>=You better ‘reconsider’: G7 urges China not to impose its law on Hong Kong ==

The Group of Seven countries have attempted to press China into changing its mind on imposing its national security law on Hong Kong, which they view as Beijing stripping the city of its Western-backed autonomy.

The foreign ministers of G7 on Wednesday expressed their "grave concern" about China's move. The statement insisted that the change contradicts local laws, international treaties and a UN declaration.

We strongly urge the Government of China to re-consider this decision.

The mass protests in Hong Kong broke out a year ago and were triggered by an extradition bill, which would have allowed criminal suspects to be transferred to mainland China for trial. Many of the locals saw it as an attempt by Beijing to infringe upon the region’s autonomy and target dissidents.

While the authorities in the former British colony have formally withdrawn the legislation, that wasn’t enough for the demonstrators, who expanded their demands all the way down to cutting ties with mainland China completely. They received full backing from the US, UK and their allies, despite often turning to violence and targeting not just the police, but fellow citizens who disagreed with their views.

https://www.rt.com/news/492179-g7-china-hong-kong/

Erosion of trust: 10 things public health establishment got wrong about coronavirus

From the start, the public health establishment has projected an air of certitude in its advice and policy prescriptions on COVID-19 belied by a record of error on many of the central questions.

6 seconds…

By Michael Fumento

Last Updated:

June 17, 2020 - 2:11pm

Article

Dig In

Time and again throughout the coronavirus pandemic you've heard it. As public health authorities and state and local elected officials blanketed the nation with restrictions on public mobility and assembly, work and worship, they waved aside doubts and objections with the assurance that they were simply following the “data and the science”; this as if data are always complete, reliable, transparent and unambiguous, and scientific opinion is always monolithic, settled, and immune to challenge.

In reality, “the data and the science” pertaining to the new coronavirus have been partial, often ambiguous, sometimes arbitrary and misleading, even fraudulent — and continually shifting. Mistakes, of course, were inevitable when trying to understand and contain an unfamiliar, complex and highly contagious new virus. But when recurring expert error is coupled with an expectation that the public should mutely maintain an unquestioning faith in the claims of “the data and the science” — as has often been the case during the pandemic — the result may be a severe erosion in the credibility of public health authorities. Here are 10 things the public health establishment got wrong:

1. Threat level: On Jan. 21, the day the first COVID-19 case in the U.S. was confirmed, National Institutes of Allergies and Infectious Diseases director Anthony Fauci appeared on conservative Newsmax TV and said: “Obviously, you need to take it seriously and do the kind of things the CDC and the Department of Homeland Security is doing. But this is not a major threat to the people of the United States, and this is not something that the citizens of the United States right now should be worried about.”

By April 1, CDC Director Robert Redfield would be saying, “This is the greatest public health crisis that has hit this nation in more than 100 years.”

1. Masks: “Seriously people — STOP BUYING MASKS!” So tweeted Surgeon General Jerome Adams on Feb. 29. “They are NOT effective in preventing [the] general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can't get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!” The CDC initially said, “If you are sick, you should wear a facemask when you are around other people (e.g., sharing a room or vehicle) and before you enter a healthcare provider's office." But "if you are NOT sick," it added, "you do not need to wear a facemask unless you are caring for someone who is sick (and they are not able to wear a facemask).” That link now leads to the declaration with a subheading in large letters: “Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others.”

1. Asymptomatic transmission: Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, head of WHO’s emerging diseases and zoonosis unit, said at a June 8 news briefing, “From the data we have, it still seems to be rare that an asymptomatic person actually transmits onward to a secondary individual,” adding, “It’s very rare.” She explained the importance of this for policy purposes. “What we really want to be focused on is following the symptomatic cases,” Van Kerkhove said. “If we actually followed all of the symptomatic cases, isolated those cases, followed the contacts and quarantined those contacts, we would drastically reduce” the outbreak.

After a backlash that “sent shock waves throughout the world”, according to a CNBC report and sparked a “furious scientific debate,” according to The Washington Post, Kerhove executed a 180 within a day. “We don’t actually have that answer yet,” she said. “I wasn’t stating a policy of WHO or anything like that.”

1. Mortality rate: WHO’s initial mortality rate for COVID-19 was 3.4%, more than an order of magnitude higher than seasonal flu, which is usually pegged at about 0.1%. But recently the CDC put its “best guess” figure at 0.26%. That's still higher than the seasonal flu but far lower than the 0.67% death rate of the “Asian flu” of 1957-1958 (H2N2), which, according to the CDC, killed an estimated 223,000 Americans and 3 million worldwide adjusted to today’s populations. That pandemic led to no panic in the U.S., no suspensions of civil liberties, no worldwide recession.

https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/coronavirus/erosion-trust-10-things-public-health-establishment-got-wrong-about

Denmark: Rasmus Paludan to stop demonstrating after he loses police protection

Infamous anti-migration politician and provocateur Rasmus Paludan has said that he will no longer hold public demonstrations because the police have stopped offering him protection.

