Aide To Calif. Pol Arrested, Accused Of Conspiring With Chinese Spy To Infiltrate US Politics

 by Eva Fu via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

The FBI on Dec. 19 arrested a close associate of a local California politician, accusing him of scheming together with a recently sentenced Chinese spy to amplify China’s influence in the U.S. political circle.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) in Washington on Aug. 12, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Sun Yaoning, also known as Mike Sun, was the campaign manager and close personal confidante to a Southern California city council member that the Chinese authorities supported, according to a newly unsealed complaint.

The 64-year-old has worked closely with Chen Jun, or John Chen, who a New York judge sentenced to 20 months in November for bribing the IRS against Falun Gong, a faith group that the Chinese regime has spent 25 years trying to suppress in China and globally, the document shows.

In conversations with Chinese officials following the politician’s election in November 2022, Chen referred to Sun and the California politician as part of a “basic team dedicated for us,” according to the filing.

“Mr. Sun has been my helping hand in the Chinese community since 1997,” Chen was quoted as telling one Chinese official in January 2023.

The politician, whose name authorities redacted from the complaint, was one of the local U.S. politicians Chen assessed Beijing could influence on issues such as Taiwan, according to the prosecutors.

Sun and the council member co-run a media outlet called U.S. News Center, the complaint noted. In a report Sun allegedly drafted with Chen, they described the politician as a “new political star.”

Campaign finance records suggest that in 2022, Sun was the campaign treasurer for Eileen Wang, a Democrat councilwoman for the Los Angeles-area city of Arcadia. The two also held leadership positions in the American Southwest Chamber of Commerce, a nonprofit headquartered in Los Angeles. Wang founded the nonprofit in 2018, according to Chinese language reports. A Chinese consulate official said at its founding ceremony that he hoped Wang could lead the group to promote U.S.–China communications and cross-strait reunification—a reference to Beijing’s ambition to annex democratically-ruled Taiwan.

Wang didn’t respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times.

Sun had previously served in the Chinese military, the FBI agent said in the complaint. Public records show that he is the vice director of the American Chinese Culture Association, one of several U.S.-based pro-Beijing groups where he holds titles. Sun is also the CEO of a U.S.-based media group called N&N Media Group, and has for years organized large-scale events to promote Beijing’s narratives and celebrate key Party anniversaries, according to Chinese media reports.

U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Martin Estrada said Sun’s alleged conduct was “deeply concerning.”

“We cannot permit hostile foreign powers to meddle in the governance of our country,” he said.

Akil Davis, assistant director for the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, said the case highlights the breadth of the Chinese regime’s “relentless intelligence and malign influence activities targeting the United States.” He said that the FBI will “continue to use all the tools at its disposal” to identify the Chinese intelligence operations, disrupt Chinese information laundering networks, and “bring to justice those who seek to engage in criminal conspiracies to undermine the integrity of our elected officials.”

Sun appeared at a downtown Los Angeles courthouse for a hearing on Friday. He faces up to 15 years in prison for the charges.

Sun’s attorney declined to answer questions from The Epoch Times upon walking out of the courtroom.

The Edward R. Roybal Federal Building in Los Angeles on June 1, 2023. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

A ‘Basic Team Dedicated for Us’

The pro-Beijing California politician Sun helped to reelect maintains a close relationship with Chen, conversations cited in the court suggest.

On Nov. 9, 2022, the election day in California, the individual contacted Chen, writing: “Old Sun is contacting you. Please call him back. He is with me.”

“Got it, congratulations,” Chen replied from China, adding that they would talk in person in six days.

The two had held two phone calls for around half an hour and one hour each during the weeks following. In January 2023, the politician wrote a thank you letter to Chen, thanking him for attending her Chinese New Year event.

“You are doing a good job, I hope you can continue the good work, make Chinese people proud,” Chen said in reply.

Chen also tasked Sun to brief Chinese officials regarding the politician’s election outcome in late November 2022, saying “the related department is paying a lot of attention to it,” according to the court filing.

A biography Sun allegedly wrote describing the politician stated she was born in the late 1970s in China’s Chengdu City, capital of the southwestern province of Sichuan.

Three Chinese officials reacted positively to her election victory when separately alerted by Chen, sending a salute emoji, smiley faces, and thumbs up in response.

Days after that, on Dec. 8, 2022, they formed the “U.S.-China Friendship Promotion Association,” with Sun as the vice president and the politician, who they described as a “Chinese elected official,” as a member, the filing shows.

A Chinese official who heads a municipal government office in Tianjin, a northeastern Chinese megacity and Chen’s hometown, congratulated Chen for the work.

“This is the basic team dedicated for us,” Chen wrote, to which the official wrote: “Understood, can’t wait.”

