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Ukraine’s black market in COVID vaccine certificates

October 23, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(KYIV, Ukraine) — It doesn’t take long to buy a fake COVID-19 vaccine certificate in Ukraine. Just typing the words into Google brings up a slew of advertisements offering a certificate “without visiting a doctor.”

A would-be customer sends their passport details, address and a phone number through the Telegram messenger app, and the next day, a document showing fake proof of vaccination with Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine arrives in the post, according to several people who have bought one of the fake certificates, and who spoke to ABC News on condition of anonymity because the practice is illegal. They said prices for the certificates can vary anywhere from $20 to $200 (USD) with some fetching as much as $380.

The COVID vaccination certificate black market is becoming a growing concern in Ukraine, which is suffering from a worsening third wave of the pandemic amid low vaccination numbers and as the government tries to impose restrictions on the unvaccinated. The number of people who have already bought fake certificates is unknown, but some Telegram app channel advertising them have thousands of subscribers.

Svitlana is one of them. She said she bought a fake certificate in September showing she was inoculated with Pfizer/BionTech’s vaccine.

“I don’t trust neither vaccines nor the government,” she told ABC News, explaining her decision and declining to give her last name.

The demand for fake vaccine certificates exists despite the ease of getting a free COVID vaccine in Ukraine. As of late September there are over 11 million doses of different coronavirus vaccines in Ukraine now for a population of 44.1 million, according to Ukraine’s health ministry. The vaccine is free for all Ukrainians and in Kyiv, walk-in vaccination centers are even open in some shopping malls.

But despite the availability of vaccines, Ukraine is among one of the least vaccinated countries in Europe, with only around 30.2% of the population having received one dose and 14.7% fully vaccinated, according to a vaccine tracker published by Bloomberg. In late September the health minister Viktor Lyashko said 34,000 doses of Pfizer would be dumped because they had expired.

The low numbers are the product of widespread vaccine hesitancy among Ukrainians: 56% don’t plan to get vaccinated at all, according to a poll from the Ilko Kucheriv Foundation, a well-known independent think tank that conducts sociological studies.

“We observe this trend globally, however in Ukraine, misinformation about vaccination is extremely politicized and is spread both among the general public and the medical community,” Murat Shahin, head of the UNICEF office in Ukraine told ABC News this month.

Another problem is lack of quality medical education on vaccination which leads to incorrect practices and confuses patients, Shahin said.

“We also observe a suboptimal level of trust to state institutions,” he said. “Meanwhile, people trust their relatives, local leaders and their doctors and nurses.”

Some of the social media channels offering fake vaccine certificates are part of that ecosystem pushing anti-vaccine sentiment, sharing anti-vax information and news stories, while urging people to buy fake certificates to avoid getting the shot.

According to the same Ilko Kucheriv Foundation poll, some are reluctant because they are not sure about the safety of the vaccines. Some of those who spoke to ABC News said they resist just because they are forced to vaccinate.

There is no mandatory vaccination in Ukraine, except for teachers and civil servants, meaning there is little pressure to vaccinate. But some companies are pressing their employees to vaccinate, threatening to cut salaries or reduce vacation days.

And a vaccine certificate is necessary to travel. Ukraine has created its own digital certificate in an app, called Diya (“Action”) that is valid in EU countries.

Wanting to go abroad, some Ukrainians are refusing the free shot of the real vaccine and instead are paying money for a fake certificate. On a site listing the phone number of one seller, users reviewed the service.

“We’ve just crossed the border in Rava Russka [in Poland], our border service scanned the certificate and let us go without any problems,” one wrote. “I took it to Germany. All worked,” another said.

Some services provide paper certificates. A fake official stamp is applied using the real names of doctors and clinics, based on samples posted by some of the Telegram channels offering them.

Getting the digital proof of vaccination without being vaccinated is more difficult. It is still possible for a bribe, according to some people ABC News talked to on condition of anonymity.

Some Ukrainians are simply paying doctors to sign off on their digital vaccine certificates, by entering them as vaccinated in Ukraine’s state vaccination register. After that, a digital certificate appears in the official Diya app, which is also valid in the EU.

Oleksiy Vyskyb, Ukraine’s deputy minister for digital transformation, told ABC News that some doctors were charging a fee to falsely enter people’s name into the state register showing vaccinated citizens.

One of the sellers confirmed that in a Telegram chat with an ABC reporter posing as a potential customer. ABC News did not actually purchase a fake certificate.

“We put the data into the register,” a person who identified themselves as a support manager responded when asked by the reporter how it would work.

