in Mozambique, Says Aid Group
Children as young as 11 are being beheaded in Mozambique as part of an Islamist insurgency that has killed thousands and forced many more from their homes, a UK-based aid group has said.
Ballot Shredding (Destruction Of Evidence) Has Already Started In Georgia
A whistleblower has provided evidence to CDMedia of illegal ballot shredding already happening in GA. This is destruction of evidence to head off any serious audit of the massive election fraud that took place on November 3rd of last year in the U.S. general election. Similar actions are happening in Maricopa County, AZ., with fires, shredding, etc.
Georgia Judge Gives VOTER GA the Right to Inspect Fulton County Election Ballots
Henry County Judge Brian Amero on Monday conditionally granted members of a Georgia-based coalition the right to unseal ballots from last November’s presidential election in Fulton County.
Members of that group, VOTER GA, may now inspect those ballots for evidence of voter fraud.
Amero’s decision “is almost unprecedented in Georgia history,” said VOTER GA spokesman Garland Favorito.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump lost Georgia’s electoral votes to current U.S. President Joe Biden.
The Georgia Star News asked Favorito if he and his hundreds of volunteers might find enough evidence of voter fraud in Fulton County to tip the Georgia election in favor of former U.S. President Donald Trump?
“That’s possible,” Favorito said.
Favorito said Fulton County officials have long resisted VOTER GA’s attempts to inspect their ballots.
“We have sworn affidavits from several poll managers who say they handled counterfeit ballots during the hand count audit because those were mail-in ballots that were not marked with a writing instrument like a mail-in ballot should be,” Favorito said.
“And they appeared to be on suspicious paper stock.”
Fulton County spokeswoman Regina Waller on Monday declined comment.
AstraZeneca Vaccine Now Safe for Seniors, NACI Says
OTTAWA—The National Advisory Committee on Immunization says there is now enough “real-world evidence” to show the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is both safe and effective for seniors. The decision reverses a recommendation made by the body on March 1, when the panel of vaccine experts said AstraZeneca hadn’t included enough people over the age of 65 in its clinical trials. NACI chair Dr. Caroline Quach said Tuesday that two studies of patients who received the vaccine in the United Kingdom have been released since then and show the AstraZeneca vaccine is both safe and effective for seniors, particularly against severe disease and hospitalization. She said that while the clinical trial data show the two mRNA vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna were more effective than AstraZeneca’s, the data on the vaccines since they began being widely used shows similar levels of effectiveness. Still, NACI says if there is a choice, the mRNA …
Dem activists target Ga-based corporations in bid to oppose GOP voting reforms; Coke, Home Depot first to cave
Left-wing activists are using threats of boycotts and other actions against Georgia-based corporations that donate to Republicans as state GOP lawmakers consider a raft of voting reforms in the wake of the chaotic and controversial 2020 elections. Some corporations appear to have already caved to Democrat-aligned activists’ demands: The Coca-Cola Corporation and Home Depot have issued statements saying the companies are “aligned” with the Georgia Chamber’s sentiments.
Trump Eyeing ‘Upgrade’ Over Georgia’s Gov. Kemp, Adviser Says
Former President Donald Trump is looking into replacing Georgia’s Republican Gov. Brian Kemp in the 2022 election, according to an adviser. Jason Miller, spokesman and adviser for the former president, said on March 10 that Trump is serious about winning gubernatorial races in 2022 in order to prevent the same election “shenanigans” that took place during and after the 2020 election. “We’ve started getting granular on the races that are coming up in 2022,” Miller said on Steve Bannon’s War Room. “We’ve discussed House members who voted for impeachment. We’ve also gone through the gubernatorial races, whether it’s an open seat where we need to hold it and get a good person, like Arizona, whether it’s a place where we have a chance for an upgrade, such as Georgia.” Trump had vowed in early January this year to campaign against Kemp in 2022 because the Republican governor was uncooperative with …
Bannon’s War Room | Morning Edition Hour 2 | Recorded March 16, 2021 | Delete Your Account … Woke Corporations Fight Election Integrity and at Facebook | Video: 48 Minutes 55 Seconds
“You got the a forensic audit that could change the whole nation, and put into question the whole legitimacy of Biden. Our guest is: Rudy Giuliani.
