Vaccine-Derived Polio Case Discovered in NY as Officials Issue Alert to Hospitals | 22 July 2022 | The New York State Health Department on July 21 confirmed a polio case and called on health care providers to look for more infections. Officials said a resident of Rockland County, located about an hour from New York City and next to the highly populous Westchester County, tested positive for the virus. The New York health agency said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the infection. The person is infected with a Type 2 vaccine-derived poliovirus, which would have come from a type of polio vaccine that’s taken orally and isn’t used in the United States but is used in many other countries. The United States stopped using the oral vaccine in 2000.

Hospital Faces Staff Shortages Due to COVID-19 Infections, Despite Vaccine Mandate | 19 July 2022 | The first U.S. hospital to enforce a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all employees is now facing a staffing shortage because of a rise in infections. Houston’s Methodist Hospital has hundreds of employees out of work because they tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19. At the same hospital in 2021, 153 staff members who refused to get vaccinated quit or were fired. Now, Methodist’s leadership is trying to avert a crisis. “What is worrisome is the climbing number of our employees who cannot work because they are home sick with COVID-19. Almost 400 employees tested positive last week,” Dr. Robert Phillips, Houston Methodist’s executive vice president and chief physician executive, wrote in an internal email on July 12 obtained by The Epoch Times.

Children at risk of Monkeypox by end of the year | 17 July 2022 | Children at risk of Monkeypox by end of the year unless four times the amount of vaccinations are rolled out in Britain to [allegedly] halt the spread. Public health experts have estimated that 200,000 vaccine doses will be necessary in order to control the spread of the virus. This is four times the 50,000 vaccine doses currently on order. The UK has already seen almost 2000 cases of monkeypox in recent weeks and months, and cases are believed to be doubling every two weeks.

Steve Bannon found guilty of contempt of Congress for ignoring January 6 hearing subpoena –Bannon claimed executive privilege precluded him from appearing before the committee | 22 July 2022 | Former Trump White House official Steve Bannon was found guilty of contempt of Congress after he ignored a subpoena from the House Jan. 6 committee clown car. Bannon faces 30 days to a year in prison for each of the two misdemeanor charges. The jury was ordered to begin deliberating Friday morning. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols discharged the jury after hearing closing arguments from both the prosecution and defense. The Department of Justice charged Bannon with two counts of contempt of Congress after he ignored a subpoena from the House Jan. 6 committee. Bannon pleaded not guilty.

Colbert crew’s behavior in Capitol complex caused Democratic staffer to call for emergency help –Capitol Police chief says “Colbert Nine” were warned “several times” before arrest, slams prosecutors’ decision not to press charges as “unfortunate.” | 20 July 2022 | Stephen Colbert’s comedy crew was warned “several times” it could not trespass on Capitol grounds, and its behavior in a congressional office building during an unauthorized nighttime visit was so boisterous it caused a Democratic congressman’s staff to fear for his safety and call for emergency help, police say. The description that authorities provided members of Congress this week — loud banging on doors, talk of a “cocaine orgy” and threats to place something under a congressman’s door — is far different than the light-hearted account of “first-degree puppetry” that the CBS television comic offered after last month’s high-profile arrest of his team. The decision by the Biden Justice Department to decline prosecution of nine Colbert staffers for unlawful entry clearly upset the department, according to an official letter from the department’s chief obtained by Just the News.

Traffickers Busted With 150,000 Fentanyl Pills Skip California Court After Cashless Bail Release | 22 July 2022 | Two alleged drug traffickers who were arrested during a traffic stop in California last month after they got busted with 150,000 pills of fentanyl failed to show up for court on Thursday, according to multiple reports. Jose Zendejas, 25, and Benito Madrigal, 19, both from Washington, were arrested in Tulare County on June 24 with enough fentanyl to kill millions of people. The drugs they possessed had an estimated street value of 750,000. Less than 24 hours after their arrest, the suspects were released from custody on cashless bail after a court assessment deemed both men “low risk,” releasing them “on their own recognizance.”

Alleged Lee Zeldin attempted attacker charged with felony, immediately released just as congressman predicted | 22 July 2022 | A man who allegedly attacked Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., with a sharp object at a campaign stop in Perinton, New York, Thursday evening was charged with a felony and released from custody within hours of his arrest, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department said. The suspect, identified as David G. Jakubonis, 43 of Fairport, N.Y., was charged with attempted assault in the second degree. He was arraigned in Perinton Town Court and released on his own recognizance, the sheriff’s department said. Zeldin, who is the Republican candidate for governor in New York, predicted the alleged attacker would be released. “His words as he tried to stab me a few hours ago were ‘you’re done’, but several attendees, including @EspositoforNY, quickly jumped into action & tackled the guy,” he tweeted early Friday. “Law enforcement was on the scene within minutes. The attacker will likely be instantly released under NY’s laws.”