Another channel said that the clinic where the false vaccination happens “dumps” two real doses of Pfizer and VaxZevria after pretending the client has received them.. They also offer “to save” these doses for the client to be vaccinated later if they change their mind before the vaccine expires two months later. Both options cost around $60.

According to some advertisements you can get a forged vaccination certificate even if you’re a foreigner. It will cost a bit more than for a Ukrainian citizen — $380 if you’re abroad, according to one ad.

Besides becoming part of a dangerous invisible pool of unvaccinated people that undermine restrictions and spread infection, those buying fake certificates may be unable to get a real shot later on since they are already recorded as having received one in the state registry, Shahin said.

Ukraine’s authorities say they are now trying to crackdown on the practice. Ukraine’s security service, the SBU, together with the country’s cyberpolice, said they have opened nearly 500 criminal proceedings relating to the selling of forged paper vaccination certificates and that more than 50 web resources have been blocked. So far, only three cases have been opened against doctors for allegedly entering false information into the register. Those detained face up to six years in prison. But government says it wants to increase the punishment.

This week, Ukraine imposed a full lockdown in four regions as Ukraine’s daily numbers continue to worsen, recently hitting its highest level since the country’s second wave in the spring. Ukrainian authorities reported 22,415 new confirmed infections and 546 deaths in the past 24 hours, the highest numbers since the start of the pandemic. Most experts also believe the real number of cases and deaths are likely higher, since not all are recorded with testing.

“People who use fake certificates create a dangerous space for others,” Maria Karchevych, Ukraine’s deputy health minister said at a press conference in Kyiv last week.

She said the fake COVID vaccine certificate industry also threatens Ukraine’s international image since Ukraine was among the first non-European Union countries to have its national vaccine pass recognized by the EU for travel.

“EU countries expect transparency and honesty in using such documents,” she said.

Hummer EV truck shows it can compete with its gas-powered rivals

October 23, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(MICHIGAN) — “Attack the grade here. Now mash the brake and modulate the throttle,” Al Oppenheiser, the chief engineer of GMC’s Hummer EV, guided me as I carefully steered the 9,000-lb. truck up a steep, rocky incline.

Oppenheiser and I were driving an early prototype of the $112,595 pickup truck along a course designed to test its on-road and off-road capabilities at General Motors’ proving grounds in Milford, Michigan.

Oppenheiser, a longtime GM employee and former chief engineer of the Camaro, dedicated nearly three years to building the all-electric Hummer. The leviathan conquers off-roading meccas, nimbly handles tight corners and illustrates how internal combustion engines are relics of the past.

Customer deliveries of the Hummer EV Edition 1 begin in December. First-year production is completely sold out though a GM spokesperson declined to say how many are being built. The next Hummer EV, a sport utility vehicle, launches in the first quarter of 2023.

The Hummer EV, which debuted a year ago, already has formidable competition in the red-hot EV truck market: Tesla’s Cybertruck, Rivian’s R1T, the Ford F-150 Lightning, the Fisker Alaska, Bollinger’s B1 and B2. In January, GM will also introduce an all-electric Sierra pickup truck, built with the same Ultium battery-pack technology as in the Hummer. Seeing GM and Ford workers pull up to production plants in brawny diesel and V8-powered trucks motivated Oppenheiser to develop a hardcore electric pickup.

“I would ask myself, ‘Why would these people buy an electric truck?'” Oppenheiser said. “A truck is a truck in our opinion. The off-roading world has been waiting to see what EV trucks can do.”

GM has invested billions in its third-generation EV platform and is targeting annual global EV sales of more than 1 million by 2025. Battery cells will be mass-produced at a $2.3 billion plant GM is building with its partner LG Chem in Lordstown, Ohio. The Ultium system could offer driving ranges of up to 400 miles on a full charge and 0 to 60 mph acceleration of 3.0 seconds, according to the Detroit automaker.

The Hummer EV gets an estimated range of 350 miles and the truck’s three electric motors make 1,000 horsepower and 11,500 lb-ft of torque. Top speed is 106 mph.

“You’re buying this vehicle for lots of reasons. One of them is 1,000 hp,” Oppenheiser said.

It took engineers 117 weeks to complete the development of the Hummer EV.

Ed Kim, an analyst and vice president at AutoPacific, has his doubts that traditional, die-hard truck owners are ready to shift to EVs. Power and torque — key features on any EV — matter greatly to this core group of buyers but, he argued, truck owners can be averse to change.

