WORLD NEWS
Zelensky Headlines at Davos, Campaigning to Keep Ukraine War on Front Pages
DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is headlining a frenzied first full day of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in the Swiss ski resort of Davos, where top officials from the United States, the European Union, China, the Middle East and beyond also will be prominent Tuesday.
Zelenskyy will endeavor to keep his country’s long and largely stalemated defense against Russia on the minds of political leaders, just as Israel’s war with Hamas, which passed the 100-day mark this week, has siphoned off much of the world’s attention and sparked concerns about a wider conflict in the Middle East.
Tuesday’s activities got rolling with a dizzying array of subjects in rooms at the Davos conference center, where discussions tackled issues as diverse as innovation in Europe, the economic impact of generative AI, corporate support for clean technologies and high interest rates.
Conversations with the prime ministers of Qatar and Jordan will bookend the day’s most visible events, with speeches by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan in between. Sullivan, asked by The Associated Press whether he would meet with China’s delegation at Davos as he headed into talks with Zelenskyy and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, said he wasn’t.
Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, said the world concentrating on the attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Yemen ́s Houthi rebels – which have spurred retaliatory strikes by the U.S. and Britain – was “focusing on the symptoms and not treating the real issue” of Israel ́s war on Hamas.
“We should focus on the main conflict in Gaza. And as soon as it ́s defused, I believe everything else will be defused,” he said, adding that a two-state solution was required to end the conflict.
US Military Intercepts Houthi Missile Targeting USS Laboon Warship
Yemen-based Houthis fired an anti-ship cruise missile toward a U.S. Navy warship on Jan. 14, U.S. military officials have confirmed.
The Houthis fired a missile at the USS Laboon at about 4:35 p.m. local time in the southern Red Sea, according to a statement from the Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees U.S. military forces in the Middle East. The missile was shot down by U.S. fighter aircraft, and no injuries were reported.
It wasn’t clear whether the United States would retaliate for the latest attacks, although President Joe Biden has said that he “will not hesitate to direct further measures to protect our people and the free flow of international commerce as necessary.”
The attack on the USS Laboon is one of many that the Houthis—an Islamist group that’s believed to be materially backed by the Iranian regime and was once designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department—have launched on U.S. assets as well as merchant ships in the region in recent weeks. The group stated that the attacks are designed to thwart ships from reaching Israel amid an escalating regional conflict.
The Jan. 14 attack follows U.S. and UK airstrikes that targeted the Houthis inside Yemen last week, triggering fears that the conflict is escalating across the Middle East. The Houthis have ramped up their Red Sea attacks since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorist attacks killed more than 1,200 people in southern Israel, prompting a lengthy campaign by Israel’s military in Gaza, where Hamas—a designated terrorist group that’s also suspected to be backed by Iran—is based.
WEF Declares All-Out War On Free Speech As World’s Greatest Threat
The World Economic Forum has surveyed the world’s experts and issued its 2024 “Global Risks Report.” The international elite of experts have declared that the number one threat to humanity is not terrorism or pandemic or even climate change (which is second), but “misinformation and disinformation.” Of course, that means that the only hope for humanity is censorship and speech controls. The report shows just how engrained this anti-free speech movement has become among the world elite from media to business to politics.
The absurd finding is consistent with the warning of other international figures and groups. We previously discussed how WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has supported censorship to combat what he calls the “infodemic.”
So “1,490 experts across academia, business, government, the international community and civil society” looked at all of the world’s military, economic, and environmental threats and concluded that the greatest threat to humanity is too much free speech. A “global risk” is defined as “the possibility of the occurrence of an event or condition which, if it occurs, would negatively impact a significant proportion of global GDP, population or natural resources.”
We have seen how during the Covid crisis “experts” supported censorship and blacklisting when their views were challenged by colleagues and the public. Earlier positions treated as gospel in the press have been discredited. For example, a recent scientific review by 12 researchers from leading universities found little support for the claims that masks reduced Covid exposures.
The Centers for Disease and Control Prevention (CDC) initially rejected the use of a mask mandate. However, the issue became a political weapon as politicians and the press claimed that questioning masks was anti-science and even unhinged. In April 2020, the CDC reversed its position and called for the masking of the entire population, including children as young as 2 years old. The mask mandate and other pandemic measures like the closing of schools are now cited as fueling emotional and developmental problems in children.
The closing of schools and businesses was also challenged by some critics as unnecessary. Many of those critics were also censored. It now appears that they may have been right. Many countries did not close schools and did not experience increases in Covid. However, we are now facing alarming drops in testing scores and alarming rises in medical illness among the young.
Masks became a major social and political dividing line in politics and the media. Maskless people were chased from stores and denounced in Congress. Then-CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said during a Senate hearing that “face masks are the most important powerful health tool we have.”
For years, scientists faced censorship for even raising the lab theory as a possible explanation for the virus. Their reputations and careers were shredded by a media flash mob. The Washington Post declared this a “debunked” coronavirus “conspiracy theory.” The New York Times’ Science and Health reporter Apoorva Mandavilli was calling any mention of the lab theory “racist.”
When a Chinese researcher told Fox News that this was man-made, the network was attacked and the left-leaning PolitiFact slammed her with a “pants on fire rating.”