Armed assailant attacks Lee Zeldin with a knife at campaign event –The assailant has not yet been identified, but is in law enforcement custody | 21 July 2022 | A knife-wielding assailant stormed the stage of New York Republican gubernatorial nominee Lee Zeldin on Thursday night while he delivered a campaign speech. Zeldin was speaking on bail reform at the local VFW in Perinton, N.Y., when the attacker, screaming hysterically, got on stage and wrestled with the Republican before being subdued by AMVETS national Director Joe Chenelly, local news outlet Rochester First reported. The assailant has not yet been identified, but is in law enforcement custody. Zeldin was unharmed and resumed speaking after the incident.

Kathy Hochul campaign sent email about upcoming Lee Zeldin events before attempted attack | 22 July 2022 | New York Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul’s campaign sent an email about upcoming campaign events being held by Lee Zeldin, her Republican challenger in the New York gubernatorial race, prior to a man’s attempted attack on him while he was speaking Thursday evening. Prior to the Zeldin campaign event, Hochul’s campaign sent out a media advisory, titled “‘Big Lie’ Lee kicks off statewide ‘MAGA Republican’ bus tour,” to subscribers of its email list. That email, according to NY1 reporter Zack Fink, contained information pertaining to Zeldin’s upcoming campaign events, including the dates and times the events were scheduled to begin. “On Thursday, July 21, 2022, ‘Big Lie’ Lee and his entourage of extremists kick off the statewide ‘MAGA Republican’ Bus Tour, which will make stops across the state peddling dangerous lies, misinformation, and his far-right agenda,” the campaign email stated. “At stops during the tour, Zeldin will be joined by top anti-abortion advocates, NRA enthusiasts, and a cast of extremist groups.”

U.S. Reportedly Sneaks 150+ Vehicle Convoy Out of Illegal Syria Base | 22 July 2022 | Syrian media has regularly reported on the movements of U.S. convoys into and out of the war-scarred country, catching Washington bringing military equipment and supplies in, and smuggling stolen crude oil and food out. This week, the leaders of Russia, Iran and Turkey called on Washington to end its occupation of eastern Syria. U.S. forces have evacuated a 156-vehicle strong convoy from the Kharab al-Jir Airport in Syria’s Hasakah province via the illegal al-Waleed border crossing, the Syrian Arab News Agency has reported, citing a local sources on the ground in the nearby town of Rmelan. “A convoy of 156 vehicles, including 40 refrigerator trucks and more than 50 tankers carrying military equipment, containers, cannons, and a number of Hummers, some of [them] carry[ing] huge devices, came out into Iraq,” one source said. The source added that the convoy was accompanied by 25 armored escorts.

Ukraine to punish own citizens for getting Russian passports | 22 July 2022 | Trying to obtain Russian citizenship as a Ukrainian could soon become a criminal offense, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Irina Vereschuk revealed on Friday. In a Telegram post, Vereschuk said that the matter had previously been discussed during a closed interdepartmental meeting. “Work on the draft law continues, there will be discussions, but the direction has been determined,” the deputy prime minister said. On June 11, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree granting all Ukrainians the right to apply for Russian citizenship under a simplified procedure. 

Senate Democrats Urge Biden to Declare a ‘Climate Emergency’ | 18 July 2022 | Senate Democrats are urging the White House to declare a “climate emergency” while dismissing any optimism that a climate change package could be moved swiftly through Congress in September. “The potential to enact the legislation is dead,” Senator Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat, told reporters on Capitol Hill Monday evening. “This then frees up the president to use the full powers of the executive branch. And those full powers certainly include a climate emergency.” Such a move could give Joe Biden broad executive authority to redirect funds for clean energy projects or restrict offshore oil drilling. The president could even use the power to curtail the movement of fossil fuels on pipelines, trains and ships.

Soros-Linked Group Wins $172M Contract from Biden to Help Border Crossers Avoid Deportation | 17 July 2022 | A left-wing group linked to billionaire George Soros [whose goal is to destroy the U.S. from within] has won a nearly 172 million federal contract from Joe Biden’s administration to help young border crossers avoid deportation, a report revealed this week. Fox News reported on Thursday that the Vera Institute of Justice, with financial ties to Soros, has won a federal contract for 171.7 million that will provide attorneys to Unaccompanied Alien Children (UACs) to avoid deportation from the United States. The federal contract could end up showering the Vera Institute of Justice with 1 billion in taxpayer funding, Fox News reported.