“The Hummer won’t have [Ford] F-Series volume here,” he told ABC News, referring to the top-selling truck in the U.S. for 44 straight years. “But GM does not have to sell a ton of Hummers for it to be a success. There are plenty of people out there ready to pay six figures for a high-image vehicle.”

He went on, “Every automaker has decided there is gold to be found in electric trucks. We’re seeing a saturation in truck EV space … there are too many too soon in the short term.”

AutoPacific forecasts U.S. EV sales to total 440,000 units this year, up from 262,000 in 2020 and 253,000 in 2019. That number will keep rising as consumers realize EVs are not disruptive to their daily habits, Kim said.

“Every year we see range going up, better performance … there is a rapid level of learning among automakers,” he noted. “We’ll still see battery hiccups here and there. Everyone is having growing pains. Battery chemistry is new to automakers and engineers are still figuring it out.”

GM’s engineering teams, seeking to maximum power and range in upcoming EVs, are hard at work on the next iteration of cell chemistries, according to Kevin Robinet, assistant chief engineer of GM’s battery electric propulsion systems.

“We’re already talking about battery improvements for mid-decade,” he told ABC News. “It’s an evolving tech. As energy density improves, batteries will weigh less and so will the vehicles.”

K.C. Colwell, Car and Driver’s deputy testing director, expects the Hummer to be a big part of GM’s ambitious EV product plan.

“This is a halo product for GMC and for the Ultium battery technology,” he told ABC News, adding, “GMC has not had a halo product since the Typhoon,” a high-performance SUV that GM produced from 1991 to 1993.

And the reborn Hummer, a shell of its boxy, gas-guzzling former self, may finally win over the environmentalists who once decried its hefty carbon footprint.

“It behaves more like a supercar than a pickup truck,” Colwell said. “GM is going after a completely different audience — the early adopters, the Tesla buyers.”

At the proving grounds, the Hummer EV tackled each drill with finesse, performing a full-turning circle (“You’d never be able to do this in a solid rear-axle truck,” Oppenheiser declared), maneuvering like a crab on dirt, slaloming through serpentine cones and accelerating instantaneously in “Watts to Freedom” launch control mode.

Getting Americans aboard the EV bandwagon will be a daunting task for legacy automakers like GM. But Oppenheiser, a “high-performance car guy” with over 2,000 hp in his garage, said the Hummer will convince others like himself that it’s possible.

“It’s pretty damn cool,” he said with a laugh.

Obama hits campaign trail ahead of gubernatorial elections in Virginia, New Jersey

October 23, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(VIRGINIA) — With just over a week to go until the last day of voting in Virginia and New Jersey, former President Barack Obama is joining each state’s Democratic nominee for governor on the campaign trail Saturday, hoping to motivate the party’s base to turn out in their state’s off-year general elections.

Always held the year after a presidential election, the statewide and legislative races in both states are seen as bellwethers for the nation’s political landscape going into the midterms. A strong showing by Democrats could assuage party fears about 2022, but if Republicans make gains, it will serve as a warning shot for Democrats as they try to connect with voters in the post-Trump era.

Obama isn’t the first top surrogate to hit the trail with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who is hoping to secure Virginia’s top executive post for a second time after leaving office in 2018. First lady Jill Biden stumped with both Democrats last week, and Georgia’s Stacey Abrams and Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned with McAuliffe Sunday and Thursday, respectively.

“Let’s be clear about who this man is. He has the life experience, the professional experience, the experience in this state. … he walks his talk, he is a fighter,” Harris said of McAuliffe. “When you elect somebody or governor, you want to make sure you really know who they are. Well, we know who Terry is.”

Acknowledging how close the race is between McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin, she added, “We got to make it clear that we’re not taking anything for granted. You know, four years ago, there was a lot of folks who said, ‘Oh, if I don’t vote, everything will be alright. It wasn’t alright.”

McAuliffe also has an event planned with President Joe Biden in deep blue Arlington on Tuesday. While Biden and McAuliffe have been friends for over 40 years, the president hasn’t stumped with him since late July. Earlier this month, McAuliffe acknowledged Biden’s approval rating has taken a hit since then.
“We are facing a lot of headwinds from Washington, as you know. The president is unpopular today unfortunately here in Virginia, so we have got to plow through,” he said at a virtual rally.

Those headwinds appear to be hampering McAuliffe more than Murphy, according to public polling.
A September poll from Monmouth University showed Murphy with a 13-point lead over his Republican opponent, former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, among New Jersey registered voters. Ciattarelli has taken aim at Murphy’s handling of the COVID19 pandemic, arguing the Democrat’s policies have been too restrictive and the state’s economy has suffered for it. But according to Monmouth’s poll, half of registered voters have more trust in Murphy to handle the pandemic.