The extensive censorship and blacklisting that has occurred over the last four years protected such experts from scrutiny and criticism. Many of those same experts are now listing what they deem disinformation to be the world’s greatest threat. The obvious solution to this existential threat is, of course, to allow “experts” to control or regulate what people read or hear to eliminate harmful disinformation. The question is whether the public can be, again, spooked into surrendering this core human right by the world elite.
U.S. NEWS, POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
Trump Wins Iowa Caucus in Historic Landslide; Ramaswamy Drops Out
Vivek Ramaswamy Drops Out of Presidential Race, Endorses Trump
Vivek Ramaswamy announced he’s dropping out of the presidential race after placing fourth in the Iowa Caucus.
“There is no path for me to be the next president, absent things that we don’t want to see happen in this country,” he announced at his Iowa watch party in Surety Hotel in downtown Des Moines.
“I am so proud of every one of you who have lifted us up,” he told the crowd, before pivoting to another announcement: former President Donald Trump would enjoy his “full endorsement.”
Mr. Ramaswamy said earlier in the night he called President Trump to say he was suspending his campaign and would endorse the former president.
As of 11:39 p.m. ET, the candidate finished fourth in the race at 7.7 percent, behind former President Trump, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley.
“We did not achieve the surprise that we wanted to,” Mr. Ramaswamy said.
Mr. Ramaswamy suggested that his move was in line with America’s interests as a country.
He told reporters he intended to campaign with President Trump in New Hampshire and said he believes neither Ms. Haley nor Mr. DeSantis has a path to winning the GOP nomination.
Former President Trump spoke positively of Mr. Ramaswamy during his victory address.
Fulton County DA Speaks Out After Allegation of ‘Improper’ Romantic Relationship
Embattled Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis made her first comments Sunday on a growing corruption scandal, coming after a Trump co-defendant alleged in court papers that she engaged in an “improper” relationship with a top prosecutor in the case.
In comments she made at an Atlanta church on Sunday, Ms. Willis suggested that racism may have played a role in the court filings. She did not provide any evidence for that assertion.
“I appointed three special counselors. It’s my right to do. Paid them all the same hourly rate,” Ms. Willis said, referring to the sweeping case against President Donald Trump and more than a dozen others. “They only attack one. I hired one white woman: a good personal friend and great lawyer, a superstar, I tell you. I hired one white man: brilliant, my friend, and a great lawyer. And I hired one black man, another superstar, a great friend, and a great lawyer.”
“You did not tell me as a woman of color, it would not matter what I did. My motive, my talent, my ability, and my character would be constantly attacked,” she also said.
In her comments, she did not directly address the allegations in the court papers—that she and special prosecutor Nathan Wade engaged in an inappropriate relationship and that her office paid his private law firm hundreds of thousands of dollars as he allegedly took her on lavish vacations. However, she touted his resume and said he “served as a prosecutor, a criminal defense lawyer, special assistant attorney general.”
“Isn’t it them playing the race card when they only question one?” Ms. Willis, who is black and a Democrat, asked. “They call me the N-word more than they call me Fani,” she added, also without providing evidence for her claims.
The allegations about an inappropriate relationship were in a motion filed last week by Ashleigh Merchant, who represents Michael Roman, a former Trump campaign staffer and onetime White House aide. The filing alleges that Ms. Willis was involved in an “improper, clandestine personal relationship during the pendency of this case” with Nathan Wade, the outside lawyer she hired, “which has resulted in the special prosecutor, and, in turn, the district attorney, profiting significantly from this prosecution at the expense of the taxpayers.”
When asked for comment by several media outlets last week, a spokesperson for the Fulton County District Attorney’s office said they would file an appropriate response in court papers. The Epoch Times has contacted Ms. Willis’s office and Mr. Wade’s law firm for comment, while Mr. Wade has not yet publicly remarked on the allegations.
The motion filed by Mr. Roman seeks to have the indictment dismissed and to disqualify Ms. Willis and Mr. Wade and their offices from further prosecuting the case.
Billionaire Bill Ackman Donating $1 Million to Biden Challenger Dean Phillips
Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman plans to donate $1 million to a political action committee (PAC) backing Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), a Democrat who launched a primary challenge to President Joe Biden in October last year.
Mr. Phillips is a 54-year-old, three-term congressman from Minnesota who launched a run for the Democratic nomination in 2023. According to his campaign website, he ran several successful businesses before being elected to office.
In his Jan. 13 statement on X (formerly Twitter), Mr. Ackman said, in his opinion, Mr. Phillips would be a “truly outstanding President of the United States,” a conclusion he came to after a recent meeting.
According to the billionaire, Mr. Phillips visited Pershing Square Capital Management and presented to “nearly all of our employees.” Whatever Rep. Phillips said must have resonated with Mr. Ackman because he said it inspired him to substantially increase the initial $3,300 donation he had planned to donate to his campaign.
“On Tuesday, I am wiring $1 million to a political action committee that supports Dean’s run,” Mr. Ackman said.
“This is by far the largest investment I have ever made in someone running for office, and I am making this investment at a high-risk, but critically important moment for his campaign.”
According to Mr. Ackman, the U.S. is just like a business, but in his view, a poorly run one, with significant pension liabilities, high health care costs, wasteful bureaucracy, and an enormous amount of debt, among other issues. To date, the Treasury Department estimates that America’s total debt stands at over $34 trillion.