‘Struggles’ Against the Regime’s Targets

In pre-trial detention, Chen, a U.S. citizen, reportedly told his cellmate that he was a Chinese spy working for the 610 Office, the Chinese extralegal agency established expressly to persecute Falun Gong, according to the complaint. The document said Chen described the agency as “a ‘spy agency’ that was 100 times better than the FBI.” Chen seemed astonished that he was caught, the FBI agent said, professing disbelief that the 610 Office “didn’t do a better job watching him.” He also allegedly said the 610 Office paid him $250,000 to move to the United States decades ago and has since paid him $52,000 per month.

A major topic among Sun and Chen’s conversations cited in the court file was about how to promote Beijing’s agenda in the United States and then report their work to their handlers in China.

Ahead of a planned trip to China in January 2023, Chen hurried Sun to write a report about the politician’s election win, saying he would present it to the “United Front,” the overseas Chinese influence network.

Chen allegedly instructed Sun to highlight the “current strategy” with Falun Gong, their “past experience with struggles” against the regime’s targets, and of “you and me cultivating and assisting [the politician]’s success.”

In a draft that Sun shared with Chen on Feb. 1, 2023, Sun took credit for leading U.S. dignitaries and cultural workers to China “on many occasions” to further promote U.S.–China ties, prosecutors alleged. Sun, according to the court filing, further cast himself as one who “persist[s] in resisting any hostile forces that undermine the friendship of U.S.-China relations, and Chinese secessionist forces.”

Sun wrote “most proudly of all” of how he orchestrated a team to “win the election for city council member candidate,” the court document stated.

Prosecutors alleged Chen asked Sun to add context about their “past struggle fighting Taiwanese independence forces” and Falun Gong in a California city. They also allegedly discussed how to protest a Congress member’s proposed visit to Taiwan.

The two in February 2023 took issue with the presence of Taiwan flags and Falun Gong practitioners in major U.S. parades, according to the complaint. To counter it, they allegedly proposed to Chinese officials a project: they would mobilize the “Los Angeles organization’s professional core team” to organize a float with a 100-person drum band. The budget was $80,000, the complaint said.

On April 4, 2023, weeks before Chen’s arrest over the IRS bribery scheme against Falun Gong, Chen asked Sun whether Falun Gong practitioners “have locations” in a California city and activities there, according to the file.

“Can you create some obstacles for them? If you can eliminate one or several locations, or create some obstacles, there will be rewards.”

He allegedly asked Sun about three weeks later to arrange a meeting with the Chinese consul general in Los Angeles, telling him “there is a major project to report.”

“National level,” Chen added, sharing an article titled “How the U.S. Neighbors of Falungong See Them” that disparages the belief.

“Actual operation is strictly classified,” he said, according to the court document. “You will get credit for it.”

It’s unclear whether Chen was referring to the IRS bribery plot. According to the complaint, Chen intended to report to Chinese authorities by May 20. That would be six days after his meeting with a purported IRS official in order to open a probe against Shen Yun Performing Arts, a New York classical Chinese dance and music company founded by Falun Gong practitioners that showcases “China before communism,” as well as segments showing the abuses happening to the faith group in China. Authorities said the complaint he submitted was facially deficient; Chen had promised the IRS official to pay $50,000 in total for the IRS to open the case.

Sun and the city council member later joined on a China trip and returned together in September 2023 from Shanghai to Los Angeles, the FBI agent said. According to the complaint, Chen took part in the trip planning, which initially involved six Chinese cities and a meeting with a Chinese leader likely part of the Chinese intelligence apparatus.

Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, denied knowledge of the matter when asked about Sun’s arrest during a regular press conference on Dec. 20. He said that Beijing “never meddles in other countries’ internal affairs.”

Alice Sun, a local Falun Gong group coordinator, commended the Justice Department for its diligence in countering the Chinese regime’s transnational repression against Falun Gong.

“We are aware that the CCP is intensifying its efforts to target Falun Gong through its spies in the U.S., as well as through YouTubers and even U.S. media outlets. Our government must take stronger measures to curb the CCP’s reach and influence,” she told The Epoch Times.

The Epoch Times recently reported on a 2022 secret meeting where Chinese communist leader Xi Jinping tasked officials to attack Falun Gong via disinformation on social media and media outlets, as well as by subverting legal systems in democratic societies.

Leaked notes from several recent Chinese officials’ meetings indicate they have been following through, including by providing materials to social media influencers to frame Falun Gong—and Shen Yun—in a negative light. The last of the meetings took place after the election.

U.S. authorities’ actions, Sun said, “send a powerful message to the CCP’s agents operating within the United States.” She urged elected officials in the United States to “take a firm stand and publicly condemn the CCP’s efforts to infiltrate and undermine our society.”

Linda Jiang contributed to this report.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/aide-california-politician-arrested-accused-conspiring-chinese-spy-infiltrate-us-politics

'Molecule may help slow aging while on a restricted diet'

 A multi-institutional team from China and the U.S. has identified a molecule that may play a role in slowing the aging process in some animals consuming a restricted diet. The team has published two papers on their work in the journal Nature.