On the economy and taxes, issues that have been front and center in Ciattarelli’s campaign, the Republican fares better against Murphy.

In Virginia, however, the gubernatorial race is neck and neck. A Monmouth poll out Wednesday showed McAuliffe and Youngkin, a former private equity executive, tied among registered voters, and for the first time in the university’s polling of this race, Youngkin leads in one probabilistic likely electorate model.

Howard University students protest housing conditions with on-campus tent city

October 23, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — Dozens of Howard University students are sleeping outdoors in a tent encampment on campus grounds to protest what they describe as “poor” and “unlivable” conditions in the college dormitories.

Students told ABC News that portions of the university living quarters have mold and insect and rodent infestations, as well as leaky ceilings and flooding — all of which they say put their health at risk.

Lamiya Murray, an 18-year-old freshman currently living in one of the tents, believes the mold that she said she spotted in her dorm room was responsible for a respiratory infection she battled earlier this year.

“I’m not going to say that I expect a lot more, I expect the bare minimum. I expect decent housing,” Murray told ABC News. “I expect to be in a space where I will feel safe and secure, but the dorms became a health hazard. I was waking up every morning with a cough that I didn’t go to sleep with the night before, and struggling to breathe at night.”

Murray said her reports to campus maintenance have often gone unresolved.

@HowardU IM PISSED. OVER 24 hours and NO change. IVE BEEN BREATHING THIS IN. mold has been growing under my microwave, on my mattress. in my closet. on my suitcase. behind my mirror. in my FRIDGE. i am taking legal actions and i’ll be damned if anyone stops me. @fox5dc pic.twitter.com/euJlWdZQAx

— kaedriana (@kaeebhabie) October 15, 2021

Since Oct. 12, Murray and other student demonstrators have taken over the Blackburn University Center, a student hub and cafeteria located in the central yard of the campus. Organizers said they are not allowing administrators inside the Blackburn building.

One day after the protest began, on Oct. 13, the Howard University Division of Student Affairs issued a warning to protesters occupying the Blackburn University Center, citing the demonstrators for multiple violations of the university’s student code of conduct.

“You will proceed through a student conduct hearing and face consequences up to and including expulsion from the University. The judicial process will be conducted within the procedures of the Student Code of Conduct,” Cynthia Evers, vice president for student affairs, wrote in an email to students, obtained by ABC News.

“We take great pride in Howard students leading the nation in public and private fights for justice and equality in all corners of the nation and, in fact, the world,” the email continued. “However, there is a marked delineation between historic protests and what we witnessed yesterday [Oct. 12] . The University looks to fully preserve the integrity and authenticity of students’ constitutionally guaranteed rights of free speech and assembly while protecting against the weaponization of these rights as false representations of the Howard student experience at large.”

Outside the building, a banner draped across the sidewalk reads: “Enough is enough.” A number of students told ABC News they would rather sleep outside than in their dorm rooms.

Fellow student protesters took turns guarding the door of the center, where some demonstrators inside could be seen through the window resting in sleeping bags, studying or eating food donated by alumni and local civil rights groups who visited them in support of their cause.

“All of our Blackburn family is allowed in and out of the building,” Murray said, telling ABC News they are not allowing administrators or press into the building. “It’s the outsiders that we’re worried about. We’re trying to keep students safe and keep everybody in an atmosphere where they feel comfortable to express the things that are happening on campus.”

“if you really support Black Colleges, share this, support us!” #BlackburnTakeover pic.twitter.com/2l4giD3NGh

— Nightmare on Howard Pl (@foreverambre) October 13, 2021

A private group message board shared among students and reviewed by ABC News posted photos they say show hazardous dorm environments.

The sit-in, organized by the Young Democratic Socialists of America and The Live Movement, has gone viral under the hashtag #BlackburnTakeover. The tweets have garnered attention from celebrities, including artists from rapper Gucci Mane’s 1017 record label, who pulled out of performing at Howard University’s homecoming this weekend. Students at other historically Black colleges and universities have also shared videos and pictures on social media of alleged low-quality living conditions at their schools.

“There are students whose belongings were lost, or have been destroyed by floods, by mold, by all types of insufficient living conditions and it’s hurtful. Even if you’re not the person who is experiencing that, just listening and taking it in, with us being a community, it’s very hurtful to hear,” said Deja Redding, a Howard University graduate student and director of The Live Movement, a campus-based organization focused on advocating for racial equity in education.