“Dean is first an entrepreneur and a successful business leader. He has sensible views and ideas for addressing many of our country’s most recalcitrant problems.
“I was impressed with both his command of what is needed to drive the economy and reduce the cost of government, in addition to his surprising command of foreign policy, which he has gleaned from his experience in the Congress and on the Foreign Affairs Committee,” Mr. Ackman said.
House GOP Open to Dropping Contempt Vote Against Hunter Biden
The House Republican chairmen leading the charge to hold first son Hunter Biden in contempt of Congress say they’re open to pausing the proceedings in exchange for Mr. Biden’s cooperation.
In a Jan. 14 letter (pdf), House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) announced the subpoenas in the interest of receiving the first son’s testimony. Mr. Biden flouted an earlier subpoena but has since said he would comply in the future.
The full House was scheduled to vote to recommend contempt of Congress as early as this week.
Now, Mr. Comer and Mr. Jordan seem prepared to walk this back—as long as Mr. Biden fully complies in the future.
Asked whether they would still pursue contempt charges against the first son in light of the new subpoenas, a spokesman for Mr. Comer told The Epoch Times they would consider dropping the recommendation of charges.
“If they agree to genuinely cooperate and we can work out a deposition date, the Chairmen will recommend to Leadership that we hold the floor vote on contempt in abeyance for now,” the spokesman said.
Defense Secretary Released After Secret Hospitalization
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was released from the hospital on Jan. 15, according to military officials. Mr. Austin, 70, will continue his recovery at home and work remotely, the U.S. Department of Defense said in a statement.
The defense secretary’s doctors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland, said that Mr. Austin’s “strength is rebounding.”
Mr. Austin was admitted to the hospital on Jan. 1 after complications from an undisclosed surgery to treat the cancer, officials have said.
Mr. Austin didn’t alert the White House to his status until Jan. 4, and the public didn’t learn of the situation until the following day, prompting concerns about the lack of transparency and calls for him to resign.
“Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin must resign immediately,” Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), the chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Republican Conference, said in a statement over the weekend. President Joe Biden has expressed support for his defense secretary and has said that if Mr. Austin were to offer to resign, he wouldn’t accept it. Defense officials have begun an internal review of the notification procedures in such cases. Congress and the Pentagon’s inspector general have started investigations into the matter.
Texas authorities are fiercely pushing back against accusations that they blocked Border Patrol agents from helping three migrants who eventually drowned in the Rio Grande.
Two migrant children and one migrant women drowned late Friday as they attempted to enter the United States near Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas, an epicenter of the migrant crisis. That is the riverfront that Texas seized control of last week, arguing the federal government was not sufficiently enforcing immigration law.
Despite the tragedy, Democrats and the Biden administration quickly played the blame game. They claimed Border Patrol agents tried to respond to the migrants-in-distress but couldn’t because Texas National Guard soldiers blocked them.
“In responding to a distress call from the Mexican government, Border Patrol agents were physically barred by Texas officials from entering the area,” a Homeland Security spokesperson claimed. “The Texas governor’s policies are cruel, dangerous, and inhumane, and Texas’s blatant disregard for federal authority over immigration poses grave risks.”
The White House also claimed that Texas soldiers “blocked U.S. Border Patrol from attempting to provide emergency assistance.”
But the Texas Military Department is disputing these claims.
The TMD confirmed Border Patrol contacted them about the migrants-in-distress, but the migrants were never located despite National Guard soldiers having “actively searched the river with lights and night vision goggles.” That’s because the migrants were located on Mexico’s side of the river.
The agency explained:
At no time did TMD security personnel along the river observe any distressed migrants, nor did TMD turn back any illegal immigrants from the US during this period. Also, at no point was TMD made aware of any bodies in the area of Shelby Park nor was TMD made aware of any bodies being discovered on the U.S. side of the border regarding this situation.
Importantly, the Biden administration and anyone blaming Texas for contributing to the deaths or for blocking Border Patrol agents have provided no evidence to corroborate their claims.
The lack of evidence forced the TMD to release another statement on Sunday forcefully denying the claims.
“Claims of Border Patrol requesting access to save distressed migrants are inaccurate,” TMD said. “Claims that TMD prevented Border Patrol from saving the lives of drowning migrants are wholly inaccurate.”
According to the agency, the migrants had already died and Mexican authorities had already recovered their bodies when Border Patrol learned about the distressed migrants — facts TMD said that Border Patrol agents themselves relayed to Texas National Guard soldiers. Border Patrol did not request access to the park to help the migrants, but “to secure two additional migrants that were presumed to have traveled with the deceased,” TMD said.
Mexican officials, meanwhile, confirmed that the deceased migrants never entered U.S. territory.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Boeing Admits ‘Not Where We Need to Be’ in Terms of Quality Amid Scrutiny Over Door Plug Blowout
Boeing acknowledged on Monday that its 737 production quality isn’t up to snuff and said it’s taking “immediate actions” to bolster its quality assurance and controls across its factories following the mid-air door plug blowout crisis on one of its planes.
A panel covering an unused emergency door blew out not long after takeoff on an Alaska Airlines-operated Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft on Jan. 5, prompting a rapid decompression and forcing an emergency landing.
While no one was seriously injured, the incident led the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ground all 737 Max 9s, order “enhanced inspections” on the planes, and launch an investigation into Boeing to see if the company failed to ensure proper production safety standards.