Bannon’s War Room | Evening Edition | Recorded March 16, 2021 | I’ll Bet You A Lot of Yuan … How Facebook and the Capitol Riot Stole the Election | Video: 49 Minutes
“It played out exactly how the opposition wanted,” he said. “Pence got cold feet, they backed off, and it was done. Our guest is: Dr. Peter Navarro.
Washington Post Blames Source for Falsified Trump Comments on Georgia Election
The Washington Post in a recent correction revealed it printed falsified quotes attributed to former President Donald Trump. In a March 11 update to a story originally published in January, the paper acknowledged its story featured quotes that weren’t actually said by Trump during a December 2020 conversation with an investigator working from Georgia Secretary […]
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Washington Post Admits to False Trump Quote
The Washington Post is walking back claims that former President Donald Trump told Georgia’s elections investigator to “find the fraud.” They admit the article falsified quotes attributed to Trump but issued no apology.
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U.S. Lawyer Steven Donziger Speaks from House Arrest in NYC After Suing Chevron for Amazon Oil Spills
Decades of reckless oil drilling by Chevron have destroyed 1,700 square miles of land in the Ecuadorian Amazon, but the company has refused to pay for the damage or clean up the land despite losing a lawsuit 10 years ago, when Ecuador’s Supreme Court ordered the oil giant to pay $18 billion on behalf of 30,000 Amazonian Indigenous people. Instead of cleaning up the damage, Chevron has spent the past decade waging an unprecedented legal battle to avoid paying for the environmental destruction, while also trying to take down the environmental lawyer Steven Donziger, who helped bring the landmark case. Donziger, who has been on house arrest for nearly 600 days, says Chevron’s legal attacks on him are meant to silence critics and stop other lawsuits against the company for environmental damage. “Chevron and its allies have used the judiciary to try to attack the very idea of corporate accountability and environmental justice work that leads to significant judgments,” Donziger says. We also speak with Paul Paz y Miño, associate director at Amazon Watch, who says the new attorney general should conduct a review of the case and the dubious grounds for Donziger’s house arrest. “The real thing that’s going on here is Chevron is attempting to literally criminalize a human rights lawyer who beat them,” Paz y Miño says.
Georgia Judge Might Unseal Fulton County Absentee Ballots for Fraud Investigation
A judge in Georgia might unseal absentee ballots in the state’s Fulton County so a government watchdog can investigate voter fraud allegations. Henry County Superior Court Judge Brian Amero said he is inclined to order the ballots unsealed and reviewed by experts hired by Garland Favorito, an advocate of voting integrity, according to a report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Amero, during a Monday court hearing, said that if the ballots are unsealed, there needs to be a plan in order to make sure they’re kept in secret and kept secure. “We want to do this in such a way that dispels rumors and disinformation and sheds light,” Amero said. “The devil’s in the details.” He made the comment after a lawsuit filed in a Fulton County Superior Court contended that fraudulent ballots were cast during the Nov. 3, 2020, election amid other alleged irregularities as workers counted votes at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena …
Italy Prosecutors Seize Batch of AstraZeneca Vaccine After Death of Man
Prosecutors in Piedmont said they had seized a batch of 393,600 shots of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine after the death of a man.
The post Italy Prosecutors Seize Batch of AstraZeneca Vaccine After Death of Man appeared first on NTD.
