Today’s Top 5:
1.Biden Bans Some Investments in China, Declares ‘National Emergency’
President Joe Biden on Aug. 9 signed an executive order to begin the process of restricting high-tech U.S.-based investments going toward China in the areas of artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and semiconductors.
The executive order, which is likely to take effect next year following a comment period, will authorize the Treasury secretary to regulate U.S. investments into Chinese technologies deemed to affect national security, according to senior administration officials.
The president, in the order, declared a national emergency in relation to the “unusual and extraordinary threat” posed by “countries of concern” that are using sensitive technologies to advance their military and intelligence capabilities. It added that U.S. investments “risk exacerbating this threat.”
“The Biden administration is committed to keeping America safe and defending America’s national security,” one official said in an Aug. 9 press call. “That includes appropriately protecting technologies that are critical to the next generation of military innovation.
2.Hawaii wildfire death toll rises to 36
Several thousand residents of Hawaii raced to escape homes on Maui as the Lahaina fire swept across the island, killing at least 36 people and burning parts of a centuries-old town.
The fire took the island of Maui by surprise, leaving behind burnt cars on once-busy streets and smoking piles of rubble where historic buildings had stood. Flames roared throughout the night, forcing adults and children to dive into the ocean for safety.
Maui County announced the updated death toll on its website late Wednesday, writing that no other details were currently available. Officials earlier said that 271 structures were damaged or destroyed, and dozens of people injured.
On Wednesday, crews were continuing to battle blazes in several places on the island. Authorities urged visitors to stay away.
3.Man Killed During FBI Raid After Allegedly Threatening Biden
A man was killed as FBI agents executed a search warrant in Utah on Aug. 9, officials confirmed.
There was a shooting in Provo, Utah around 6:15 a.m. local time, the FBI said.
“The incident began when special agents attempted to serve arrest and search warrants at a residence. The subject is deceased,” a bureau spokesperson told The Epoch Times via email.
“The FBI takes all shooting incidents involving our agents or task force members seriously. In accordance with FBI policy, the shooting incident is under review by the FBI’s Inspection Division. As this is an ongoing matter, we have no further details to provide,” the spokesperson added.
A U.S. Secret Service spokesperson told The Epoch Times via email that the agency is aware of an FBI probe “involving an individual in Utah who has exhibited threats to a Secret Service protectee.”
4.US special counsel obtained search warrant for Trump’s Twitter account
The US special counsel who is investigating Donald Trump obtained a search warrant for the former president’s Twitter account, and the social media platform delayed complying, a court filing on Wednesday showed.
The delay in compliance prompted a federal judge to hold Twitter in contempt and fine it $350,000, the filing showed.
The filing says the team of US special counsel Jack Smith obtained a search warrant in January directing Twitter, which recently rebranded to X, to produce “data and records” related to Trump’s Twitter account as well as a non-disclosure agreement prohibiting Twitter from disclosing the search warrant.
The filing says prosecutors got the search warrant after a court “found probable cause to search the Twitter account for evidence of criminal offenses”. The court found that disclosing the warrant could risk that Trump would “would seriously jeopardize the ongoing investigation” by giving him “an opportunity to destroy evidence, change patterns of behavior”, according to the filing.
5.January 6 Committee Destroyed Records, Videos; Trump’s Rights Violated
The House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol, as it was officially known, was convened by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) under chairman Rep. Benny Thompson (D-MS). Though the committee was to have been composed of eight Democrats and five Republicans, Pelosi took the unprecedented step of rejecting two Republican nominees, whereupon McCarthy pulled all of the Republican nominees. She handpicked two anti-Trump Republicans instead.
WORLD NEWS
Foreigners Paid More Than $20 Million to Biden Family, Associates: Bank Records
President Joe Biden’s son, other family members, and their associates were paid more than $20 million by Russians and other foreigners while President Biden was vice president, according to bank records released on Aug. 9.
Russian, Ukrainian, and Kazakhstan nationals were among those paying the Biden family and their associates, according to the records. Russian billionaire Yelena Baturina, for instance, paid $3.5 million to a company called Rosemont Seneca Thornton, with about a third going to Hunter Biden associate Devon Archer. Another $2.75 million went to an account started just one day earlier for Rosemont Seneca Bohai on Feb. 13, 2014.
Mr. Archer testified recently that he and Mr. Hunter Biden co-owned the account.
Niger: Coup Leaders Reject U.N. Mission, Accuse France of Freeing Terrorists on Purpose
The leaders of the “National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland,” a group of soldiers who staged a coup in Niger on July 26, failed to allow diplomats representing the United Nations and African Union from entering the country on Tuesday, claiming public “anger” made it unsafe for them to land.