David Sinclair with Harvard Medical School has published a News & Views piece in the same journal issue giving a short history of the search for factors involved in health promotion associated with restricted diets and the work by the team on this new effort.

Prior research has shown that adhering to a low-calorie diet can promote health. Other research has also suggested restricted feeding can extend the lifespan of some animals, such as fruit flies and nematodes. Testing for such an effect in humans has proven to be too difficult, however, due to the long average human lifespan, leading medical researchers to look elsewhere for evidence.

One such avenue of research has been the study of molecules in the gut. For this new study, the team focused their efforts on lithocholic acid (LCA), a bile acid created by bacteria in the gut.

Prior research had suggested that LCA was a toxin, but more recently, researchers have found that in low doses, it can provide health benefits. Mice given LCA in low doses, for example, were found to produce more of a protein called AMPK, which has been linked to slowing muscle atrophy.

The work involved tracking changing levels of metabolites in the mouse gut when the mouse is put on a restricted diet. The researchers found hundreds of them. They then fed mouse cells the metabolites and found that LCA was a main driver of activation. That, the researchers suggest, hints at the possibility that LCA is the acid behind some of the health benefits seen by mice on restricted diets—but not their lifespan. They found no evidence of that in their testing.

That led them to conduct a second study to learn more about how LCA activates AMPK. They found that activation was dependent on signaling from certain members of the enzyme family called sirtuins. But that was as far as they got. The team plans to continue their research, hoping to pin down the benefits of LCA to humans, if there are any, or to find other metabolites that might be involved.

More information: Qi Qu et al, Lithocholic acid binds TULP3 to activate sirtuins and AMPK to slow down ageing, Nature (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08348-2

Qi Qu et al, Lithocholic acid phenocopies anti-ageing effects of calorie restriction, Nature (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08329-5

David A. Sinclair, A bile acid could explain how calorie restriction slows ageing, Nature (2024). DOI: 10.1038/d41586-024-04062-1

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-12-reveals-molecule-aging-restricted-diet.html

Experimental drug summons 'immune system warriors,' early promise v. non-Hodgkin lymphoma

 An investigational therapy is demonstrating preclinical promise against non-Hodgkin lymphoma by boosting natural killer cells and efficiently annihilating the malignancy without toxicity to the patient, a team of cancer biologists in France has found.

The emerging therapy is for B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the most common form of lymphoma worldwide. Current therapies target the CD20+ protein on the surface of cancerous B cells but with limited efficacy. A newly developed antibody-based molecule targets B-non-Hodgkin lymphoma by engaging natural killer cells, warriors of the immune system. The experimental therapeutic is expected to help patients whose disease rebounds and is difficult to treat.

"Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is the most frequent hematological malignancy in humans, comprising nearly 3% of all cancer diagnoses and oncology-related mortalities," writes Dr. Olivier Demaria, lead author of the research published in Science Immunology.

"The therapeutic landscape for relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma has recently undergone a major transformation with the advent of CD19-targeted autologous CAR-T cell therapies," continued Demaria, a cancer immunologist at Innate Pharma Research Laboratories in Marseille, France.

"However, these therapies come with notable challenges. The production of autologous CAR-T therapies is intricate, involving sophisticated manufacturing processes and logistical complexities."

Demaria and colleagues are testing a molecule that they call a tetra-specific natural killer cell engager, which for now goes by its investigational name, IPH6501. The team at Innate Pharma Research Laboratories is currently evaluating tests of IPH6501 in relapsed non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients. But much of the work to prove that the molecule is a potent force against the cancer has been conducted in cell lines and animal models.

The molecule itself has four components, including three that activate natural killer cells. An additional anti-CD20 antibody fragment directly targets the cancer. By design, the molecule possesses an interleukin-2 variant that triggers natural killer cell proliferation without activating regulatory T cells.

Activation of regulatory T cells is a common occurrence in T cell-engager treatments, which can lead to therapy resistance. The researchers also produced a variant of the molecule, called CD20-NKCE-IL2v, with a key change in one domain to enable testing in mouse models.

The team has tested this tetra-specific molecule in the laboratory in mice and non-human primates, as well as in human cell lines of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Scientists have confirmed that natural killer cell activation is effective. The molecule so far appears to have powerful potential as a B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma therapeutic, Demaria and colleagues say.

"Natural killer cells offer a promising alternative to T cell therapies in cancer," added Demaria, noting that further tests of IPH6501 are planned. Among the intriguing features of the molecule that have emerged so far is IPH6501's capacity to induce natural killer cell homing at the tumor site.

The French research arrives as medical scientists are deeply involved in a worldwide race to develop better treatments for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. There are more than 60 different subtypes of disease, which are classified based on the type of lymphocyte that the cancer affects—B cells or T cells. B cell lymphomas rank as the most common globally.

To make a diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a pathologist studies patients' cells under a microscope, taking note of their appearance and other critical features, such as how fast the cancer is growing. In the United States, non-Hodgkin lymphoma is the sixth most common cancer in both men and women.