Alumni and local community members provided an outdoor pantry with food, water and…Read More
There have been 34 reports of concerns related to discoloration, or suspected fungal growth, across more than 5,050 beds. This represents 0.67% of the total on-campus beds, according to Howard University officials.

“The well-being of our students is always one of Howard University’s top concerns, and we always support students’ right to peacefully protest. The administration is actively addressing the concerns students have shared. While there have only been a small number of documented reports, we are actively seeking out any issues that may be in the dorms by going door to door to address each room,” Frank Tramble, vice president of communications and chief communications officer at Howard University, said in a statement to ABC News.

Tramble said cabinet members of the university administration have personally visited the campus housing facilities to survey dorms. He also said students impacted have been placed in temporary housing as the university works to address the issues.

“We also remind students to submit a maintenance request so we can address each situation and ensure our students’ living conditions are safe and habitable. We care about our students and are working to ensure that we are finding, addressing, and remediating any issues,” Tramble added.

The Howard University Division of Student Affairs also acknowledged the presence of mold in select residence halls in an email sent to the students, but assured them that the issue is not widespread.

“There have been rooms in select residence halls that were affected by mold growth. The University’s response held the third-party vendor fully accountable, and they are conducting mold remediation and HVAC duct cleaning in the impacted rooms, and throughout the building as part of third quarter preventive maintenance,” Evers said to students in the email statement.

“Long, hot, wet summers, record-high temperatures and humidity are environmental factors that create the climatic conditions that foster mold growth. We have listened to our students’ concerns, and we have been responsive,” Evers added.

However, some students believe the damage may be more widespread than officially reported.

Demonstrators are demanding a town hall with Howard University President Wayne Frederick. They are also pressuring the administration to reinstate students, faculty and alumni on the university board of trustees, who were previously removed from their positions after the university voted unanimously in June to restructure the board to improve the process of governance. Students are also asking for a plan of action to improve housing for incoming students, and provide academic and legal immunity for all the students participating in the protest.

“We are not satisfied. What we’re hearing is all talk. We’re waiting for those actions to be put in place so we can allow Howard to have their Blackburn cafeteria back, but until then, we will still be occupying that space until the demands are met,” Murray said.

Over the past two years, Howard University has received large donations, including a $40 million donation from billionaire philanthropist Mackenzie Scott, Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife, the most significant single donor gift in Howard’s history.

HBCUs across the country received approximately $2.6 billion through the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund, a $40 billion funding allocation set aside for higher education as part of the American Rescue Plan. Advocates say more federal resources are needed to fund and support HBCUs.

With the Founders Library in the background, a young man reads on Howard University…Read More
In 2020, HBCUs saw a surge in admissions. Howard University experienced a 15.9% increase in fall 2020 applications, according to a press release.

Interest in attending and supporting HBCUs surfaced following the racial reckoning sparked by the killing of George Floyd and resulting protests, according to an Inside Higher Ed report.

At the start of the 2021 school year, Howard students took to social media calling out the deteriorating and limited housing capacity. Howard University has refuted claims of a housing shortage on campus in statements to students and to ABC News.

“Students have reported on social media that there are Howard University students who are homeless. We have a 94 percent occupancy rate at present, which means we have hundreds of available beds to house students. We encourage any student experiencing housing issues to email hureslife@howard.edu for assistance. As we did last year, we will assist with securing housing, and we have continued to maintain and make available the food pantry on campus for students who are food insecure,” Tramble told ABC News.

Redding said student organizers feel confident their protests will pressure the university administration to reach a resolution to improve on-campus housing.

“It does not matter what happens, we will always find a way to persevere through this,” Redding said.

Annual border arrests hit record high despite trending down in recent months

October 22, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Border Patrol arrested migrants more times in the past year than in any other fiscal year in recorded history, according to Customs and Border Protection data released Friday.

Authorities encountered unauthorized migrants along the southwest border more than 1.73 million times in budget year 2021, according to the data. Of those, about 1.66 million arrests were made by Border Patrol.

The prior record was set in 2000 at about 1.64 million, according to Border Patrol data.

However, migration experts caution that the data has become complicated to track over several decades.

The estimated number of migrants who evaded Border Patrol custody in 2000 was pegged at more than 2.1 million by the Department of Homeland Security. That number declined by about 92% between 2000 and 2018 as Border Patrol funding increased. For 2021, reports analyzed by the Migration Policy Institute estimate the number of successful unlawful entries to be about 540,000.