Paludan made the announcement in a video posted to the Facebook page of his political party, Stram Kurs (Hard Line), on Tuesday.

Paludan had been receiving regular protection from the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) for years. He says that he made the decision to suspend his demonstrations after the PET made continuing to protect him conditional on him refusing to appear in certain places. Paludan said that he considers this a threat from the PET and refused to accept such conditions, according to a report by Ekstra Bladet.

The PET’s change in policy comes after an incident earlier this month when a Middle Eastern man got in an argument with Paludan during a demonstration about Islam’s Prophet Muhammad. The man eventually broke through the police barricade and attempted to attack Paludan with a knife, forcing officers to shoot him, as previously reported by Voice of Europe. The attacker survived.

Demonstrations had been planned in several Danish towns for yesterday, but in each case the PET had insisted that the location be changed, according to Paludan. He refused because he knows people wouldn’t show up in the alternative locations that the PET offered. He believes it is better to stop demonstrating altogether than to either hold sparsely-attended events or else put his followers at risk of being killed due to lack of security.

When asked how he plans to get his messages out if he will no longer be demonstrating, Paludan replied, “I don’t know, but I have to think of something.”

The PET declined to comment on the affair, citing safety regulations.

Paludan is a fierce critic of Islam, and calls for Islam to be banned from Denmark, immigration to be ended, and for Muslim immigrants in Denmark to be deported. His public demonstrations and provocations have attracted a great deal of hostility from the Muslim community in Denmark.

https://voiceofeurope.com/2020/06/denmark-rasmus-paludan-to-stop-demonstrating-after-he-loses-police-protection/

“Not a More Important Issue than This… Very Difficult for Republicans to Win if This Censorship Continues” – Devin Nunes Speaks Out on Tech Censorship of Conservatives

“Not a More Important Issue than This… Very Difficult for Republicans to Win if This Censorship Continues” – Devin Nunes Speaks Out on Tech Censorship of Conservatives

In October of 2019 a federal judge agreed with him that Twitter can be held accountable for its mistreatment of the conservative lawmaker.

On Wednesday Rep. Nunes said the

Rep. Nunes: This is the story of the last three years. Ever since the 2016 election the left and the Democrats learned that it’s not enough to just have 90% of the media on your side. You also have to run it through a funnel. And that funnel is Facebook, Google and Twitter. They have to control that. It started right after the 2016 election. They said, “Oh it’s fake news!” So there is not a more important issue that this issue!… I think it’s very difficult for Republicans to win if this censorship continues.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/06/no-important-issue-difficult-republicans-win-censorship-continues-devin-nunes-speaks-tech-censorship-conservatives-video/

Nearly half of Americans don't trust public health officials' understanding of coronavirus

'Perhaps the biggest surprise in all of our questions this week is the fact that there is that there is no gap between Republicans and Democrats,' Rasmussen said

Forty-nine percent of U.S. voters don't trust public health officials understand how to defeat the coronavirus, according to a new Just the News Daily Poll with Scott Rasmussen. The poll found that 45% of American voters do trust that public health officials really understand the coronavirus and what policies are needed to overcome it.

"Voter confidence in public health officials is decidedly mixed – 45% express some confidence and 49% a lack of confidence," Rasmussen said. "But most of the responses are lukewarm. Only 13% are Very Confident and 18% Not at All Confident."

On Wednesday, Just the News reported about an erosion of public trust, including 10 things the public health establishment got wrong about coronavirus. From the start, the public health establishment has projected an air of certitude in its advice and policy prescriptions on COVID-19 belied by a record of error on many of the central questions.

"Perhaps the biggest surprise in all of our questions this week is the fact that there is that there is no gap between Republicans and Democrats," Rasmussen said. "Forty-nine percent (49%) in both parties express some confidence in the ability of public health officials. Given how politicized every aspect of the pandemic has become, I expected to see a partisan gap."

Rasmussen noted, however, that there is a difference when it comes to Independent voters. Only 35% of these voters are even Somewhat Confident that the public health officials know what policies are needed to overcome the pandemic.