Boeing said last week it would cooperate “fully and transparently” with the FAA probe and on Monday, issued a statement acknowledging gaps in its quality assurance and control processes.
“We have taken important steps in recent years to strengthen our Quality Management System’s (QMS) foundation and its layers of protection,” Boeing commercial airplanes president and CEO Stan Deal said. “But, the AS1282 accident and recent customer findings make clear that we are not where we need to be. To that end, we are taking immediate actions to bolster quality assurance and controls across our factories.”
While carrying out the FAA-mandated inspections after the door plug blowout on Alaska Airlines flight 1282, some of Boeing’s customers have additional found issues, including loose door plug bolts.
Besides subjecting Boeing to an investigation in the wake of the incident, the FAA is also mulling stripping the company of its authority to self-inspect aircraft.
Is Boeing deflecting?
Boeing Aircraft Incidents Put Spotlight on FAA Diversity Hiring
Recent incidents involving Boeing have highlighted the growing trend of diversity initiatives in the airline industry with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under scrutiny for its efforts to hire people with mental disabilities.
Earlier this month, a door plug on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 snapped off while flying at 16,000 feet, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing. On Saturday, a Japanese airline’s Boeing 737-800 aircraft returned to its departure airport after a crack was discovered in the cockpit window.
The incidents have put a spotlight on diversity policies in the airline industry, which is being blamed for ongoing inefficiencies. According to the FAA’s webpage on diversity, people with “severe” disabilities are “under-represented” in the federal workforce. The FAA “actively recruits, hires, promotes, retains, develops and advances people with disabilities.”
The federal government has identified certain disabilities for “special emphasis in recruitment and hiring,” which the FAA complies with. This includes “hearing, vision, missing extremities, partial paralysis, complete paralysis, epilepsy, severe intellectual disability, psychiatric disability, and dwarfism.”
To fill vacancies with disabled people, the FAA practices a “non-competitive” hiring method. “Managers can choose to fill an open position through the on-the-spot hiring process.”
People with severe disabilities—missing extremities, partial paralysis, complete paralysis, severe intellectual disability, and psychiatric disability—may be “hired in an expedited manner” once they meet the necessary job requirements.
The FAA sees diversity as “integral” to achieving its mission of “safe and efficient travel across our nation and beyond.”
The agency also ensures that people with disabilities have “reasonable accommodation” at the workplace to suit their needs, including making modifications to existing facilities or installing special equipment.
It is unclear when the FAA began its disability diversity employment program. The website detailing these measures was last updated in March 2022.
The FAA’s disability diversity policies have come under criticism. “Just had a conversation with some smart people [who] could not believe this is happening,” billionaire Elon Musk said in a Jan. 15 X post.“The Biden White House flat doesn’t care, just so long as they’re destroying the American way of life and our Constitutional Republic,” political commentator Lou Dobbs said in an X post.
Commenting on the disability employment initiative, the FAA recently told Fox News that the agency is vetting qualified candidates for a range of positions “from as many sources as possible.”
“The FAA employs tens of thousands of people for a wide range of positions, from administrative roles to oversight and execution of critical safety functions,” the agency said.
“Like many large employers, the agency proactively seeks qualified candidates from as many sources as possible, all of whom must meet rigorous qualifications that of course will vary by position.”
Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, chair of Do No Harm, a group of medical experts and policymakers focused on countering the spread of identity politics, told the outlet that people with disabilities who can complete their tasks should never be subjected to discrimination when it comes to employment.
However, identity politics is now “creating opportunities for so-called oppressed groups by lowering standards for entry into those fields and thereby endangering the safety of those which it’s designed to serve. Some endeavors simply do not lend themselves to identity politics.”
Just like the healthcare industry must ensure patient safety, the aviation sector too is responsible for the safety of travelers, Dr. Goldfarb pointed out. Such responsibilities outweigh other factors when determining whether an applicant is suitable for a job in these fields, he stated.
With two of Boeing’s planes involved in incidents this month, the company is facing scrutiny for its diversity policies.
According to the firm’s documents, Boeing uses diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) criteria when judging the performance of their executives and deciding their incentives.
Its “Global, Diversity & Inclusion” report mentions that 2022’s intern class “was the most diverse in our company’s history, with more than 50 percent from underrepresented backgrounds.” The firm also has a focus on developing a “diverse and inclusive supply chain.”
In a Jan. 10 X post, author James Lindsay criticized Boeing’s diversity programs, stating that “DEI was never about proportionate representation; it’s about destroying objective merit.”
“Why does this matter? Whistleblowers from Boeing have pointed out safety concerns with Boeing’s production quality issues since 2018, but instead of prioritizing safety and fixing these issues, the company created bonuses that incentivize management to focus on hitting DEI goals.”
Daniel Turner, the founder of energy advocacy NGO Power the Future, said that Boeing’s mistake was its focus on DEI.
“You put a person’s physical or mental characteristics ahead of their ability to tighten bolts. You got off lucky this time but didn’t learn. Your wokeness will get people killed,” he said.
United and Alaska Airlines have said that they discovered loose hardware or bolts in the assembly of door plugs for the Boeing 737 Max 9.