In recent months, more than a quarter of encounters involved migrants who had previously tried to cross at least once before in the past year. That’s compared to a re-encounter rate of 14% between budget years 2014 and 2019.

Despite the surge of Haitian migrants seen in Del Rio, Texas, last month, overall enforcement actions declined for the second month in a row from 209,840 in August to about 192,000 in September. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has pointed to the declining numbers as evidence the administration’s migration strategy is working.

“Tragically, former President Trump slashed our international assistance to Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, slashed the resources that we were contributing to address the root causes of irregular migration,” Mayorkas said in August as anticipated seasonal migration declines failed to bear out over summer. “Another reason is the end of the cruel policies of the past administration and the restoration of the rule of laws of this country that Congress has passed, including our asylum laws that provide humanitarian relief.”

Immigrant advocates, and some immigration officials, have pointed to the rapid expulsion protocols carried out under Title 42 of the U.S. health code by both the Trump and Biden administrations as the reason behind the elevated rate of repeat offenders attempting to cross illegally.

Biden administration officials have also blamed the Trump administration’s hardline measures at the border, saying it resulted in pent up demand for humanitarian relief. Critics of the administration consider the record-high number of overall encounters to be the product of Biden’s moves to roll back some of Trump’s aggressive policies.

Asked at a CNN town hall event if he planned to go to the border himself, President Joe Biden said, “I guess I should,” but did not provide certainty.

“I’ve been there before and I haven’t — I mean, I know it well,” Biden said. “I guess I should go down. But the whole point of it is, I haven’t had a whole hell of a lot of time to get down.”

Walmart recalls aromatherapy spray linked to rare bacterial illness, 2 deaths

October 22, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Walmart has recalled an aromatherapy spray after it identified a bacteria in the product that has now been linked to four illnesses and two deaths.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Friday that it had identified the bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei in the aromatherapy spray.

The spray, “Better Homes & Gardens Lavender & Chamomile Essential Oil Infused Aromatherapy Room Spray with Gemstones,” was found Oct. 6 in the home of a Georgia resident who became ill with melioidosis in late July, according to the CDC.

The CDC said it will continue to test the bacteria in the bottle to potentially match the bacteria identified in the four patients. The symptoms of melioidosis are similar to that of a cold or flu, according to the CDC.

The contaminated spray was sold at about 55 Walmart stores and on Walmart’s websites between February and Oct. 21.

Walmart has pulled the remaining bottles of this spray and related products from the shelves and its websites.

“Our hearts go out to the families that have been impacted by this situation,” Inger Damon, director of the CDC’s Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, said in a statement. “We at CDC have been very concerned to see these serious related illness spread across time and geography. That is why our scientists have continued to work tirelessly to try to find the potential source for the melioidosis infections in these patients. We hope this work can help protect other people who may have used this spray.”

The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Walmart issued a recall for the lavender and chamomile room spray along with five other scents in the same product line.

The CDC will continue to investigate whether other related aromatherapy scents and brands may pose a risk.

US cleans up Biden’s ‘commitment’ to defend Taiwan from Chinese invasion

October 22, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The Biden administration is again playing cleanup after President Joe Biden said the U.S. would come to Taiwan’s defense in the event of an invasion by mainland China — despite decades of policy that leaves that an open question.

His comment prompted a stern warning from the People’s Republic of China, which considers the self-governing island a breakaway province, especially since Biden has made it twice now in the last couple of months.

That’s led to speculation that Biden may be pushing the boundaries of “strategic ambiguity,” the longstanding U.S. policy that leaves unanswered whether and how the U.S. would intervene in a conflict across the Taiwan Strait. In recent months, as China has escalated its incursions into Taiwan’s air defense zone and ramped up its rhetoric about reunion, some China hawks in Washington have called for an end to the policy.

But the White House, the State Department, and the Pentagon all said Friday there was no change in U.S. policy despite Biden’s answer during a CNN town hall.

“There has been no shift,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters. “The president was not announcing any change in our policy, nor has he made a decision to change our policy. There is no change in our policy.”

Speaking at NATO headquarters, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said the U.S. would continue to provide Taiwan “the sorts of capabilities that it needs to defend itself.” But he dismissed questions about a Chinese attack as a “hypothetical.”

State Department spokesperson Ned Price went the further, telling reporters, “We have been nothing but clear when it comes to where we stand.”