The Council — led by the former head of the presidential guard, General Abdourahamane Tchiani — seized power via a nationally televised address in late July, ousting democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum. The coup plotters are currently keeping Bazoum under house arrest at the presidential estate in Niamey, the national capital, and have allowed him to maintain communications with the outside world, including holding conversations with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and publishing an opinion article in the Washington Post demanding international intervention. The group has rejected restoring Bazoum to power, however, accusing him of squandering international aid, including from the United States, meant to fight radical jihadist terrorist groups.
Canadians Revolt Against Trudeau’s Mass Migration Economy
Polls show that Canadians have sharply reversed their pro-migration views as their housing costs are deliberately spiked by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s elite-backed policy of maximizing immigration.
“About 2 in 3 Canadians believe an increase in the annual target of [legal] immigrants as permanent residents will have a negative or somewhat negative impact on the cost of housing, while one in five believe it will have a positive or somewhat impact,” said an August poll of 1,081 Canadians by Nanos Research Group for an August 8 article by Bloomberg News.
Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio assassinated
The Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio has been shot dead as he left a campaign event in Quito, days before an election where the central issue is the rise violence and crime.
Videos on social media show Villavicencio, a former journalist who had collaborated with the Guardian and was outspoken about alleged links between organised crime and politics, surrounded by supporters and being escorted by security guards to a waiting vehicle when gunshots ring out as people start to scream and take cover.
Growing Number of Leprosy Cases Reported After COVID-19 Vaccination
A growing number of leprosy cases are being reported after COVID-19 vaccination, including two cases in the United Kingdom that researchers said may have been caused by the vaccines.
The researchers examined records from the Leprosy Clinic at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London. They found that of the 52 people who went to the clinic in 2021, at least 49 were vaccinated.
The study definition of a leprosy adverse event associated with a COVID-19 vaccine included developing leprosy or a leprosy reaction within 12 weeks of receiving a dose and the person having no previous history of leprosy or a leprosy reaction.
Two people met the case definition. One developed borderline tuberculoid (BT) leprosy one week after a second dose. The other experienced a reaction 56 days after a dose. Both doses were Pfizer’s BNT162b2 vaccine. Pfizer did not respond to a request for comment.
“The development of BT leprosy and a Type 1 reaction in another individual shortly after a dose of BNT162b2 vaccine may be associated with vaccine mediated T cell responses,” the researchers said.
Biden Admin Shuts Down Embassy in Lawless Haiti Due to Gunfire
The U.S. Embassy in Haiti was closed on Tuesday due to nearby gunfire in the capital city of Port-au-Prince. Haiti has been torn by gang violence and near-anarchy ever since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021.
Thousands of Haitians marched in Port-au-Prince on Monday to demand protection from the gangs, whose depredations have greatly exacerbated poverty and hunger in the tormented island nation. Humanitarian agencies are finding it difficult to get supplies past gang blockades, bringing millions to the edge of starvation.
Security analysts say the gangs control almost 80 percent of the territory in Port-au-Prince and much of the country beyond the capital. Killings and kidnappings soared by 30 percent over the past year.
Supermarket AI meal planner app suggests recipe that would create chlorine gas
A New Zealand supermarket experimenting with using AI to generate meal plans has seen its app produce some unusual dishes – recommending customers recipes for deadly chlorine gas, “poison bread sandwiches” and mosquito-repellent roast potatoes.
The app, created by supermarket chain Pak ‘n’ Save, was advertised as a way for customers to creatively use up leftovers during the cost of living crisis. It asks users to enter in various ingredients in their homes, and auto-generates a meal plan or recipe, along with cheery commentary. It initially drew attention on social media for some unappealing recipes, including an “oreo vegetable stir-fry”.
When customers began experimenting with entering a wider range of household shopping list items into the app, however, it began to make even less appealing recommendations. One recipe it dubbed “aromatic water mix” would create chlorine gas. The bot recommends the recipe as “the perfect nonalcoholic beverage to quench your thirst and refresh your senses”.
U.S. NEWS, POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
After Win in Ohio, Abortion Advocates Launch Similar Strategy in Other States
The same day Issue 1 fell through in Ohio, seen as a loss-by-proxy for the pro-life movement, abortion advocates in Arizona announced the creation of a political action committee to put abortion as a constitutional right on the state ballot.
“Thousands of Arizonans will power this grassroots effort to not only pose this question to voters, but ensure it passes next November,” Dr. Candace Lew, chair of the new PAC Arizona for Abortion Access, said in a statement.