NYC judge drops murder charge against bodega worker after Manhattan DA backtracks –Second degree murder charge dropped against Jose Alba | 19 July 2022 | Charges were dropped Tuesday against a New York City bodega worker arrested for the murder of man seen on surveillance video first coming behind the cashier’s desk and attacking the employee. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office faced harsh criticism for bringing the charge against Jose Alba earlier this month despite footage suggesting the deadly stabbing was justified as self-defense. Jennifer Sigall, assistant district attorney under [Soros-backed] Bragg, issued a motion Tuesday morning to dismiss the second-degree murder charge against Alba and provided a copy to his attorney, Michelle Villasenor-Grant. Fox News confirmed that a judge dismissed the charge against Alba by Tuesday afternoon.

Illegal Immigrant Charged With Murdering 76-Year-Old Man Outside His Home | 17 July 2022 | An illegal immigrant is accused of murdering a 76-year-old man outside his home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as well as two stabbings in Boston, Massachusetts. Wagner Tejeda Pena, a 24-year-old illegal alien, has been arrested and charged for the two Boston stabbings as well as for allegedly murdering 76-year-old Loi Nguyen, a Vietnamese immigrant to the United States, who was arriving back home from a morning walk when he was shot in the back of the head. The Boston Herald‘s Flint McColgan broke the news that Pena is an illegal alien living in the United States: Tejeda-Pena — who also goes by the first name Wagner, according to the BPD, and the name “Elia,” according to charging documents — is in the country illegally and is on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer, according to an ICE source.

Hunter Biden probe reaches ‘critical stage,’ as officials weigh possible charges – source | 20 July 2022 | The federal investigation into Hunter Biden and his tax affairs has reached a “critical stage,” a source told Fox News, as officials are looking into whether to charge Joe Biden’s son with various tax violations, possible foreign lobbying violations and more. Hunter Biden has been under federal investigation since 2018, according to a source familiar with the matter. A separate source told Fox News that the federal grand jury looking into Hunter Biden’s business dealings wrapped up its latest term late last month, but said no charges have been filed. The investigation is being conducted by Delaware U.S. Attorney David Weiss, a prosecutor appointed by former President Donald Trump… The source said Hunter Biden could face possible false statements charges.

New Low: Biden approval rating hits all-time low of 31% –Majority of Dems don’t want him to run in 2024, poll shows | 20 July 2022 | Joe Biden’s approval rating among Americans drops to 31%, hitting new all-time low of his presidency [sic]. A Quinnipac University poll released Wednesday revealed Biden’s likability only continues to nose-dive, after 71% of Americans said they do not want Biden to rerun in 2024. Among the Democrats that participated in the poll, only 40% said that they would like to see Biden rerun, while 54% would not want the president to be the Democratic nominee. Despite Biden’s plummeting approval rating among Americans, he has teased his possible run for re-election in 2024.

Trump-backed Cox wins Maryland GOP primary for governor | 20 July 2022 | Dan Cox, endorsed by former President Trump, won the Republican primary for Maryland governor Tuesday, defeating a moderate rival backed by outgoing GOP Gov. Larry Hogan. The Associated Press called the race for Cox, a state legislator, with over 64% of the votes counted. He had 56.4% of the vote, compared to 40.2% for his closest rival, Kelly Schulz, who is a member of the outgoing Hogan administration. Cox has said Biden’s victory [sic] shouldn’t have been certified, called former Vice President Mike Pence a “traitor” and sought unsuccessfully to impeach Hogan for his pandemic policies, according to the wire service.

Russian scientists save tongue-tied polar bear | 22 July 2022 | Russian authorities flew a team of veterinarians all the way from Moscow to save a polar bear in the remote Arctic settlement of Dikson on Thursday. The female got her tongue stuck in a can of condensed milk and was slowly starving to death. A video of the bear begging for help on the porch of a house in Dikson went viral in Russia this week. “Half her tongue was stuck in the can,” Alexander Makarkin, the airport employee who recorded the video, told Russian media outlets. The bear had walked up to the porch of his house and Makarkin tried to remove the can from her mouth, capturing the moment on his cellphone camera. A team of specialists from the Moscow Zoo made the 2,730-kilometer (1,696-mile) trip to the Russian Arctic. Upon their arrival on Thursday, they quickly tranquilized the bear and gently removed the metal can from her tongue, which was severely injured. The female, whom they named “Monetka” was then given an infusion to recover her strength, and airlifted away from Dikson by helicopter.