But Biden has been anything but clear. In August, the president told ABC News’s George Stephanopoulos that the U.S. had a commitment to act “if in fact anyone were to invade or take action against NATO,” Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. While that’s true of the first three — all treaty allies of the United States — it isn’t of Taiwan.

Instead, since a 1979 agreement, the U.S. has recognized the People’s Republic of China, including Taiwan, as the sole legal government of China — what’s known as the ‘One China’ policy. But under that agreement, the U.S. has maintained unofficial relations with Taiwan’s government, which is defined by a 1979 law that then-senator Biden voted for. The law commits the U.S. “to assist Taiwan in maintaining its defensive capability,” to oppose any one-sided changes in the status quo and to support a peaceful resolution to their differences, according to the State Department.

But Biden contradicted that again on Thursday, telling CNN’s Anderson Cooper that he would have the U.S. military come to Taiwan’s defense.

“If China attacked?” Cooper followed up — and Biden responded, “Yes, we have a commitment to do that.”

In response, China’s Foreign Ministry issued its own warning about its “determination and ability to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

“We urge the U.S. to strictly abide by the one-China principle and the three Sino-U.S. joint communiqués, be cautious in its words and deeds on the Taiwan issue, and refrain from sending any false signals to the ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces — or it will seriously damage to Sino-U.S. relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” said Wang Wenbin during a briefing Friday.

Some China hawks in the U.S. have been urging the administration to end “strategic ambiguity” and clearly commit to Taiwan’s defense, arguing China’s increasing pressure on the island is a signal it is preparing to retake it by force and that a clear U.S. commitment would deter that.

But Biden’s own pick for U.S. ambassador to China disagreed, just one day prior to the president’s comments. During his Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday, retired career ambassador Nick Burns called for strengthening the U.S. military position in the region and selling weapons to Taiwan to make it a “tough nut to crack.”

When asked about ending “strategic ambiguity,” however, Burns said, “My own view, and this is also the view … more importantly of the Biden administration, is that the smartest and effective way for us to help deter aggressive actions by [China] across the Taiwan Strait will be to stay with a policy that’s been in place.”

It’s not the first time an American president has had to walk back comments about Taiwan’s defense. In 2001, shortly after he took office, George W. Bush told ABC News’s Charlie Gibson he would also come to Taiwan’s defense.

“With the full force of the American military?” asked Gibson. Bush responded: “Whatever it took to help Taiwan defend herself.”

Biden, then the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, blasted Bush in an editorial, writing, “In this case, his inattention to detail has damaged U.S. credibility with our allies and sown confusion throughout the Pacific Rim.”

“Words matter, in diplomacy and in law,” Biden added.

ABC News’s Karson Yiu contributed to this report from Hong Kong and Ben Gittleson from the White House.

Amazon workers in Staten Island say they’re planning to file for union election

October 22, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — A coalition of Amazon warehouse workers in the New York City area has announced plans to file for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board next week.

The group, which calls themselves the Amazon Labor Union, are being led by a former fulfillment center employee of the e-commerce giant, Chris Smalls. He became the face of the labor movement at Amazon when he was fired under contentious circumstances at the beginning of the pandemic after organizing a demonstration over working conditions amid the health crisis.

The move comes some six months after a high-profile union bid by Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama, who sought to be represented by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. The unionization efforts garnered support from lawmakers and even President Joe Biden. Ultimately, however, the election resulted in the Alabama workers overwhelmingly voting not to form a union — though the RWDSU has accused Amazon of union-busting techniques — Amazon denies this — and has filed objections over the election with the NLRB.

“We’re completely independent, worker-led through and through, grassroots,” Smalls said of the New York-based group, adding that they felt there were “missed opportunities” with the failed effort in Alabama.

“We’re just trying to navigate our way — we think we know the ins-and-outs of the company better than a third party or an established union,” Smalls said in describing why they’re seeking to create an independent union. He said he’d worked at Amazon for almost five years before his termination and that his fellow lead-organizers have similar experiences.

Smalls said organizers are seeking to obtain better job security, pay and working conditions through collective bargaining.

“Amazon has a high turnover rate — they hire and fire all the time,” he said. “We want to protect workers with their job.”

“We also want a decent living wage,” he added. “I know Amazon’s going to claim that they pay better than competitors, but with the cost of living in the New York state area, it’s still not sustainable.”

He said Amazon can afford to pay workers better, pointing to the wealth of founder Jeff Bezos, who was only recently unseated by Elon Musk as the richest man in the world, per Bloomberg’s real-time data on billionaires.