News Corp. agrees to three-year deal with Facebook in Australia
News Corp. on Monday said it has reached a new three-year deal with Facebook in Australia — one of the first major deals announced since that country last month passed a law effectively forcing tech titans to pay for news content they link to on their sites. The agreement calls for Facebook to pay for…
After 18 Years, Billion-Dollar Bioterror Defense System Still Can’t Detect Multiple Threats
In the latest of many issues to plague the nation’s seriously flawed system to detect biological attacks, a federal audit reveals it lacks detection equipment in more than half the country and is unable to recognize multiple biological agents that pose threats. The beleaguered system, known as BioWatch, has already received north of a billion dollars in government funding and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) keeps pouring money into it despite its well-documented failures. Here is why; the government has no back up plan to deal with a biological terrorist attack, a very realistic threat considering the meteoric rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS). That disturbing information was disclosed by a senior DHS official who confirmed after congressional investigators exposed BioWatch’s deficiencies that it is the only “biosurveillance system designed to detect the intentional release of select aerosolized biological agents.”
Myanmar: Vast arsenal and notorious troops deployed during nationwide ‘killing spree’ protest crackdown – new research
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Analysis of more than 50 videos show systematic and premeditated killings amid extensive deployment of battlefield weaponry
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Soldiers implicated in atrocity crimes against ethnic minorities now operating in Myanmar’s cities
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Evidence of extrajudicial executions and killings on orders of commanders
The Myanmar military is using increasingly lethal tactics and weapons normally seen on the battlefield against peaceful protesters and bystanders across the country, new research by Amnesty International has revealed.
By verifying more than 50 videos from the ongoing crackdown, Amnesty International’s Crisis Evidence Lab can confirm that security forces appear to be implementing planned, systematic strategies including the ramped-up use of lethal force. Many of the killings documented amount to extrajudicial executions.
Footage clearly shows that Myanmar military troops – also known as the Tatmadaw – are increasingly armed with weapons that are only appropriate for the battlefield, not for policing actions. Officers are frequently seen engaging in reckless behavior, including the indiscriminate spraying of live ammunition in urban areas.
“These Myanmar military tactics are far from new, but their killing sprees have never before been livestreamed for the world to see,” said Joanne Mariner, Director of Crisis Response at Amnesty International.
“These are not the actions of overwhelmed, individual officers making poor decisions. These are unrepentant commanders already implicated in crimes against humanity, deploying their troops and murderous methods in the open.
“For years, ethnic minorities – including the Chin, Kachin, Karen, Rakhine, Rohingya, Shan, Ta’ang and more – have borne the brunt of horrific violence meted out by the Tatmadaw. Along with other rights groups, we have called on the UN Security Council to refer the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court, and bring the Tatmadaw’s senior commanders, including Min Aung Hlaing, to justice. Instead the Security Council has done nothing, and today we see the same military units turn their fire on protesters.
“The military authorities must immediately cease their deadly onslaught, de-escalate the situation nationwide, and release all those arbitrarily detained.”
The 55 clips, filmed from 28 February to 8 March, were recorded by members of the public and local media in cities including Dawei, Mandalay, Mawlamyine, Monywa, Myeik, Myitkyina and Yangon.
According to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, the death toll from the protests as of 4 March stands at 61. This official estimate excludes additional known casualties in recent days.
Planned, premeditated and sanctioned use of lethal force
Amnesty International has verified multiple clips showing lethal force is being used in a planned, premeditated and coordinated manner.
In one video taken in Sanchaung township in Yangon on 2 March, a commander can be seen standing over an officer operating a sniper rifle. The commander appears to be giving him orders to direct fire towards specific protesters.
In a disturbing clip from 3 March in North Okkalapa township, Yangon, officers are seen leading a man towards a larger group of security forces. The man appears to be in the group’s custody and offers no visible resistance, when an officer beside him suddenly shoots him. He immediately drops to the ground and is left on the road, apparently lifeless, for several seconds before officers then walk back and drag him away.
Two people were killed and several more injured in Myitkyina, Kachin State, on 8 March. In one verified clip, a group of people can be seen running from a thick cloud of smoke as gunshots sound in the distance. Panicked voices can be heard saying, “It burns so much” and “One person has died,” amid screams of shock as a person with a serious head injury is being carried away. Several apparently injured people are then seen being dragged away, leaving significant amounts of blood on the ground.