The coalition includes the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Arizona, NARAL Arizona, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona, Affirm Sexual and Reproductive Health, Arizona List, and Healthcare Rising Arizona.
DeSantis Removes Soros-Supported District Prosecutor For Not Enforcing Law
After a prosecutor’s refusal to prosecute resulted in criminals going free and committing murder, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced her removal in an Aug. 9 press conference.
“Prosecutors have a duty to faithfully enforce the law. One’s political agenda cannot trump this solemn duty. Refusing to faithfully enforce the laws of Florida puts our communities in danger and victimizes innocent Floridians,” DeSantis said.
Florida’s state attorney for the 9th Judicial Circuit, Monique Worrell, has a long history of not enforcing the law, releasing 16,243 defendants without prosecution. This number makes up 43 percent of arrests, Florida state attorney general Ashley Moody said.
“Ms. Worrell is dismissing during the same period nearly four times the number of defendants as are being dismissed or not charged in Palm Beach County,” she said.
IN-DEPTH: Texas Prisons are ‘Cooking’ Their Inmates in Cells Without Air-Conditioning, Families Say
Summertime in Texas is brutal, and for those without access to air-conditioning, it can be deadly. Since mid-June, excessive temperatures reaching 105 to 110 degrees and heat index values up to 120 have baked the region. And the next seven-day forecast shows more of the same.
Heat-related emergency department visits have surged this summer, and by the end of June, 13 deaths across the state were attributed to hyperthermia, an abnormally high body temperature caused by excessive heat exposure.
“Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors,” the National Weather Service said on Wednesday in an excessive heat warning for North Texas. Similar advisories were issued across a large portion of the state.
90-Year-Old Dianne Feinstein Falls at California Home, ‘Briefly’ Hospitalized
Nonagenarian Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) fell at her California home on Tuesday and was “briefly” hospitalized, her office has confirmed to multiple outlets.
“Senator Feinstein briefly went to the hospital yesterday afternoon as a precaution after a minor fall in her home,” her office told Fox News and NBC News. “All of her scans were clear and she returned home.”
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Americans Sour on Bidenomics: Most Say Economy Worse Than Five Years Ago
Americans have soured on Bidenomics, concluding that the U.S. economy is worse now than it was five years ago under former President Donald Trump’s leadership, a recent Reuters/Ipsos survey found.
The overall survey found that Americans view economic issues as some of the most “pressing problems” of the day. Overall, nearly half, 49 percent, of Americans view inflation as the most important issue facing the country. Further, nearly three-quarters of Americans, 73 percent, say the economy is worse off now than it was five years ago, under Trump’s leadership. A majority, 64 percent, also believe the economy is worse off than it was in 2020, when the coronavirus took a grip, forcing businesses to close.
Major Credit Rating Agency Drops ESG Scores Amid Backlash to Corporate Wokeism
Rating agency S&P Global has dropped its use of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) scores to assess corporate borrowers amid questions over the usefulness of such metrics and amid broader backlash to “woke” agendas being pushed in board rooms across the United States.
Since 2021, the credit rating agency has rated companies on a scale from 1 (best) to 5 (worst) in each of the three components of ESG. But now, S&P Global’s ESG scoring system is being dropped in the rating agency’s credit quality assessments of publicly rated firms.
“Effective immediately, we are no longer publishing new ESG credit indicators in our reports or updating outstanding ESG credit indicators,” the rating agency announced in a statement obtained by The Epoch Times.
The rating agency hinted that lack of effectiveness was the rationale for dropping the ESG scoring system—which has been the subject of sharp criticism from conservatives who see it as a manifestation of leftist or even neo-Marxist agendas in corporations.
“We have determined that the dedicated analytical narrative paragraphs in our credit rating reports are most effective at providing detail and transparency on ESG credit factors material to our rating analysis, and these will remain integral to our reports,” S&P Global said in the statement.
Some People Ineligible for Facebook Settlement Payment—Find Out If You’re One of Them
As Facebook prepares to shell out millions of dollars in a settlement to users, some Americans will not qualify for these payments.
Facebook is paying $725 million in a settlement for a class-action lawsuit in which the company was found to have shared user data without permission. Users have until Aug. 25 to claim part of the settlement.
The settlement class, however, does not include people who are “directors, officers, legal representatives, alleged co-conspirators, and agents” of Facebook owner Meta or its subsidiaries and affiliates, according to the official settlement webpage.
The music genre that’s said to have begun at a back-to-school party in the Bronx is celebrating its 50th birthday this weekend.