While current treatments are effective, aggressive and recurrent forms of the disease can elude even the best therapies. Teams of researchers in Europe and the United States are particularly focused on developing targeted therapies and immunotherapies, to expand the treatment armamentarium for patients. IPH6501 is an experimental immunotherapy that harnesses the power of natural killer cells.

"Natural killer cells are innate lymphoid cells that have the inherent capability to identify and destroy malignant cells with their effectiveness being particularly notable in hematologic malignancies," Demaria added. "Elevated natural killer numbers have been correlated with improved responses."

In the laboratory, treating animal models with IP6501 produced higher efficacy and lower toxicity than existing B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma therapies. The French team found that IPH6501 produced encouraging results in mouse models and non-human primates.

Novel non-Hodgkin lymphoma treatments, such as T cell engagers which are also antibody-based molecules, have shown clinical promise but can cause serious toxicities.

"[Our] natural killer cell engager represents an innovative approach in cancer immunotherapy that harnesses natural killer cells as an alternative to existing T cell-directed treatments," Demaria concluded.

More information: Olivier Demaria et al, A tetraspecific engager armed with a non-alpha IL-2 variant harnesses natural killer cells against B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Science Immunology (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adp3720

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-12-experimental-drug-summons-warriors-immune.html

China calls Taiwan a 'red line', criticises new US military aid

 China criticised new U.S. military aid to Taiwan on Sunday, saying the $571 million package seriously violates the "one China principle" and provisions of joint communiques between China and the U.S.

China will take "all necessary measures" to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity, a foreign ministry spokesperson said, calling Taiwan "a red line that must not be crossed" in China-U.S. relations, according to a statement released by the ministry.

Beijing considers democratically governed Taiwan its own territory, a claim the government in Taipei rejects.

https://www.marketscreener.com/news/latest/China-calls-Taiwan-a-red-line-criticises-new-US-military-aid-to-island-48641472/

OpenAI unveils 'o3' reasoning AI models in test phase

 OpenAI said on Friday it was testing new reasoning AI models, o3 and o3 mini, in a sign of growing competition with rivals such as Google to create smarter models capable of tackling complex problems.

CEO Sam Altman said the AI startup plans to launch o3 mini by the end of January, and full o3 after that, as more robust large language models could outperform existing models and attract new investments and users.

Microsoft-backed OpenAI released o1 AI models in September designed to spend more time processing queries to solve hard problems.

The o1 models are capable of reasoning through complex tasks and can solve more challenging problems than previous models in science, coding and math, the AI firm had said in a blog post.

OpenAI's new o3 and o3 mini models, which are in internal safety testing currently, will be more powerful than its previously launched o1 models, the company said.

The GenAI pioneer said it was opening up an application process for external researchers to test o3 models ahead of the public release, which will close on Jan. 10.

OpenAI had triggered an AI arms race after it launched ChatGPT in November 2022. The growing popularity of the company and new product launches helped OpenAI in closing a $6.6 billion funding round in October.

Rival Alphabet's Google released the second generation of its AI model Gemini earlier in December, as the search giant aims to reclaim the lead in the AI technology race.

https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/MICROSOFT-CORPORATION-4835/news/OpenAI-unveils-o3-reasoning-AI-models-in-test-phase-48638988/

FDA Updates Recall On Blood Pressure Medication Due To Possible Carcinogen

 by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

A third blood pressure medication was recalled across the United States in the past several weeks, according to a notice updated on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) website on Dec. 16.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in White Oak, Md., on June 5, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

The notice said that New Jersey-based Aurobindo Pharma USA Inc. is recalling Nebivolol tablets in 2.5 milligram doses in 30-count bottles, which are only available by prescription. Nebivolol, a type of beta blocker, is used to treat high blood pressure.

The reason for the recall is because of the “presence of nitrosamine drug substance related impurity,” adding that discovered N-nitroso nebivolol levels are above the “acceptable intake limit,” it said. N-nitroso nebivolol is a nitrosamine and is considered mutagenic.

It was first initiated by Aurobindo earlier this month. The FDA classified the recall as Class II on Dec. 16, which occurs when there is a low chance of injury or death, and a possibility of “adverse events” that may have irreversible effects. They are issued if the product can cause medically reversible or temporary health problems—or if there is a small chance of serious health consequences.

The lot numbers being recalled are: NB0224001A and NB0224001B. It has an expiration date of April 2027 and a National Drug Code, or NDC, of 59651-137-30, according to the FDA.

Nitrosamines are compounds that can increase the risk of cancer in individuals if exposed to them above levels established by the FDA, or for long periods of time, the agency says on its website.

“A person taking a drug that contains nitrosamines at-or-below the acceptable daily intake limits every day for 70 years is not expected to have an increased risk of cancer,” the FDA adds.

People who are taking medications with possible “nitrosamine impurities should not stop taking their medications” and should instead speak with a health care professional.