In another verified clip dated 28 February, a member of the military in Dawei is seen apparently lending his rifle to a police officer deployed alongside him. The officer crouches, takes aim and shoots, before a group of officers standing with them celebrate.
“Not only does this incident show a reckless disregard for human life, making sport of shooting live rounds at protesters, it also reveals deliberate coordination among security forces,” said Joanne Mariner.
Extensive military arsenal deployed
On 5 March, state-run media quoted military authorities as denying any role in fatalities, claiming that “unscrupulous persons [might be] behind these cases”.
However, Amnesty International has identified security forces armed with a variety of military firearms, including Chinese RPD light machine guns, as well as local MA-S sniper rifles, MA-1 semi-automatic rifles, Uzi-replica BA-93 and BA-94 submachine guns, and other arms manufactured in Myanmar. These weapons are completely inappropriate for use in policing protests. According to international law and standards, security forces must not use firearms unless there is an imminent threat of death or serious injury, and there is a no less harmful alternative available.
“The weaponry deployed by the Tatmadaw reveals a deliberate and dangerous escalation in tactics,” said Joanne Mariner.
“Not content with indiscriminately using less-lethal weapons, each new day shows an apparent order to deploy semi-automatic rifles, sniper rifles, and light machine guns in increasing numbers. Make no mistake, we are in a deadly new phase of the crisis.”
This deployment follows the excessive use of tear gas, water cannons, South Korean Dae Kwang DK-44 flashbang grenades and other contentious ‘crowd control’ methods, as well as incidents of egregious beatings at the hands of the security forces, such as in this verified clip filmed in Mandalay on 7 March.
Photos and videos also show that police have access to traditional less-lethal arms, including “pepperball” launchers, and shotguns loaded with rubber bullets manufactured by the Turkish company Zsr Patlayici Sanayi A.S., using cartridges from Franco-Italian company Cheddite.
Reckless and indiscriminate use of lethal weapons
Amnesty International has also verified footage of security forces using lethal weapons in ways that are reckless, indiscriminate, and very likely to cause fatal injuries.
Verified footage from 1 March in Mawlamyine in Mon State shows security forces riding pick-up trucks while apparently indiscriminately firing live ammunition in multiple directions, including into people’s homes.
In a clip from Yangon’s Hledan township published on 28 February, the man recording the footage is peering over a balcony and describing the scene below, where armed forces personnel appear to be shooting teargas and ammunition directly at people in the street. Huddled with others on the balcony he continues to record the scene, when a group of officers at street level seem to spot him filming. A single shot can be heard before people on the balcony say “[someone has been] hit! Get inside [the apartment]!”. A woman on the balcony can then be seen lying with a head injury.
“As the death toll surges, the UN Security Council and the international community must move beyond words of concern and immediately act to halt violations and hold perpetrators accountable,” said Joanne Mariner.
Notorious military divisions deployed
Further analysis of photos and videos show that the military units involved in this lethal repression include the Yangon Command, Northwestern Command, and the 33rd, 77th and 101st Light Infantry Divisions (LID), often operating alongside – and sometimes lending their weapons to – police officers.
According to footage examined by Amnesty International, the 33rd LID is currently deployed in Mandalay, the 77th in Yangon, and the 101st in Monywa. All three cities have seen extreme instances of excessive force, including killings, by security forces in recent days.
Some of these military divisions are notorious for atrocities and serious human rights violations committed in Rakhine, Kachin, and northern Shan States. Amnesty International has implicated soldiers from the 33rd LID in war crimes in northern Shan State in 2016 and 2017, and in crimes against humanity against the Rohingya in Rakhine State in 2017.
