The Daily Signal - Illegal China-Tied Biolab, Aid Workers Killed in Gaza, Florida Abortion Laws | April 2

Starting point is 00:00:00 I'm Virginia Allen, and this is the Daily Signal Top News for Tuesday, April 2nd. Here are today's headlines. Congress has been working to learn more about a lab in California that has ties to China. The lab reportedly had samples of the viruses that caused COVID-19, as well as Ebola, HIV-AIDS, malaria, and the tuberculosis viruses. The illegal lab was discovered when a Readley Code Enforcement official entered what she thought was an abandoned warehouse. The inspector found lab equipment, medical grade freezers, and mice for experiments. Our colleague Fred Lucas reports that newly released records offer a glimpse of how federal public health officials reacted when they were questioned by Congress about the biolab. The records cover last June, July, and August and include a message from a top official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Starting point is 00:01:13 In the message, the staff were warned that there is some congressional oversight heading our way. A total of 133 pages of documents make up the first installment of records obtained by the Heritage Foundation's Oversight Project through the Freedom of Information Act. And as many of you know, the Daily Signal is the news outlet of the Heritage Foundation. The House Select Committee on the coronavirus pandemic sought information in August on the China-linked research lab. The lab was discovered in December of 2022, again in that Reedley Creek, California area. Another House panel called the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party ultimately issued a scathing report on CDC and other agencies for their handling of the illicit lab. The Daily Signal asked the CDC for comment. And CDC spokesperson Nick Spinelli responded in a written statement saying, at the request of state and local officials,

Starting point is 00:02:14 CDC participated in approximately 40 calls with federal, state, and local partners to support the review of material in the Reedley building. The spokesperson continued that after state and local officials notified CDC of concerns in March, the California Department of Public Health, determined that no on-site assistance was needed, from CDC. In April, the Department of Public Health requested on-site assistance. We promptly responded and sent a team to the site. CDC was on site for two and a half days and conducted an extensive review. For more, if you want to dig a little bit deeper into this story, be sure to check out today's show notes for Fred Lucas's full report. Oregon is reversing course on drug decriminalization. Three years ago, Oregon decriminalized the possession of some hard drugs like cocaine, meth, and heroin.

Starting point is 00:03:11 But this week, Oregon Democratic governor, Tina Kotech, signed legislation on Monday that reverses that law. So it will once again be illegal to possess many hard drugs in the state of Oregon. Fox News reports that the initial decriminalization measure received about 58% of support from Oregon residents. However, in August, 56% of Oregon residents flipped on the law and bipartisan legislation was introduced to roll back the measure. Kotech discussed the new legislation known as House Bill 4002 in a letter to legislators. Kotech wrote that the House bill marks changes to the criminal consequences for possession of a controlled substance, the criminal standard for delivery of a controlled substance, and the criminal consequences for delivery. of a controlled substance within certain spaces.

Starting point is 00:04:06 And Kotech continued that the bill also establishes task forces concerned with behavioral health, establishes a behavioral health workforce program, and reduces barriers to consumer access to substance use disorder treatment. The new law will take effect on September 1st when according to Kotech's letter, a new misdemeanor crime of possession of the controlled substance will be available for drug and force.

Starting point is 00:04:32 The Florida Supreme Court handed down a decision on Monday to uphold the state's 15-week abortion ban. The ruling will also allow for the state's six-week abortion ban to take effect. However, the state Supreme Court also allowed for voters to weigh in on an abortion-related ballot initiative this November. So in November, voters will decide if they want to amend the state constitution. Now, the text that they will be voting on on whether or not to add this amendment, amendment to the Constitution reads, no law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient's health as determined by the patient's health care provider. This amendment does not change the legislature's constitutional authority

Starting point is 00:05:22 to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion. If this ballot Amendment does pass in November, that would mean that the state's current abortion restrictions, both that 15- and six-week abortion restriction, would be undone. Well, in world news today, tragically, seven aid workers have been killed by an Israeli air strike. The workers were from World Central Kitchen, and that organization has suspended deliveries as of today of food and aid into Gaza following the incident. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shared a recorded video on X on Tuesday, in which he said, unfortunately, in the past day, there was a tragic incident of an unintentional hit by our forces on innocent people in the Gaza Strip.