Nitrosamines can be found in small levels in the environment and foods, including “meat, vegetables, and dairy products,” the FDA says.

Some scientists have issued warnings about what they described as widespread nitrosamine contamination in pharmaceutical drugs, noting they are classified as class 1 known mutagenic impurities under the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use, a worldwide health body.

In 2023, a Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis-published research paper found that the presence of the compounds “has raised global safety concerns due to their significant genotoxic and mutagenic effects” and that such “impurities, even in trace amounts, are highly toxic and mutagenic, capable of damaging DNA, and subsequently increase the risk of cancer incidence.”

Other Recent Recalls

In the past two months, two other drugs used to treat high blood pressure were recalled across the United States, according to FDA recall notices.

New York-based Evaric Pharmaceuticals Inc. in November recalled about 200,600 bottles of its Lisinopril tablets in 10-milligram doses after a “pharmacist discovered a metal fragment embedded in a lisinopril 10 mg tablet.” The recall impacts Lisinopril tablets in 10-milligram strength in 90-count bottles.

Weeks before that, Maryland-based Lupin Pharmaceuticals recalled another blood pressure medication, Ramipril, in October because the “active pharmaceutical ingredient was sourced from an unapproved vendor,” the FDA said.

The recall impacts Ramipril capsules in 2.5-milligram strength in 90-count, 100-count, and 500-count bottles, the notice said. The drug, an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor used to treat high blood pressure, is only available via a prescription.

https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/fda-updates-recall-blood-pressure-medication-due-possible-carcinogen

Fauci Is Back!

 Dr. Anthony Fauci’s reputation has long polarized public opinion.  Whereas some view him as a scientific beacon guiding the world through a pandemic, others criticize his perceived inconsistency, advocacy for extreme policies, and support for ethically questionable research.

Fauci’s recent article in Clinical Infectious Diseases, subtitled “Shared Lessons from Two Pandemics,” further deepens the divide.  Despite being framed as a “viewpoint” piece, the article raises serious concerns about Fauci’s injection of political bias and selective presentation of facts.  By leveraging the credibility of a respected medical journal, Fauci transforms a platform intended for impartial scientific discourse into a tool for advancing narratives that align with his political perspective.  This undermines trust in the objectivity of scientific publications and blurs the line between evidence-based guidance and personal ideology.  Two of Fauci’s eight “lessons” stand out as particularly disconcerting.

Distorting Views on Political Leadership

One of Fauci’s key lessons asserts, “With pandemics, political leadership at the highest level is critical.”  Though superficially uncontroversial, his accompanying analysis betrays a palpable bias against President Trump, supported by dubious citations.  Fauci claims that Trump “frequently minimized the seriousness of the pandemic,” citing a biased CNN article that paints a one-dimensional narrative by tracking Trump statements suggesting that COVID-19 would disappear.

A closer look at some of the quoted remarks reveals a more complex picture.  For example, on March 10, 2020, CNN highlights Trump saying, “It will go away.  Just stay calm.  It will go away.”  Although this quote implies dismissal, the same press conference includes Trump saying, “With all of that being said, we’re taking this unbelievably seriously, and I think we’re doing a really good job.  And, again, the task force ... has been fantastic.”

Similarly, on July 21, 2020, CNN quotes Trump as saying, “Well, the virus will disappear.  It will disappear.”  In that same press briefing, Trump also remarked, “And then this came in, and the plague — I call it the ‘plague’ — the plague came in.  A terrible thing.  Should’ve been stopped.  Wasn’t stopped.  It came in.  We had to shut things down to save potentially millions of lives.  We did that.”  Fauci omits the fuller context, instead relying on CNN’s selective excerpts to reinforce his biased narrative of negligence.

Doubling Down on Fake News

Fauci’s most egregious claim, however, is that Trump endorsed “unproven and potentially dangerous substances for COVID-19 prevention and treatment such as bleach injections, the antimalarial hydroxychloroquine, and the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin.”  Fauci supports this assertion by citing his personal memoir and a strange journal article analyzing Trump’s press statements and their correlation with internet searches of certain products.  Neither source substantiates the inflammatory claim of endorsing “bleach injections.”

In reality, Trump’s remarks stemmed from a moment of brainstorming during a press conference on April 23, 2020 where scientific advisers discussed disinfectants’ ability to kill viruses on surfaces.  Trump speculated, “And then I see the disinfectant, where it knocks it out in a minute.  One minute.  And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning. ... So, that, you’re going to have to use medical doctors. ... But it sounds — it sounds interesting to me.”  Yes, it does sound crude on its face, but so does the injection of radioactivity into the human body.  Yet scientific progress has led to the injection of radioactive isotopes for both biomedical diagnostic testing and therapeutics.