Judicial Watch: Federal Court Slams Potentially Illicit Sales of Body Parts of Aborted Fetuses – Orders Release of Additional Information on Organ Purchases
(Washington, DC) Judicial Watch announced today that a federal court ordered the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) to release of additional information about its purchases of organs harvested from aborted human fetuses. The Court also found “there is reason to question” whether the transactions violate federal law barring the sale of fetal organs. Documents previously uncovered in this lawsuit show that the federal government demanded the purchased fetal organs be “fresh and never frozen.”
Both the FDA and NIH purchased the organs from California-based Advanced Biosciences Resources (“ABR”) to create “humanized mice” for use in HIV research. ABR partners with Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers to dismember fetuses and sell their parts for research. The decision notes that ABR:
sold second-trimester livers and thymi for hundreds of dollars apiece. The same for brains, eyes, and lungs. After tacking on fees for services like shipping and cleaning, ABR could collect over $2,000 on a single fetus it purchased from Planned Parenthood for $60. The federal government participated in this potentially illicit trade for years.
The court raised concern about whether these transactions are legal:
Happily for the Government (and ABR), this means that the Court need not reach Judicial Watch’s argument that the Government cannot withhold the information at issue because ABR engaged in criminal conduct. Recall that it is illegal to transfer “any human fetal tissue for valuable consideration. 42 U.S.C. § 289g-2(a). Judicial Watch contends that the invoices disclosed here show that the Government paid “valuable consideration” to ABR and so the Government cannot keep the withheld information confidential.
The court found it “dubious” that a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) exception invoked by the government could be used to “shield illegal business practices under the guise of ‘confidential business information’” and declared that “[t]here is reason to question the lawfulness of the transaction between the Government and ABR.”
In ruling in Judicial Watch’s favor, U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden ordered HHS to disclose:
- Any currently withheld names and addresses of ABR’s contract laboratories
- Any redacted unit pricing information for fetal tissue, shipping, or other fees and services relating to the 2013-2015 years that can found in the fee schedules appended to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee report entitled “Human Fetal Tissue Research: Context and Controversy”
- Any redacted per-specimen pricing information for the second-trimester fetal tissue relative to the 2016-2018 years
Judicial Watch initially filed this lawsuit in March 2019 after HHS failed to respond adequately to a September 2018 FOIA request (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department Health and Human Services (No. 1:19-cv-00876)). Judicial Watch asked for:
- All contracts and related documentation between FDA and ABR for the provision of human fetal tissue to be used in humanized mice research.
- All records reflecting the disbursement of funds to ABR for the provision of human fetal tissue to be used in humanized mice research.
- All guidelines and procedural documents provided to ABR by FDA relating to the acquisition and extraction of human fetal tissue for its provision to the FDA for humanized mice research.
- All communications between FDA officials and employees and representatives of ABR related to the provision by ABR to the FDA of human fetal tissue for the purpose of humanized mice research.
“This court victory will shed additional light on the federal government’s barbaric practice of purchasing organs of aborted human beings,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. “The American people deserve to know how their tax dollars are being spent on this grotesque and potentially illegal activity.”
In June 2020, Judicial Watch uncovered records from the FDA showing that, between 2012 and 2018, the FDA entered into eight contracts worth $96,370 with ABR to acquire “fresh and never frozen” tissue from first and second trimester aborted fetuses for use in creating “humanized mice” for ongoing research.
In February 2020, Judicial Watch uncovered records from NIH showing that the agency paid thousands of dollars to ABR to purchase organs from aborted human fetuses to create “humanized mice” for HIV research.
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China in Focus (March 15): Biden White House Officials Recognize Lab Leak Theory
Biden administration officials appear to recognize a theory about the origin of the pandemic. The theory comes from a Trump-era fact sheet, which says the virus accidentally leaked from a Wuhan virology lab. The United States is kick-starting talks with China. Officials from both sides are set to meet this week, but China’s history leads some to question the outcome. A U.S. judge pauses a ban on Chinese phone maker Xiaomi. The company was originally blocked from American investment to stop U.S. funding from going toward Chinese military development. Beijing endures its worst sandstorm in decades. Air quality across parts of northern China is deteriorating, reaching over 150 times higher than international standards call safe. A car parade in Atlanta, Georgia, raises awareness about the Chinese Communist Party’s human rights abuse, encouraging the world to “end the CCP.”