Smalls said they have more than 2,000 workers who have signed union cards, and they plan to deliver these to the NLRB’s office on Monday to file for the union election for four facilities in Staten Island. There are approximately 7,000 workers at the facilities, according to Smalls, and organizers need signatures from at least 30% of the workers. He said they’re confident they’ll secure the remaining portion before Monday.

A statement from the newly formed coalition of workers said that they built trust among colleagues through months of organizing efforts that included hosting barbecues, handing out food and cold water and holding rallies.

“This is truly a remarkable historical moment for all Amazon workers all over the country,” the Amazon Labor Union stated. “Workers under the banner of the ALU have already broken barriers, and we will continue to do so. We’re not getting complacent, and we now need the support of the communities more than ever as our fight is just getting started.”

The move comes amid a spate of strikes and new employee activism in the workplace as the pandemic wanes in the U.S.

“The timing is, like, perfect, everybody’s been paying attention to the strikes, especially Amazon workers as well,” Smalls said. “So it’s kind of like we all stand in solidarity, even though we’re in different industries.”

“I think what we’re doing here is historical, and I think the Amazon workers are happy to be a part of it,” he added.

Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokesperson, told ABC News in a statement Friday that they don’t feel unions “are the best answer for our employees.”

“Our employees have the choice of whether or not to join a union. They always have,” Nantel said. “Every day we empower people to find ways to improve their jobs, and when they do that we want to make those changes — quickly. That type of continuous improvement is harder to do quickly and nimbly with unions in the middle.”

Former Giuliani associate Lev Parnas found guilty of unlawful campaign donations

October 22, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(NEW YORK) — Soviet-born businessman Lev Parnas, a former associate of Rudy Giuliani, was found guilty Friday of making unlawful campaign donations totaling more than $350,000 to two pro-Trump super PACs and a GOP congressman in 2018, acting as a straw donor for a wealthy Russian who wanted to enter the burgeoning marijuana market in the United States.

Co-defendant Andrey Kukushkin was also convicted in the case, which was tried in a Manhattan federal court.

The illegal donations overlapped with Giuliani’s quest in Ukraine to unearth information that could damage then-presidential candidate Joe Biden, an effort in which Parnas allegedly positioned himself as a middleman.

“In order to gain influence with American politicians and candidates, they illegally funneled foreign money into the 2018 midterm elections with an eye toward making huge profits in the cannabis business,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said of Parnas and Kukushkin. “Campaign finance laws are designed to protect the integrity of our free and fair elections — unencumbered by foreign interests or influence — and safeguarding those laws is essential to preserving the freedoms that Americans hold sacred.”

As he left court, Parnas was heard saying “I’m upset, but i want to get back to my wife and my kids. We put up an incredible fight.”

Parnas was also convicted of using a shell company, as well as money belonging to his associate Igor Fruman, to funnel hundreds of thousands of dollars into Republican and pro-Trump political action committees. Fruman previously pleaded guilty in that case.

The defense portrayed Parnas as “in over his head” but not someone who willfully violated any laws.

Parnas was arrested two years ago at Dulles Airport holding a one-way ticket to Vienna. He now faces up to 45 years in prison.

Suspected poacher likely killed by elephant in South Africa

October 22, 2021 by WDNY Radio

(LONDON) — A suspected poacher found dead in a South African national park is believed to have been killed by an elephant, park officials said.

Rangers in Kruger National Park discovered the body on Thursday after following tracks in the Stolznek section of the giant game reserve, a spokesperson for the park said in a statement on Twitter.

“Initial investigations suspect that the deceased was killed by an elephant and left behind by his accomplices,” the statement said.

The identity of the deceased individual was not released.

The Rangers did not find any animals killed in the immediate area, the spokesperson said.

Park officials took the opportunity to warn that it is “dangerous to hunt illegally” in the park.

“Criminals stand to lose their lives and freedom,” the statement said.

Kruger National Park is South Africa’s largest wildlife sanctuary, encompassing nearly 5 million acres. The game reserve is also one of the hardest-hit regions in the country for rhino poaching. The park’s rhino population has decreased by 60% since 2013. In the first half of 2020, 166 rhinos were poached in South Africa, with 88 in Kruger National Park.

There are 3,529 white rhinos and 268 black rhinos left in Kruger National Park, according to South African National Parks.

To help combat rhino poaching, in recent months Kruger National Park has deployed more patrols in addition to using dogs and detection technologies to track suspects.

Between July and September, there was a nearly 30% increase in the number of poachers arrested in the park compared with the same period last year, according to South African National Parks.

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