Just the News Daily Poll respondents were asked “How confident are you that public health officials really understand the coronavirus and what policies are needed to overcome it?" They replied as below:

13% Very Confident

32% Somewhat Confident

31% Not Very Confident

18% Not At All Confident

6% Not Sure

The national survey of 1,200 registered voters was conducted June 11-13, 2020 by Rasmussen, a polling veteran. Margin of sampling error: +/- 2.8% for full sample.

To see the full demographic cross-tabulations for this polling question, click below:

File

2020-06-17 JTN POLL CROSSTABS.pdf

To see the methodology and sample demographics for this polling question, click below:

File

2020-June 11-13 JTN Poll Sample & Methodology.pdf

https://justthenews.com/sites/default/files/2020-06/2020-06-17%20JTN%20POLL%20CROSSTABS.pdf

https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/polling/poll-49-voters-dont-trust-public-health-officials-understand-coronavirus

Atlanta DA Dean Howard Said Taser is a “Deadly Weapon” Just Two Weeks Ago – Today He Said Rayshard Brooks Shooting a Taser at Cops Was “Not a Threat”

Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard, Jr. announced charges on Wednesday afternoon in the death of Rayshard Brooks last weekend at a Wendy’s restaurant in Atlanta.

Brooks was killed by police after resisting arrest, wrestling with the police, punching one officer in the face, stealing the officer’s taser and then firing on the officers.

DA Howard, Jr. says officials spoke to three witnesses and reviewed eight videos of the attempted arrest and shooting.

Eleven charges were announced including felony murder by the officer involved in the shooting of Rayshard Brooks.

And then Paul Howard added this: Rayshard Brooks was never notified he was under arrest(?) and was “never a threat.” WTH?

Brooks resisted arrest, beat cops, stole a taser and fired it at police!

Just two weeks ago Paul Howard said tasers were deadly weapons when six police officers used them on violent protesters.

Just listen to the Fulton County DA, Paul Howard. He called a taser a deadly weapon when Atlanta officers used it against two college students, thus charging them with aggravated assault. Now apparently it’s not, when it’s used AGAINST police officers. It’s double talk pic.twitter.com/xthrnHU3NM

— Jacob C. (@jcupapplet) June 17, 2020

Tucker Carlson reported on this in his open on Wednesday night:

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/06/atlanta-da-dean-howard-said-taser-deadly-weapon-just-two-weeks-ago-today-said-rayshard-brooks-shooting-taser-cops-not-threat-video/

‘Of Course Not’: Dr. Anthony Fauci Says He Wouldn’t Attend Trump’s Tulsa Rally

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said he would certainly not attend President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, citing personal health concerns stemming from the Chinese coronavirus pandemic.

“I’m in a high-risk category. Personally, I would not. Of course not,” Fauci, 79, said in an interview with the Daily Beast.

With respect to the president’s rallies, Fauci stated “outside is better than inside, no crowd is better than crowd,” and “crowd is better than big crowd.”

Fauci’s comments come after President Trump’s re-election campaign announced that attendees of the rally this weekend — his first since the coronavirus pandemic broke out — will be administered temperature checks, face masks, and hand sanitizer.

“The campaign takes the health and safety of rally-goers seriously and is taking precautions to make the rally safe,” Erin Perrine, deputy communications director for the Trump campaign, said in a statement. “Every single rally goer will have their temperature checked, be provided a face mask and hand sanitizer. We are also taking precautions to keep rally-goers safe in the Oklahoma heat — including providing water bottles to keep people hydrated.”

On Monday, President Trump dismissed calls from Democrat lawmakers to cancel the rally.

“The Far Left Fake News Media, which had no Covid problem with the Rioters and Looters destroying Democrat run cities, is trying to Covid Shame us on our big Rallies,” the president wrote on Twitter. “Won’t work!”

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/06/17/of-course-not-dr-anthony-fauci-says-he-wouldnt-attend-trumps-tulsa-rally/

Several Rockets Fall in Baghdad's 'Green Zone', US Helicopters Flying Over the Area, Reports Say

The Green Zone in Baghdad, where the US embassy and the military base of the US-led coalition are situated, has been in a crossfire of missile attacks for several times in recent time.

Four "Katyusha" rockets landed in Baghdad's "green zone", according to Al Arabia, as sirens could be heard after the explosions from the US embassy located in the area.

Al Arabia also reported that helicopters were flying in the sky over the "green zone", with multiple reports from social media users said that the helicopters belonged to the US.

The tweet reads: "Al-Arabiya correspondent: 4 Katyusha rockets landed near the American embassy in Baghdad".

https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/202006181079646116-several-rockets-fall-in-baghdads-green-zone-us-helicopters-flying-over-the-area-reports-say/