NY Legislature Proposes Nearly $7 Billion in New Taxes on Businesses, Wealthy
The New York Legislature has proposed nearly $7 billion in new and increased taxes on businesses and the wealthiest state residents. The tax proposals were announced as more than $100 billion is being doled out to New York in federal aid as part of the COVID-19 stimulus bill that was passed and signed into law by […]
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150 Spring Breakers Arrested in Miami Beach
It’s spring break now. In Miami, this means a lot more visitors in the city, but things got a little chaotic this past weekend.
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Investigation Against Gov. Cuomo Intensifies As Accuser Submits To Lengthy 4-Hour Interview
The Governor was preoccupied with his hand size.
March 15, 2021 | Nightly News Rebroadcast | Video: 55 Minutes 03 Seconds
President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and the First Lady make tour stops around the country to praise the newest rescue plan, Republican lawmakers visit a Texas facility for children held at the border after crossing illegally, and Texas begins drafting new laws to protect against election fraud and restore voter confidence.
Bannon’s War Room | Morning Edition Hour 1 | Recorded March 15, 2021 | God’s Timing … Mike Lindell on His Political Future, Fake News, and Fraud | Video: 48 Minutes 50 Seconds
“It was very sad. Of all the pieces this year that bothered me the most. The New York Times and the Washington Post writes better stuff.” Our guest is: Cpt. Maureen Bannon, Mike J. Lindell.
Duke University Imposes Stay-In-Place Order for Undergraduates, Cites Party-Linked COVID-19 Surge
Duke University on Saturday imposed a week long stay-at-home order for all of its undergraduate students, citing a surge in CCP virus cases on campus that it says is caused by students who attended recruitment parties. Just days after the state reopened schools, three leaders of the Durham, North Carolina-based university issued a letter to students outlining the order that requires undergraduates to “stay-in-place” until at least 9 a.m. on March 21. The letter warns that students who are “flagrant or repeat violators” may be punished with suspension or dismissal from the university. The letter notes that in the space of seven days, more than 180 students tested positive for the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus and a further 200 students were in quarantine because they may have been exposed to an infected person. “This is by far the largest one-week number of positive tests and quarantines since the start …
BLM activist Tamika Mallory calls out Joe Biden and ‘demands justice’ during Grammys
Mallory, who also co-founded the Women’s March, appeared on stage with rapper Lil Baby during his performance of The Bigger Picture on Sunday night.
Las Vegas swarmed with crowds as casinos reopen at 50 percent capacity
Thousands of revelers are already trying their luck against social distancing by packing the Las Vegas Strip as capacity restrictions begin to ease — with photos showing crowds packed shoulder-to-shoulder in the gambling hotspot. Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak signed a “Roadmap to Recovery” ruling Friday that allows casinos to increase capacity from 35 percent to…
Fauci Fears Another COVID-19 Surge, Says Trump Should Tell Supporters to Get Vaccinated
The United States could see another surge in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths if public health measures are pulled back prematurely, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Sunday, while also calling for former President Donald Trump to encourage his supporters to get a vaccine against the virus that causes the disease. The country has seen a major decrease in cases and other metrics in the last several months but the number of daily cases has plateaued around 60,000 a day. “We’re very pleased by the sharp decline that you’ve shown,” said Fauci, the longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a top adviser to President Joe Biden. “But when you see a plateauing at a level of anywhere between 50 and 65,000 cases a day, that is absolutely no time to declare victory because we know from previous surges that we’ve had over the year that when you …
National Guard identifies solider who died off duty while deployed at U.S. Capitol
Police are investigating the death but do not suspect foul play.
Fauci documentary marks AP foray into film
A documentary co-produced by AP examining the career of Dr. Anthony Fauci will air on up to 200 PBS stations across the U.S.