This was obviously not a call for citizens to inject bleach, but the biased media immediately followed up for clarification by asking, “The President mentioned the idea of cleaners, like bleach and isopropyl alcohol you mentioned.  There’s no scenario that that could be injected into a person, is there?”  Trump responded: “It wouldn’t be through injection. We’re talking about ... sterilization of an area.” Fauci’s willingness to propagate this false narrative in a medical journal is dishonest and undermines his credibility as a scientist.

Fauci also dismisses hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin as dangerous without acknowledging their broader context and the fact that as FDA-approved drugs, their safety profile is known.  He ignores studies that show some benefit toward COVID-19 for hydroxychloroquine.  He also fails to mention that ivermectin is deemed safe enough for the CDC to recommend it for all U.S.-bound refugees, even without being diagnosed with a parasite infection.  These omissions reflect a selective narrative designed to delegitimize treatments that did not align with Fauci’s preferred messaging.

Weaponizing “Misinformation” While Suppressing Dissent

Another troubling lesson in Fauci’s article is his assertion that “misinformation and disinformation are universal enemies of pandemic control.”  Fauci makes his case to “support efforts by social scientists and others to develop strategies to fight false and manipulated information.”  Fauci asserts himself as the arbiter of truth; all information will need to pass through his filter before dissemination.  But there are many examples of narratives that media and government label as misinformation that are later found to have been true.

In his 2024 article, Fauci includes the narrative that “the abundant evidence from top evolutionary virologists and leading scientists in other fields strongly suggests that the virus jumped species from an animal reservoir to humans in the Huanan market in Wuhan, China.”  He provides three citations from 2021–2022.  In 2024, the credibility of the lab leak theory has surpassed this natural species jump theory, but this did not even warrant a mention from Fauci. 

The first COVID-19 cases were indeed tracked to a market in Wuhan, China, just a 12-mile drive from the Wuhan Institute of Virology, where they were working on coronaviruses.  Is this a coincidence?  I point you to John Stewart’s thoughtful perspective on this, but I will add here some additional facts to drive the point home.

The original SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 virus) genetic sequence was most similar to a bat betacoronavirus sequence submitted by the Wuhan Institute of Virology.  A major difference between these two viruses is that SARS-CoV-2 has a furin-cleavage site introduced into its spike protein.  A research scientist at the Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology in Wuhan published a study that reported engineering a furin-cleavage site in a pig coronavirus, resulting in “expanding the tropism of the virus.”  That means making it infectious toward a wider variety of cell types. 

The landmasses of the Earth cover approximately 57 million square miles, yet the pandemic’s epicenter was within 18 miles of two laboratories conducting relevant coronavirus research.  One housed the most similar known virus on the planet, and the other conducted gain-of-function experiments that mirror the key features of the COVID-19 virus.  Fauci’s unwillingness to acknowledge this extraordinary coincidence further undermines his credibility.

Conclusion

Fauci’s use of a scientific journal to advance politically charged narratives erodes trust in both science and public health leadership.  His selective citation, misrepresentation of facts, and suppression of alternative perspectives should concern anyone who values evidence-based discourse.  Science must remain an arena for evidence and inquiry, not a platform for advancing biased narratives.

Fauci’s call to “debunk misinformation” may already be influencing A.I. platforms, subtly shaping what is deemed acceptable to depict or discuss.  For example, my attempt to create an A.I.-generated image illustrating improper mask-wearing (a common sight during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic) revealed an intriguing limitation.  One A.I. tool produced only images of properly worn masks, while another claimed that the request violated content guidelines.  Are we content with a society that demands adherence to Faucian content guidelines?

Dr. Mack Ransom explores overlooked scientific and cultural connections, blending his passion for science, Christian faith, and the pursuit of truth.  Additional articles can be found at Dr. Mack’s Commentary Shack.

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2024/12/fauci_is_back.html

'Biden Wanted to Save Assad'

 It was galling, to say the least, to see President Joe Biden, taking credit for the fall of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria. Biden (and his administration) did everything he could to preserve Assad by restraining Israel and preventing it from destroying Hezb’allah, which served as his private army.  Biden did this by threatening Israel with U.S. and possible UN (and European) sanctions, ceasefire “deals,” and withholding vital weaponry.  

Despite protestations to the contrary, he had been slow-walking, if not denying, much-needed ammunition soon after the October 7 massacre in 2023.  Later in the conflict, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin even suggested that an invasion of Rafah (on the Gazan border with Egypt) would force the administration to “change the US calculus on security assistance to Israel.” That, of course, would alter a long-standing security alliance the U.S. and Israel have enjoyed at least since 1952.

It was the Obama/Biden administration that elevated Iran and its terrorist proxies in client states like Syria and Lebanon in the first place. Biden hired the same Obama team, his administration representing “Obama’s third term.”  These included Robert Malley as the “Iran Envoy” (since removed for ‘mishandling classified documents’), Jake Sullivan, Obama’s National Security Advisor, Anthony Blinken, now Secretary of State, and Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.  They are Iran-firsters. It has also been one of their obsessions to pursue the so-called Joint Coordinated Plan of Action (JCPOA ) that ultimatelyprovides a pathway to a nuclear bomb for the ayatollahs and Iran, an oil-rich nation with a radical Islamic regime -- that would render the region and world far less safe.  