Hip-hop has grown from a style of musical expression for young people living amidst poverty and crime to the most popular music genre in the US and a worldwide phenomenon whose influence can be seen in everything from a house party playlist to the courtside seats at a Brooklyn Nets game.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Dr. Robert Malone: COVID jabs were a CIA operation to depopulate the world
n a speech at the 2023 White Coat Summit, Dr. Robert Malone asked the crucial question about the so-called COVID vaccines:
“Why would a government wish to advance this technology?”
His reluctant conclusion is that the novel mRNA injections have been developed by the CIA to assist in a global depopulation program – which has existed in the United States since the 1970s.
DWAC, Truth Social Reaffirm Commitment to Merger that Would Unlock Millions for Trump Platform
Digital World Acquisition Corp. (DWAC) and Trump Media & Technology Group Corp (TMTG) reaffirmed their commitment to a merger agreement that would unlock millions in financing for former President Donald Trump’s Truth Social.
DWAC is a special purpose acquisition company in talks to merge with TMTG, Truth Social’s parent company. On Wednesday, the companies announced an amendment to the agreement that reaffirmed its commitment to merge.
HEALTH
Can Tonsil Removal Provoke Polio or Autoimmune Disease?
Today, the tonsils are known to play an important role in our immune response
For a long time, the scientific consensus was that they were “useless” organs, and doctors routinely recommended tonsil surgeries just in case
It is estimated that in 1959, 1,400,000 tonsil surgeries were performed in the United States
Once a very common surgical intervention, tonsillectomy has since been proven to do more harm than good
A connection has been established between tonsillectomy and polio provocation, and there has even been a time, in this very universe, when the mainstream media wrote about that connection without fear
Tonsillectomy has been found to be a possible contributing factor in obesity, autoimmune conditions, and heart disease
COVID RELATED NEWS
… and they’re still using those false-positive PCR tests!
CANCEL CULTURE
Target Faces Lawsuit Over Going Woke, Makes Desperate Move With Starbucks to Save Themselves
Target has taken a huge hit since May and its controversy with marketing “tuck-friendly items,” as well as LGBTQ+ items aimed toward children and clothing by someone who claimed he was a Satanist.
That did not go well for them, as they dealt with the “Bud Light” effect.
The company has faced huge losses; at one point, it had lost $15 billion in market cap. It was over $74 billion before the controversy, and it’s at $60.3 billion now. Target also received multiple downgrades, and part of the reason listed was the “recent company controversies” as well as “diminishing store traffic.”
Now they’re also facing a lawsuit by a shareholder, filed on Tuesday, alleging that the toadying to the radical left has cost shareholders billions.
Disney Bleeds $512 Million on Streaming Services as Hulu, Disney+ Prices Soar
The Walt Disney Company continues to hemorrhage money on its streaming services, losing hundreds of millions of dollars in the most recent quarter as it plans to pass some of that pain to consumers by once again jacking up prices on Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+.
Disney reported its streaming businesses lost $512 million for the fiscal third quarter, marking an improvement from the same period last year when it lost more than $1 billion. CEO Bob Iger is in the midst of reining in the company’s profligate spending habits in the face of plunging profitability, recently laying off an unprecedented 7000 workers worldwide.
GOOD NEWS
$1.58 billion jackpot goes to lucky Mega Millions player in Florida
Someone in Florida won a $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot on Tuesday night, ending a stretch of lottery futility that had stretched for nearly four months.
The winning numbers drawn were: 13 19 20 32 33 and the yellow ball: 14.
Before the big win Tuesday night, there had been 31 straight drawings since the last time someone won the game’s jackpot on April 18.
That enabled the prize to steadily grow to be the third-largest ever in U.S. history.
ICYMI
‘Intentional Act’: Driver Crashes Car into Second Story of Home
A driver crashed a vehicle into the second story of a Pennsylvania home in what authorities have determined to be an “intentional act.”
The crash occurred in Decatur Township in Mifflin County Sunday afternoon. According to Junction Fire Company, rescuers stabilized the home and placed a tarp over the gaping hole in the structure. The driver of the vehicle was taken to the hospital, and the homeowners were examined but did not go to the hospital.
120 Pounds of Cocaine Found near Border in Texas
Rio Grande Valley Sector Border Patrol agents seized more than 120 pounds of cocaine on August 7 near the Texas border with Mexico. Officials estimate the value of the shipment at approximately $3.8 million.
Rio Grande Valley Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gloria Chavez tweeted photos of a load of cocaine found in a pickup truck in Texas near the Mexican border. Agents found the drugs in a light-colored pickup truck near Rio Grande City, Texas.
Lil Tay, Teen Internet Rapper, Has Died
Claire Hope, the Canadian pre-teen internet rapper known as Lil Tay, has died, her management confirmed in a statement to Variety.
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