EXPANDED RECALL WARNING:
Quaker Oats Recalls More Products Due to Possible Salmonella Contamination
Quaker Oats on Sunday expanded the recall for granola bars, cereal, and snacks issued in December over concerns they may be contaminated with salmonella.
The company had initially recalled certain flavors of Quaker Big Chewy Bars, Quaker Simply Granola Oats, and snack boxes on Dec. 15, 2023, due to salmonella contamination risk.
The recall now includes various flavors of Cap’n Crunch Treats cereal bars, Quaker Chewy Granola Breakfast Cereal, Quaker Oatmeal Squares, Gamesa Marias Cereal, Gatorade Protein Bar Peanut Butter Chocolate, and Munchies Snack Mix.
All the products listed are sold in all 50 states as well as Puerto Rico, Guam, and Saipan, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“Consumers should check their pantries for any of the products listed below and dispose of them,” Quaker Oats said in a press release posted on the FDA’s website.
Quaker Canada also announced a voluntary recall of granola bars and Harvest Crunch cereals due to the potential exposure to salmonella on Jan. 11.
The company said it is working closely with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to ensure the recalled products are removed from the marketplace.
“This action is being taken in Canada out of an abundance of caution and commitment to the wellbeing of our Canadian consumers,” Quaker Canada stated in a press release.
Salmonella is an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems.
Those who are infected may experience symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Some instances of diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized.
In rare circumstances, infection can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections, endocarditis, and arthritis, the FDA stated.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate there are about 1.35 million cases of salmonellosis, with 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths in the United States each year. Contaminated food is the source for most of these cases.
HEALTH
Please note: The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional.
The Overlooked Mental and Physical Health Risks of Marijuana
Marijuana legalization continues rolling across America, bringing the green rush along with it. But just legalization doesn’t mean a psychoactive drug is harmless—just as is the case with cigarettes.
The hazy narrative of harmless recreation masks darker truths now coming to light. Evidence mounts that the push for recreational drug use has led to increases in cannabis-related hospitalizations and links to mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and cannabis use disorder.
Behind the lucrative cannabis boom may lie a public health crisis in the making.
Support for legalizing cannabis has gone mainstream, with backing from politicians across parties. This widespread support reflects public opinion—nearly 90 percent of Americans now favor legalization for medical or recreational use, according to a PEW Research Center survey from 2022.
Several federal marijuana bills—including ones proposed to decriminalize the drug on a federal level—have been introduced in Congress. But legal does not equal safe when it comes to mind-altering substances. Like tobacco, cannabis carries risks, especially regarding mental health.
There is an urgent need to screen for cannabis use disorder, marked by cravings and inability to quit despite life problems, according to a recent University of Maryland review. It also showed cannabis leading to more emergency room visits, especially for 18-to-25-year-olds, now the top age group.
The review also highlighted other significant dangers from heavy cannabis use, including the fact that users make up 10 percent of all drug-related emergency room visits in the United States. Additionally, cannabis use is linked to a 30 percent to 40 percent higher risk of motor vehicle accidents.
Misinformation gives cannabis users a false sense of safety, contributing to adverse reactions, Dr. Tucker Woods of Lenox Hill Hospital told The Epoch Times.
“At Lenox Health Greenwich Village Emergency Department, we see patients come in with side effects/adverse reactions to marijuana almost on a daily basis,” Dr. Woods said, noting that as more states legalize, the perception of harm decreases though risks remain.
“Legal doesn’t necessarily mean safe when it comes to substance use,” he added. “Alcohol is a perfect example of this; there are over 140,000 alcohol-related deaths each year from excessive alcohol use.”
Dr. Adam Scioli, corporate medical director and head of psychiatry with Caron Treatment Centers, emphasized the marketing of cannabis as a “natural” treatment for a variety of health conditions despite a lack of research proving its efficacy and increasing evidence it makes all mental health conditions worse—especially post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), severe depression, and generalized anxiety disorder.
“Together with an ongoing minimization of the very real risks of cannabis use, [this] has led to the perception that it is safe—which is not true,” he said.
Increased cannabis-related ER visits are partially due to potency changes, according to Dr. Jared Pachter, who specializes in family and addiction medicine at Stony Brook Medicine. Marijuana today is much more potent than 15 to 20 years ago, catching returning older users off guard.
People trying cannabis again after decades may experience severe panic attacks, hallucinations, and more. The effects are going to be “nothing [like] what they remembered,” Dr. Pachter told The Epoch Times.
As conversations around cannabis’ benefits grow, its health risks get overlooked. “There is a lot of talk about the amazing benefits of marijuana, but yeah, the potential negatives are being totally left out of a lot of the conversations,” he said.
These risks include exacerbating mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. Cannabis may also trigger new psychiatric issues.
“Marijuana is also thought to trigger bipolar disorder in some young males,” Josh New, clinical director at Renewal Lodge, and Peter Piraino, a counselor, both with long-term addiction treatment center Burning Tree Ranch, said in an email, “meaning the disease was present but not active until marijuana was introduced into the system.”
Some psychological disorders now qualify patients for medical marijuana access despite limited research, Dr. Woods said. This leads to unsupervised, potentially dangerous self-medication.
“And so it reinforces this notion for people who may suffer from underlying anxiety disorders, specifically that they hear that it’s used for medical purposes that it validates their self-medicating,” he added. “That can actually be really dangerous for them.”