They maintain an overbearing concern for Iran and seek to help the long-suffering Shiite Persians restore an ill-conceived notion of “balance” in the Middle East between the Sunni Arab states and Israel, on one hand, and Iran on the other.  That the ayatollahs can be found leading chants for “death to America” and “death to Israel” on a weekly basis is considered a plus for today’s Democrats. 

But their theories have come crashing down in the face of Israeli military power, moral vision, and will -- and Trump’s victory in November.  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is loathed by Biden/Harris and the Democrats at least as much as Trump, and the two hold similar statuses in their respective nations, as populist outsiders, despised by their own leftist/globalist establishment and deep state. 

The current cease-fire is Biden’s doing in the first place, and at a time when Israel was positioned to end Hezb’allah forever.  Hopefully, Israel will accomplish it anyway.  But it will have to overlap into Trump’s term, which is unfortunate.  Nonetheless, that should remain a goal of Israel -- and the U.S.  Not a sliver or a remnant of that terrorist organization, or Hamas, should be allowed to survive.  

Biden threatened Netanyahu with his own ceasefire deal in place of the more draconian ceasefire that would have come from the UN Security Council.  Most American administrations, however, would have vetoed such a resolution, being long familiar with the long-standing hatred of Israel by the UN; but not this administration or any Democratic Party regime to come.  

It has been the Obama/Biden policy to elevate Iran and its client states including Syria and Lebanon, and its terrorist proxies comprising Hezb’allah, Hamas, and the Houthis.  The Democratic party today is pro-Iranian, a legacy of Obama now carried forward into the Biden administration. They did not enforce sanctions on the sale of Iranian oil as was done during the first Trump presidency, which had brought Iran financially to its knees, leading to the “Abraham Accords” under Trump, an unprecedented era of peace in the Middle East.  Under the third Obama/Biden term, free to sell its oil, Iran was flush with money and able to fund its proxies.  The result was October 7 and war in the Middle East.  

But Israel has rendered it all moot.  They have decimated Iran’s terrorist proxies and ended their domination of Syria and Lebanon by destroying them militarily in a war as significant for Israel and the region as the Six Day War was in ‘67.  Hence the fall of Assad and a new opportunity for a Lebanon, free of the baleful influence of Hezb’allah.

Iran is now alone, defenseless after the first Israeli strike on their air-defenses, thus leaving their nuclear crown jewels exposed as they await the inevitable Israeli attack.  The geopolitical landscape has been completely altered through Israeli military prowess and Netanyahu’s decision to ignore Biden and the Democrats and go it alone: despite the Biden administration’s demands, threats, and withholding of needed military supplies in the midst of war. 

Biden sought not to retire Assad at all. Nor did he seek the fall of his regime.  It was his wish that Syria, Lebanon, Iran, and their terrorist proxies continue dominating the Middle East. He and his Obama era advisors wanted a resurgent Iran, with its terrorist proxies intact. In the twisted cult-Marxist mind of the Left, this was proper because the Shiite Iranians are conceived as “oppressed.” Obama/Biden sought a Middle East dominated not by Israel, a liberal democracy and the one Jewish state, but Iran and its terrorist proxies and client states. 

That strategic vision however has been overturned.  Israel is now the hegemon astride the Middle East, not Iran, despite the best efforts of Obama, Biden, and the Democrat Party.  The last thing Biden sought was for Assad to depart and his regime to fall.  Rather, he and his advisors, the Obama holdovers, wanted Israel and the Sunni Arab states diminished -- especially Israel, which the cultural Marxists of the Democratic party loathe and absurdly perceive as an “oppressor.”  It is the opposite of what he claimed.  But then he is shameless. Lies are his stock in trade. We cannot be rid of him soon enough. 

Richard Moss, M.D., a surgeon practicing in Jasper, IN, was a candidate for Congress in 2016, 2018, and 2024. He has written A Surgeon’s Odyssey, Matilda’s Triumph, and Empire of Eunuchs: How the Republican Party Betrayed America, available on amazon.com.

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2024/12/biden_wanted_to_save_assad.html

The Democrat Trump-Musk Feud Strategy

 By Rajan Laad

It has been a triumphant phase for the MAGA movement. President Trump won a landslide electoral victory last month. The bogus cases against him, which were part of the establishment's attempts to outlaw political opposition, appear to be winding down. Trump had a triumphant return to the global stage during the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. He effectively won a case against vicious slander by ABC News and George Stephanopoulos which compelled the outlet to initiate a settlement payment of $15 million. Gorgeous George himself had to pony up $1 million. Trump won Time magazine's Person of the Year, which meant a lot to him and his supporters. Trump secured a $100 billion investment from the Japan-based SoftBank Group Corp which will create 100,000 U.S. jobs, doubtlessly encouraging other investors.