Doctors Are Investigated After Posting Organ Photos Online as ‘Price Is Right’ Game
The medical residents, who are employed by Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids, Mich., asked people on Instagram to guess how much a surgically removed organ weighed.
Woman fatally shot by cop in traffic stop-turned-shootout in Tennessee
A Tennessee woman was killed and a cop was rushed into surgery following a shootout in a parking lot, graphic video shows.
NEW George Floyd Riots: What the Media ISN’T Telling You! (SHOW NOTES)
As we get closer to Derek Chauvin’s trial, there are more riots on George Floyd’s behalf. We’ll tell you what the mainstream media is afraid to. We also cover Joe Biden’s train wreck of a prime-time address. And what’s with the Left’s sudden concern over cancel culture?
NEW George Floyd Riots: What the Media ISN’T Telling You | Bryan Callen Guests | Louder with Crowder
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THE LEFT WANT TO BE LESS LEFTIST
- Last week, Sarah Silverman said she’s tired of Democrats and cancel culture. SOURCE: Instagram
- Sarah has always supported the Democratic Party, language policing, and cancel culture. SOURCES: I Love You America, Sarah Silverman Podcast, TMZ
- Andrew Cuomo now says he’s not a fan of Democrat cancel culture either. SOURCE: NBC News
- Bill Maher says he wants us to care more about China and less about canceling things. SOURCE: Real Time with Bill Maher
- If only we had a president who was tough on China and didn’t care about being politically correct.
- The support/enabling of China has always come from the left. Both in the form of culture (supporting “hate speech” laws) and economic policy. SOURCES: Reuters, NBC, Newsweek, CNN, APNews
- TPP.
- NATO doesn’t see China as a threat.
- Biden saying he’ll end Trump’s tariffs.
- Disney bowing to China.
- The WHO covered for China’s role in the COVID pandemic, and the left criticized Trump’s decision to leave it.
- The NBA’s billion-dollar relationship with China.
- When asked about Taiwan, WHO’s Dr. Aylward first pretended not hearing then awkwardly cut the line. SOURCE: YouTube
17 DEMOCRATS VOTE AGAINST REPORTING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO ICE
- On Thursday, 17 Democrats voted against Republican Representative Ben Cline’s motion to recommit bill HR-8. SOURCE: C-SPAN
- The 17 Democrats had all previously voted for the same motion back in 2018. SOURCE: RepLeader.Gov
GEORGE FLOYD & MORE RIOTS
- George Floyd’s toxicology report revealed fatal levels of fentanyl in his system that caused his lungs to fill with fluid. Over the weekend, the city of Minneapolis paid George Floyd’s family $27M in a wrongful death settlement. SOURCES: CBS, AmericanSpectator
- As George Floyd’s family got $27M and Derek Chauvin is on trial for manslaughter, second, AND third-degree murder, riots are still going on!
- MINNESOTA: On Friday night, there was a drive-by shooting in the George Floyd Autonomous Zone, and the protestors attempted to keep police out. SOURCE: Twitter
- L.A. & SEATTLE: On Saturday night, Antifa rioted and smashed businesses in Los Angeles and Seattle in the name of Breonna Taylor. SOURCES: Twitter Twitter
- KENTUCKY: In Louisville, protestors intimidated young girls going to a cheerleading competition. SOURCE: WDRB
- PORTLAND: On Friday, hours after the barricade erected in July had been taken down, Antifa set the federal courthouse on fire while people were inside. SOURCE: Twitter
- L.A.: Molotov cocktails were thrown at buildings during a riot. SOURCE: Twitter
- But the media is still talking about the January 6th Capitol Riot. SOURCES: CBS Associated Press, CNN
- The Capitol riot lasted for three hours and resulted in $30M in property damage. SOURCE: NPR
- Tragically, 5 lives were lost, though it’s unclear how many of those were actually because of the riot.