Starting point is 00:06:14 It happens during war. And Benjamin Netanyahu went on to say that we are in touch with governments and will do everything so that this doesn't happen again. Celebrity chef Jose André is the founder of World Central Kitchen. He also weighed in on the airstrike writing on X. Today, World Central Kitchen lost several of our sisters and brothers in an IDF air strike in Gaza. I am heartbroken and grieving for their families and friends and our whole World Central Kitchen family. These are people, angels. I served alongside in Ukraine, Gaza, Turkey, Morocco, Bahamas,

Starting point is 00:06:54 Indonesia. They are not faceless. They are not nameless. And Andre continued, the Israeli government needs to stop this indiscriminate killing. It needs to stop restricting humanitarian aid, stop killing civilians and aid workers, and stop using food as a weapon. No more innocent lives lost. Peace starts with our shared humanity. It needs to start now. National Security Communications, advisor John Kirby discussed the incident at the White House press briefing earlier today. Let's take listen to his comments via NBC News. We were outraged to learn of an IDF strike that killed a number of civilian humanitarian workers yesterday from the World Central Kitchen, which has been relentless in working to get food to those

Starting point is 00:07:38 who are hungry in Gaza and, quite frankly, around the world. We send our deepest condolences to their families and loved ones. We've seen the comments from Prime Minister Netanyahu and from the Israeli Defense Forces about their commitment to conduct an investigation. As we understand it, a preliminary investigation has been completed today and presented to the Army Chief of Staff and we'll obviously look to see what they discover in this preliminary one, but we expect the broader investigation to be conducted

Starting point is 00:08:05 and to be done so in a swift and comprehensive manner. We hope that those findings will be made public and that there is appropriate accountability held. But, I'm sorry, more than 200 aid workers have been killed in this conflict, making it one of the worst for aid workers in recent history. This incident is emblematic of a larger problem and evidence of why distribution of aid in Gaza

Starting point is 00:08:29 has been so challenging. But beyond this, what is clear, is that the IDF must do much more to improve deconfliction processes so that civilians and humanitarian aid workers are protected. The U.S. will continue to press Israel to do more as well to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers and we'll continue to do all we can to deliver this assistance to Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Well, in related international news today, Iran is blaming Israel for bombing its consulate in Syria.

Starting point is 00:09:03 The New York Times reported that Iran's supreme leader vowed that Israel would be punished by the hands of our brave men. CNN reports that, according to Iran's foreign ministry, the Israeli air strike killed at least seven officials, including a top commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a senior commander. Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Higari said to CNN that according to our intelligence, this is no consulate and this is no embassy. I repeat, this is no consulate and this is no embassy. This is a military building of Quds forces disguised as a civilian building in Damascus. As we close out our top news today, I want to take a minute to, to share with you all a very special announcement, there are many, many hands that go into making

Starting point is 00:09:54 top news happen every day. And we're so thankful for the folks that work behind the scenes every day in order to produce this show. And one of those people is my colleague, Samantha Asheras. As you all may remember, Samantha used to be a very common and regular voice on this show. And then we had announced several months ago that she was going to be out for a while because she was having a baby. Well, and she has welcomed a beautiful baby boy into the world.

Starting point is 00:10:19 And today is actually Sam's last day serving on the Daily Signal team. She helped produce this final podcast today. And we are just so thankful for all of her hard work for the many, many countless hours that she has spent, making sure that every single segment on this show is top notch and whether it was helping with video editing for social things and helping to promote podcasts or crafting these things. segments. Sam has had her hands in all of it, and we are just so thankful for her service over the past several years here at The Daily Signal. She is going to be dearly missed, but we certainly wish her well as she moves on to a new season. But with that, that is a great place to leave it

Starting point is 00:11:00 for today. Thanks so much for being with us here on the Daily Signal's top news. If you have not had the chance, make sure that you check out our morning show. Tomorrow morning, I'm going to be sitting down for an interview with climatologist David Legates. As we dive into some of the details climate change and specifically talk about the production of wind and solar and what the production of those items, the impact that they actually have on our climate. Is it actually a cleaner way to produce energy? He weighs in, so make sure that you check out that conversation tomorrow morning. And if you have some time, make sure that you leave the Daily Signal podcast, a five-star rating

Starting point is 00:11:37 and review. We so appreciate hearing your feedback. And be sure to click that subscribe button so you never miss out on our new shows. Have a great rest of your day. and we'll see you right back here on Wednesday morning for my conversation with climatologist, David Legates. The Daily Signal podcast is brought to by more than half a million members of the Heritage Foundation. Executive producers are Rob Lewy and Kate Trinko. Producers are Virginia Allen and Samantha Asheras.

Starting point is 00:12:06 Sound designed by Lauren Evans, Mark Geinney, and John Pop. To learn more, please visit DailySignal.com.

The Daily Signal - Illegal China-Tied Biolab, Aid Workers Killed in Gaza, Florida Abortion Laws | April 2

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