According to Dr. Woods, treatment for people diagnosed with marijuana use disorder depends on an individual’s particular circumstances.
For people with co-occurring disorders, treating the underlying condition may help curb problematic marijuana use. But there are currently no medications to treat cannabis use disorder itself.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT, based on talking) can be effective for mild cannabis use disorder, according to Dr. Scioli. However, moderate to severe cases may require additional treatment, which can include residential inpatient treatment, especially for those with co-occurring mental health disorders or cannabis-induced psychosis, delirium, or sleep disorders.
Antifungal Cream Overuse Driving Resistant Infections
U.S. doctors are prescribing antifungal creams to patients with skin complaints at rates so high they could be contributing to the rise of drug-resistant infections, new research shows.
These are “severe antimicrobial-resistant superficial fungal infections, which have recently been detected in the United States,” noted a team led by Jeremy Gold, a researcher at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
One of the biggest emerging threats: Drug-resistant forms of ringworm (a form of dermatophytosis).
In Southeast Asia, major outbreaks of this itchy, circular rash have occurred that are not responding to either topical antifungal creams or pills.
Cases of ringworm resistant to drugs have also now been spotted in 11 U.S. states, Gold’s team noted. This is leading to “patients experiencing extensive lesions and delays in diagnosis,” the team said.
As is seen with the overuse of antibiotics, fungi naturally build up resistance to antifungal meds the more they are exposed to them. The CDC team believes that antifungal topical creams are being overprescribed.
Looking at 2021 Medicare Part D data, they found that 6.5 million prescriptions for creams containing antifungals, such as ketoconazole, nystatin and clotrimazole-betamethasone, were prescribed that year.
In sheer numbers, primary care doctors wrote the biggest percentage of these prescriptions, but dermatologists and podiatrists had much higher rates on a prescriptions-per-doctor basis.
One of the big issues, according to Gold’s team, is that most doctors diagnose a skin condition simply by looking at it, a method that is “frequently incorrect,” even among board-certified dermatologists.
“Confirmatory diagnostic testing” of a skin lesion beyond just looking at it is rarely done, they added.
A small percentage of physicians are prescribing antifungal drugs at exceedingly high rates. In 2021, “10% of antifungal prescribers prescribed nearly one half of these medications,” Gold’s group found.
The new study probably only captures a fraction of the overuse of antifungals, since “most topical antifungals can be purchased over the counter without a prescription,” the researchers noted.
The high use of clotrimazole-betamethasone, in particular, is thought to be a big factor in the emergence of drug-resistant ringworm.
This drug (a combination of a steroid and an antifungal) can also “cause skin damage if applied to intertriginous areas,” meaning areas where the skin folds onto itself, such as occurs around the groin, buttocks and armpits.
Long-term, extensive use of clotrimazole-betamethasone can also trigger hormonal problems, Gold’s team said.
Power Mall Products of Recommendation:
Simple Butternut Squash Soup Recipe with an Anti-Inflammatory Quality
This warming soup is nourishing for the body and soul.
Cook up this simple butternut squash soup recipe for a tasty meal and as a way to potentially help manage inflammation.
Cool, autumn weather always stirs up soup making in our kitchen! Tonight was one of those nights when we turned to warming flavors, and aromas.
This year’s butternut squash crop was not very prolific compared to past seasons. We harvested only a dozen winter squash compared to last year’s two bushels! I used two of these curvy, orange beauties when making tonight’s dinner.
I gave it an anti-inflammatory “flavor” by adding ingredients commonly known to reduce inflammation; ingredients that also pair well with beta-carotene-rich butternut squash and carrots. It always needs to be delicious, too!
SURVEILLANCE STATE
Info-stealers can steal cookies for permanent access to your Google account
Hackers have found a way to gain unauthorized access to Google accounts, bypassing any multi-factor authentication (MFA) the user may have set up. To do this they steal authentication cookies and then extend their lifespan. It doesn’t even help if the owner of the account changes their password.
Since the discovery of the exploit, numerous white and black hat security researchers have looked into and discussed the issue. As a result, the exploit is now built into various information stealers.
Cookies are used to track users across websites and remember information about their visit. Authentication cookies are in essence pieces of data that the browser sends to a site to identify the user and check whether they are logged in. Usually these cookies have an expiration date after which the user will be asked to log in.
Persistent cookies enable a continuous access to Google services, even after the user resets their password. This exploit allows the generation of persistent Google cookies by using a Google Application Programming Interface (API) designed for synchronizing accounts across different Google services to bring back to life expired authentication cookies.
A Google account provides access to Google services like Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Maps, but also Google Ads and YouTube.
In a statement Google responded:
“We routinely upgrade our defenses against such techniques and to secure users who fall victim to malware. In this instance, Google has taken action to secure any compromised accounts detected.”
However, some info stealers have reportedly already been updated to counter Google’s fraud detection measures.
Sources familiar with this issue have told BleepingComputer that Google believes the API is working as intended and and that no vulnerability is being exploited by the malware, which implies that Google isn’t working on a more permanent fix for this problem.
Review devices
To check whether someone has accessed your account, you can view which computers, phones, or other devices that were signed in to your Google Account recently.
- Go to your Google Account.
- On the left navigation panel, select Security .
- On the Your devices panel, select Manage all devices.