- The inauguration deployment was twice as large as the troop levels in Afghanistan and Iraq COMBINED. SOURCE: MilitaryTimes
- Compare this to at least $2B in property damage, at least 19 lives lost, and over 900 officer casualties during the BLM riots over the summer. SOURCES: Insurance Information Institute, Forbes, LwC
- Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler just requested $2M to fund “proactive policing” to combat the huge rise in gun violence. SOURCE: OregonLive
- The media isn’t calling for a 9/11-style investigation into those rioters.
- Black Lives Matter was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.
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Elon Musk Gets New Title of ‘Technoking of Tesla’
The chief executive will retain his role while changing his title at the electric vehicle maker.
Watchdog group says three House Democrats broke ethics rules by linking member, campaign sites
“This is a straightforward violation,” said Kendra Arnold, executive director of the conservative leaning group.
MyPillow CEO Says New App Will Be ‘Safe Place’ for Those Canceled by YouTube, Twitter
MyPillow founder and CEO Mike Lindell said Sunday that the social media platform he’s launching in the coming weeks will be a “safe place” for those who have been “canceled” by big tech platforms such as YouTube and Twitter. “You won’t have to walk on eggshells anymore,” said Lindell, whose personal and MyPillow accounts were suspended by Twitter last month, noting that the release of his platform, Vocal, is scheduled within the next fortnight. “It’s YouTube and Twitter kind of combined. There’s nothing like it out there…journalists can actually go out and invite guests on and speak the truth,” Lindell told NTD’s “Focus Talk” host Jenny Chang. “I’m really looking forward to it and it’s been four years in the making and it is absolutely amazing, there’s technology out there that nobody else has.” Lindell’s site would compete with the likes of Parler and Gab, which have attracted conservatives and …
Danish Woman Who Died From Blood Clot After AstraZeneca Shot Had ‘Unusual Symptoms’, Agency Says
COPENHAGEN—A 60-year-old Danish woman who died of a blood clot after receiving AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine had “highly unusual” symptoms, according to the Danish Medicines Agency. The woman had a low number of blood platelets and clots in small and large vessels, as well as bleeding, it said. A few similar cases were found in Norway […]
The post Danish Woman Who Died From Blood Clot After AstraZeneca Shot Had ‘Unusual Symptoms’, Agency Says appeared first on NTD.
Opportunity Beckons in the Mideast
The Biden administration called Iran’s bluff early. It should continue to play the strong hand it was dealt.
Bannon’s War Room | Morning Edition Hour 2 | Recorded March 15, 2021 | The Ides of March … Populism Then and Now | Video: 48 Minutes 48 Seconds
Our guests are: Cpt. Maureen Bannon, Boris Epshteyn, Alexandra Preate.
Judicial Watch to Facebook: End Censorship of Trump
From Tom Fitton’s article for Breitbart:
We asked Facebook’s Oversight Board to end the censorship of former President Trump and allow him back onto the platform. We told its “Oversight Board” that the decision to suspend Trump is an affront to free speech and transparency. The Oversight Board is empowered by Facebook to review and overturn Facebook’s censorship decisions.
Facebook and Big Tech censorship of former President Trump is an attack on the free speech of every American. Simply put: Big Tech must stop censoring conservatives in their effort to help Joe Biden.
(The censorship isn’t just about Trump. I’ve been locked out of Twitter for six weeks over a tweet previously found not to be in violation of Twitter’s rules.)
Dear Board Members:
Judicial Watch is a non-profit, non-partisan educational foundation, promoting transparency, accountability and integrity in government and fidelity to the rule of the law. It is fair to say that Judicial Watch is the largest government transparency organization in the United States.
The Oversight Board should quickly reverse Facebook’s panicked decision to suspend then-President Trump from its platform. The decision is an affront to the First Amendment protections of free speech, peaceable assembly, and the right to petition the government.
Read More Here.
The post Judicial Watch to Facebook: End Censorship of Trump appeared first on Judicial Watch.