Hamas has expressed intentions to end the conflict with Israel. Canada announced new border security rules to avoid a 25% tariff after Trump threatened them. Trump was in command during his recent presser which sent a signal globally that the U.S. is back.

Elon Musk was an important ally in Trump's massive victory last month. Musk joined the Trump campaign after being impressed by Trump's exemplary bravery and defiance following the assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. Musk made X a free-speech platform, preventing the Democrats from manipulating the narrative on social media as they did in 2020. This time the public had access to all information and the lies were with 'community noted.'

Trump announced that Musk and Ramaswamy will lead the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a watchdog focused on cutting wasteful government spending and reducing bureaucratic impediments.

To sum it up, President Trump has had a triumphant start even before being sworn in. He seems on track to be delivering key campaign promises. DOGE is already on the job, both Musk and Ramaswamy have been vocal about the scandalous recent 1500-page spending bill.

The D.C. swamp could render DOGE irrelevant by preemptively mending its ways, but will not, because its existence is based on corruption and government excesses.

The swamp dwellers are now in a quandary. They know that they cannot misuse agencies to target Trump as they did before. Their media proxies aren't going to engage in blatant lies, after the ABC settlement. They desperately need to derail this Trump train.

So what do they do?

They resort to petty ploys. Following Trump's victory there were memes by some Democrat proxies that Musk was the new first lady. In time they attempted to suggest Musk was the equivalent of Vice President and that Vance was sidelined.

But neither of these had any impact.

Now they are pushing another hoax -- that Musk is the President and Trump is the Vice President. This is similar to the Trump-Russia collusion hoax where they attempted to credit Putin for Trump's amazing victory in 2016 and suggested that Putin was in charge. This time around, Putin has been replaced with Musk.

The usual hoaxers Kinzinger, Sanders, the Lincoln Project, Democrat representatives, etc. are pushing this falsehood.

Democrats allies are posting memes depicting Trump as subservient to Musk. USA Today, the WaPo, MSNBC, and CNN are also pushing this hoax.

This divide-and-rule tactic has been used throughout history to overcome seemingly invincible enemies. It may appear petty but it can be effective and it doesn't cost anything. All one has to do is sow seeds of division. 

This is depicted in Akira Kurosawa's masterpiece Yojimbo and its remake A Fistful of Dollars with Clint Eastwood. They are hoping that the constant bombardment of this narrative will enrage Trump. They are also hoping it will color his judgment about Musk, if he finds a comment or a Tweet that appears to be a difference of opinion, Trump will interpret it as an act of defiance. They are also hoping that Musk will succumb to the flattery and think of himself as a puppet master and make a display of it on X.

The main goal is to cause a massive feud which will lead to Musk's sacking and the dismantling of DOGE. Many Democrat proxies are openly declaring this on X. They are hoping that the rift will make Musk one of Trump's worst adversaries and that they will engage in a vicious war of words on social media.

In subsequent days, expect mainstream news outlets to use unnamed sources to declare a battle royale between Musk and Trump.

We will learn of 'sources' claiming that Musk ridiculed Trump among friends. 'Sources' will claim Trump is furious with the President Musk hoax and told allies he will 'kick Musk the f---k out of Mar-a-Lago and banish his a—forever.' In the coming weeks, months, and years both Musk and Trump have to be careful.

Musk must understand that Trump is the founder and will always be the leader of the MAGA movement. He was a great support and an ally. But it was Trump who won. 

During the early 80s, rock superstar Sting's manager Miles Copeland revealed that his primary job was to keep the egos of his Police bandmates in check. He said bandmates would complain they had better ideas than Sting and he had to remind them that if Sting dropped out, the concert would be canceled. But if any bandmate quit, he would be replaced and nobody would notice. 

Musk is a guitarist in the MAGA band, but Trump is the lead. Musk is a valuable bandmate, as is Lara Trump, Dan Scavino, Susie Wiles, Dana White, Vivek Ramaswamy, etc.

While exercising his opinions Musk must be clear that he reports to Trump in DOGE. Musk must not be seen to defy Trump in any way. Musk is accustomed to being the boss and doing as he pleases, and he will have to exercise restraint given this new role.

To be clear, Musk hasn't shown any disloyalty or defiance toward President Trump. There is also no indication that Musk is behind this hoax. Musk even praised Trump in a recent tweet.

Trump too must exercise caution while reacting to this hoax. During future pressers, he will likely be bombarded with questions about 'President Musk.' It would be a good idea to ridicule this premise without an answer while expressing support for Musk.

Trump, Musk, and the rest must remember that they thoroughly vanquished the Democrats last month.

The Democrats have nothing to offer but lies, petty ploys, and hoaxes.

Hopefully, everyone will remember a lesson that history frequently teaches us -- to be victorious, total unity is essential.

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2024/12/the_democrat_trump_musk_feud_strategy.html