- You’ll see devices where you’re currently signed in to your Google Account or have been in the last few weeks. For more details, select a device or a session.
- Devices or sessions where you’re signed out will have a “Signed out” indication.
- If multiple sessions appear for the same device type, they might all be on one device or multiple devices. Review their details, and if you’re not sure all the sessions are from your devices, sign out on them.
Remediate
If you think your account has been compromised, you will have to sign out of all browsers to invalidate the current session tokens and then reset your password. Next you will need to sign back in to generate new tokens. Only this stops the unauthorized access because it invalidates the old tokens.
The steps outlined below are for administrators who manage Google Accounts for a company, school, or other group. As an administrator, you can sign a user out of a managed Google Account, such as Google Workspace or Cloud Identity.
To reset a user’s sign-in cookies:
- Sign in to your Google Admin console. Sign in using an administrator account, not your current account.
- In the Admin console, go to Menu > Directory > Users.
- In the Users list, find the user. If you need help, go to Find a user account.
- Click the user’s name to open the user’s account page.
- Click Security > Sign-in cookies > Reset.
What might help stop this abuse is if Google speeds up the announced end of tracking cookies. Obviously, we think it’s best to keep these information stealers off your computer.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Everything You Need to Equip Your Vehicle for Winter Weather Emergencies
A winter wonderland is lovely to look at, but if you’re stranded by the side of the road in frigid temperatures this winter, that glistening snow will quickly become a nemesis. Prepare each vehicle now so this scenario doesn’t become a cold-weather survival disaster.
Cold temperatures exacerbate the inconvenience and danger of any roadside emergency. Suddenly, trying to change a flat tire with stiff, cold fingers escalates quickly into a nearly impossible task. The inside of your vehicle can become colder than outside temperatures, especially at night. Assemble a few tools and supplies, such as a compact tire inflator, a bag of kitty litter to help regain traction, a windshield scraper, tow rope, flares, and a collapsible shovel.
Place a rolled-up thermal or wool blanket or sleeping bag for each passenger beneath the back seats. Thrift stores are a great place to find blankets for this purpose. Buying so-called emergency blankets is tempting because they’re marketed specifically for emergencies, but I don’t recommend relying on these blankets on their own. High-quality mylar emergency blankets are best combined with a heavier layer, such as your blanket or sleeping bag. Still, suppose that you want to add one or two to your supplies. If you usually wear business clothes, you’ll be grateful for items such as a wool cap, wool socks, waterproof boots, and a heavy jacket. High-tech, waterproof fabrics are ideal for outerwear and gloves. Even if you rarely or never ski, ski clothes are handy and can sometimes be found at thrift stores for pennies on the dollar. Take a Thermos® of water and snacks if you plan on venturing out when the weather gets nasty.
GARDENING, FARMING & HOMESTEADING
Best Seed-Starting Methods & Tip
Learn the best seed-starting methods and tips for a great way to save money and ensure that your plants are grown organically. However, it can be a daunting task for beginners. With the right techniques and supplies, you can have a successful seed-starting experience.
- Discover how peat pellets can make seed starting a breeze and help your plants thrive.
- Learn the benefits of starting corn indoors and how it can give you a head start on a successful harvest.
- Find out how to transform old newspapers into biodegradable pots for seed starting.
Understanding the basics of seed starting and how to begin planting.
Uncover the benefits of using wood flats for seed starting and why they are a sustainable choice.
COVID RELATED NEWS
FDA Launches Fresh Bid to Toss Out High-Profile Ivermectin Case
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is seeking to persuade a federal court to dismiss a lawsuit challenging its repeated advisories against using ivermectin to treat COVID-19.
The FDA in a sealed motion asked the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to dismiss the suit, which was brought by three doctors who allege the FDA’s warnings were illegal.
The late 2023 motion was sealed because exhibits the government cited “include confidential information” from a separate legal proceeding, according to a government brief.
Government lawyers said they would file redacted versions of the motion for public perusal but still haven’t done so.
Attorneys for the doctors said on Jan. 12 that the court should reject the government’s fresh bid to throw out the case.
“The FDA exceeded its authority by repeatedly issuing public directives not to use ivermectin for COVID-19, even though the drug remains fully approved for human use,” they wrote.
One of the directives said: “You are not a horse. Stop it with the #Ivermectin. It’s not authorized for treating #COVID.”
The government motion came after an appeals court found that the FDA likely overstepped its authority with the warnings.
“FDA can inform, but it has identified no authority allowing it to recommend consumers ’stop’ taking medicine,” U.S. Circuit Judge Don Willett, an appointee of then-President Donald Trump, wrote in the ruling.
CANCEL CULTURE
Talk about creating news! Who gave NBC these ideas? The CIA?
A recent NBC News article outlines a potential strategy of limiting the military powers of Donald Trump if he were to get re-elected in 2024. Online commentators reacted harshly to the potential strategy.
NBC News claimed that Trump is “sparking fears among those who understand the inner workings of the Pentagon that he would convert the nonpartisan U.S. military into the muscular arm of his political agenda as he makes comments about dictatorship and devalues the checks and balances that underpin the nation’s two-century-old democracy.”
The outlet theorized that if Trump is elected president in November, he could weaponize the military to intervene in elections or quash domestic protests.
