Category: pandemic

First Senate Hearing on Gain of Function Research Since Start of Pandemic

Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) are leading the first congressional hearing on gain-of-function research as part of his ongoing efforts to investigate the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. The hearing is scheduled at 2:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 3. Access the livestream on this page. The hearing comes amid intensifying Republican scrutiny…


LIVE 2:30 PM ET: First Senate Hearing on Gain of Function Research Since Start of Pandemic

Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) are leading the first congressional hearing on gain-of-function research as part of his ongoing efforts to investigate the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. The hearing is scheduled at 2:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 3. Access the livestream on this page. The hearing comes amid intensifying Republican scrutiny…


‘A Wake-Up Call’: Online Crimes See Stark Increase During COVID-19 Pandemic

New statistics show that police-reported extortion cases in Canada rose by nearly 300 percent in the last decade, as the crime swelled online during the COVID-19 pandemic. “These concerning increases are being facilitated by social media platforms and other electronic services providers,” said Lianna McDonald, the executive director of the Canadian Centre for Child Protection,…


‘They Are Right on Our Predicted Schedule’: Retired US Generals Issue Warning About New Pandemic Declaration

Two retired U.S. generals, MG Paul Vallely, U.S. Army, and Thomas McInerney, USAF, raised concerns over the World Health Organization’s recent declaration of monkeypox as a global health emergency, alleging potential ulterior motives. “Each of us should not be alarmed by this alert as the credibility of WHO is in great question based on their actions and notices…


Chinese Hospital Delays Salaries Five Months: Medical Staff

How bad are the local governments’ finances in China? A piece of recent Chinese news gives a clue. A hospital in a northeastern coastal city has not paid its employees since March, according to a video report from state-run Chinese media The Paper. While the COVID pandemic was blamed, the hospital administrators admitted that the…


Guard Describes How Chinese Prisons Operate During Pandemic

Although China has been plagued by shutdowns and lockdowns over the past two years, many Chinese prisons have been operating business-as-usual, a prison guard has said. The guard—Wang Liang (alias)—told The Epoch Times on July 16 how this is possible. “We follow a 14-14-14 schedule,” said Wang, who works at a prison in a small…


Why California Is Stuck in COVID Emergency; What’s the Problem? | Marc Joffe

California has been under a state of emergency for over 800 days, with no end in sight. While the state of emergency may have been necessary during the pandemic, it has led to thousands of no-bid contracts—bypassing the standard formal process of evaluation and bidding of contractors. We sit down with Marc Joffe, senior policy…


Capitol Report (July 19): CCP Purchasing US Agriculture ‘Alarming’; Bannon Trial Begins

As inflation rages on, senators are advancing a bill hoping to lower costs on things like cars, computers, and more. They say it’s aimed at reducing our dependence on China and Taiwan for semiconductor chips. China has its eyes set on U.S. agricultural land. Although the amount they have been acquiring might not appear to…


Pandemic Has Affected Australians Eye Health as Lock Downs Increase Screen Time

Most Australians have at least one problem with their eyes, with almost one in three admitting too much screen time during the pandemic affected their vision. While lockdowns across the country slowed the spread of COVID, it more than doubled the amount of time Australians spent with their eyes glued to the small screen. The…


South Australia Joins Push for Ongoing Pandemic Payments

South Australia has joined eastern seaboard state leaders in calling on the federal government to reinstate pandemic leave payments, which ended on June 30. This comes as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended his decision not to extend the pandemic leave payment, citing the trillion dollar debt his government inherited from the Morrison government. “We’ll give…