However, there is reportedly a syndicate that has a mission of limiting Trump’s power if he becomes president.
The mainstream media outlet alleged, “A circle of appointees independent of Trump’s political operation steered him away from ideas that would have pushed the limits of presidential power in his last term, according to books they’ve written and testimony given to Congress.”
The report alleged that this go-around, Trump would surround himself with “loyalists” who are in unwavering support of the former president.
NBC News alleged, “Trump has raised fresh questions about his intentions if he regains power by putting forward a legal theory that a president would be free to do nearly anything with impunity — including assassinate political rivals — so long as Congress can’t muster the votes to impeach him and throw him out of office.”
The popular mainstream news outlet proclaimed, “Now, bracing for Trump’s potential return, a loose-knit network of public interest groups and lawmakers is quietly devising plans to try to foil any efforts to expand presidential power, which could include pressuring the military to cater to his political needs.”
The members of the alleged cabal said they are prepared to engage in a legal war by sending letters to Trump appointees, threatening them with consequences if they “undermine constitutional norms.”
“We’re already starting to put together a team to think through the most damaging types of things that he [Trump] might do so that we’re ready to bring lawsuits if we have to,” said Mary McCord, executive director of the Institution for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown Law.
The group plans to “create a coalition to challenge Trump from day one.”
The consortium includes the anti-authoritarian group Protect Democracy and Democracy Forward — a left-leaning organization that took the Trump administration to court over 100 times.
“We are preparing for litigation and preparing to use every tool in the toolbox that our democracy provides to provide the American people an ability to fight back. We believe this is an existential moment for American democracy, and it’s incumbent on everybody to do their part,” said Skye Perryman, president of Democracy Forward.
The idea of attempting to take the military away from Trump was lampooned on the X social media platform.
Columnist Tammy Bruce: “This is called a ‘coup,’ and openly discussed by the very same people who lecture you that *Trump* is the danger to democracy. Every day they panic even more exposing themselves for what they are. And they wonder why the American people have had enough.”
Author Mike Benz: “Never forget this tweet for the rest of your life. This is an admitted plan, in advance, for the military to no longer observe the military chain of command. This is military-run government. This is a plan to end civilian-run government.”
Communications director Greg Price: “Openly admitting that they are planning a militarycoup if Americans re-elect Donald Trump. All to protect democracy of course.”
Commentator Sean Davis: “Whenever Democrats accuse Trump of doing something, it’s a guarantee that Democrats are planning to do that very thing against Trump. Which means Democrats are preparing to use the military to steal the 2024 election and prevent their opponents from lawfully taking power.”
Editor in chief of the Federalist Mollie Hemingway: “What beautifully soft framing for your article about how Democrats are plotting to have the military undermine the Constitution and civilian control.”
Scientist Robert W. Malone: “As deep state democrats strategize a military coup if Trump gets re-elected – NBC soft pedals the treason. Neurolinguistic programming at work.”
Author Lee Smith: “Regime action plan 2024: seems ‘Caesar Trump’ rhetoric is devised to legitimize militarycoup if elected.”
Writer Ian Miles Cheong: “The establishment will not allow Trump to become president, and even if he does somehow make it, they’ll get the military to overthrow him. They are saying the quiet part out loud.”
Cultural commentator James Lindsay: “The Iron Law of Woke Projection never misses.”
Anarchist Michael Malice: “It’s not treason when the Good Guys do it.”
GOOD NEWS
Abandoned Baby Found Alive in North Carolina Dumpster
An abandoned baby was discovered in a dumpster near an apartment building in
Greenville, North Carolina, on Sunday morning, according to police.
Greenville police went to 1574 Bridle Circle around 10:20 a.m. after receiving a call about a baby, only one or two days old, who was found in dumpster, WITN reported.
Resident Jaylen Parker told the outlet his sister found the baby in the trash and brought the child inside before police arrived. The temperature was in the low 40s when she found the baby, according to the report.
“I woke up. My sister brought a baby in the house,” Parker said. “I was shocked. And then that’s when I found out what had happened.”
Officers said the baby was discovered alive, and Greenville Fire and Rescue transported the infant to ECU Health for evaluation.
Situations like these are avoidable because of the state’s Safe Haven law. North Carolina’s Safe Surrender Law allows parents to surrender their newborns up to 30 days old to a designated safe person, according to the NC Department of Health and Human Services.
Safe persons under the law include:
A health care provider who is on duty or at a hospital or at a local or district health department or at a nonprofit community health center.
A first responder, including a law enforcement officer, a certified emergency medical services worker, or a firefighter.
A social services worker who is on duty or at a local department of social services.
ICYMI
Arctic blast continues to sweep entire US setting record-low temperatures
Dangerous freezing air from the Arctic continued sweeping across the US on Monday, prolonging a bitter cold blast that has set record-low temperatures and disrupted daily life across a broad swathe of America, including an NFL playoff game and the presidential nominating contest in Iowa.
From Oregon on the west coast to New York state on the east coast and all the way down to Florida, the US grappled with the effects of a weather system that hit tens of millions of people.
The National Weather Service said wind chills are expected to push temperatures to -30F (-34C) from the Northern Rockies to northern Kansas and into Iowa, testing the hardiness of caucus-goers willing to brave the deep chill on Monday and prompting dire warnings of the risk of frost bite for those venturing outside.
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