WORLD NEWS
The election took place amid attacks within Russia by Ukrainian missiles and drones, which have killed several people. Polling happened in a tightly controlled environment where Putin only faces competition from three token rivals and any public criticism of him or his war in Ukraine is stifled.
Independent Russian media posted images of spoiled ballots posted by voters, with “killer and thief” inscribed on one, and “waiting for you in The Hague” written on another, in a reference to an arrest warrant issued for Putin on war crimes charges related to his alleged responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine.
Voting took place over three days at polling stations across the vast country’s 11 time zones, in illegally annexed regions of Ukraine and online. While polls closed Sunday night in Russia, voting continued at some embassies around the world.
Despite tight controls, several dozen cases of vandalism at polling stations were reported across the voting period.
Several people were arrested, including in Moscow and St. Petersburg, after they tried to start fires or set off explosives at polling stations while others were detained for throwing green antiseptic or ink into ballot boxes.
Dmitry Medvedev, a deputy head of the Russian Security Council chaired by Putin, called for toughening the punishment for those who vandalize polling stations, arguing they should face treason charges.
Huge protest lines also formed around noon outside Russian diplomatic missions in London, Berlin, Paris, Milan, Belgrade and other cities with large Russian communities, many of whom left Russia after Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Protesters in Berlin displayed a figure of Putin bathing in a bath of blood with the Ukrainian flag on the side, alongside shredded ballots in ballot boxes.
A volcanic eruption on Saturday evening in Iceland near the town of Grindavik, where nearly 4,000 people live, prompting evacuations. Hundreds of people were evacuated from the Blue Lagoon thermal spa, one of Iceland’s top tourist attractions, when the eruption began, national broadcaster RUV said. Per authorities with the country’s Meteorological Office, the eruption burst through a fissure in the earth approximately two miles long on the Reykjanes Peninsula, noting the eruption was the fourth in three months. Aerial video footage shows the eruption with significant lava flow and smoke rising into the sky, causing law enforcement officials to declare a state of emergency. Volcanic eruptions are nothing new for Iceland’s officials and there have been no confirmations of any deaths due to the recent eruptions.
Toronto Police told residents to leave their car keys at their front doors for thieves to take in order to lessen the risk of getting physically attacked in their homes for them, City News Toronto reported — and the backlash to the jaw-dropping suggestion has been brutal.
The outlet said Cst. Marco Ricciardi advised residents at an Etobicoke safety meeting last month to leave their key fobs in faraday pouches in convenient places for thieves to take in order to lessen the risk of physical violence over the fobs.
“To prevent the possibility of being attacked in your home, leave your fobs at the front door because they are breaking into your home to steal your car; they don’t want anything else,” Ricciardi said, according to City News Toronto. “A lot of them that they’re arresting have guns on them, and they are not toy guns. They are real guns. They’re loaded.”
The outlet said Toronto Police were trending Thursday on X with “thousands of tweets on the topic, most of them expressing anger.”
“This is bizarre,” one commenter wrote, according to the outlet. “Toronto Police advising the public to leave your fobs near the door. They suggest this because invaders are primarily entering homes to steal your cars. Why not hang your keys outside the door? Or better yet, just leave them in the car.”
City News Toronto said another user added, “This is failed state-level insanity. Hey guys do you mind making it easier for people to steal your cars so that they won’t break into your house instead? Thanks.”
Here are some other reactions: “Canada is gone,” one commenter said. “The entire planet has gone bats**t WOKE crazy,” another user declared.
“The Ottawa Police are useless and the [Royal Canadian Mounted Police] are compromised. The Toronto Police are corrupted. The Supreme Court is woke. Canada is in real trouble,” another commenter said.
Pentagon Commander Reveals ‘Alarming’ Number of Drone Incursions at US–Mexico Border
U.S. Air Force General Gregory Guillot told a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that there’s been a lot of incursions of drones along the Southern U.S. border and could not state the actual number of times drone activity has occurred, but said it’s in the thousands per month. The general said he hasn’t seen any of them manifest in a threat to the level of national security but he sees the potential only growing. Sadly, the U.S. military has no full-proof plans to effectively deal with drone incursions.
Greek Police Officer Arrested With 100 Kilos of Marijuana in Patrol Car
A police officer on patrol duty in northwestern Greece was arrested on drug charges Friday for allegedly using his service car to smuggle marijuana, authorities said.
The suspect was detained in the port town of Igoumenitsa following a road chase, together with an Albanian man found to be riding in the unmarked police vehicle. A search of the car uncovered 102 kilograms (225 pounds) of marijuana, a police statement said.
It said the detained officer ignored his colleagues’ orders to stop for a search and sped away, only coming to a halt after losing control of the vehicle and crashing into parked cars.
Police also arrested a second officer who had been on patrol duty with the suspect on Friday, but was allegedly found in a coffee shop some 20 kilometers (12 miles) away.
All three suspects faced drugs-related charges. The Igoumenitsa area is near the border with Albania, over which large quantities of marijuana are smuggled into Greece.
Macron Repeats Threat of Western Ground Forces in Ukraine ‘at Some Point’
French President Emmanuel Macron has again threatened Western ground operations in Ukraine might be necessary “at some point,” making his prediction days after meeting with German and Polish leaders, continuing to assert that he hasn’t ruled out putting troops on the ground in Ukraine which prompted a stern response from Berlin and other NATO allies rushing to distance themselves from the prospect.
Now Macron has stressed that Western allies would not take the initiative but should stand ready if required, boasting of France’s military strength to back the warning of intervention.
“Maybe at some point—I don’t want it, I won’t take the initiative—we will have to have operations on the ground, whatever they may be, to counter the Russian forces,” Macron told newspaper Le Parisien in an interview conducted on Friday.
“France’s strength is that we can do it.”
Macron met his German and Polish counterparts in Berlin on Friday, in a show of solidarity behind Kyiv, AFP reports.
After the meeting, Macron said the three countries of the so-called Weimar Triangle were “united” in their aim to “never let Russia win and to support the Ukrainian people until the end.”
On the Senate floor, Schumer said, “The Netanyahu coalition no longer fits the needs of Israel after October 7. Now I believe that holding a new election, once the war starts to wind down, would give Israelis an opportunity to express their vision for the post-war future.”
Netanyahu said, “I think what you said is totally inappropriate. It’s inappropriate to go to a sister democracy and try to replace the elected leadership there. That’s something that Israel, the Israeli public does on its own. We’re not a banana republic. I think the only government that we should be working on and to bring down now is the tourist tyranny in Gaza, the Hamas tyranny that murdered over 1,000 Israelis, including some dozens of Americans. And is holding Americans and Israelis hostage, that’s what we should be focused on. As far as what Senator Schumer said, the majority of Israelis support our government. 82% of Americans support Israel instead of Hamas.”
African state brings back death penalty
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has lifted a moratorium on the death penalty that had been in place for more than two decades, in response to recurring armed conflicts and militant attacks.
The decision, announced on Friday by the central African nation’s Ministry of Justice, said the pause on capital punishment since 2003 had guaranteed impunity for offenders.
The eastern part of DR Congo has been plagued with decades of conflict, linked to dozens of armed groups, including M23, whose deadly attacks in recent weeks have displaced thousands. The Tutsi-led group has reportedly laid siege to several communities in the troubled region, controlling about half of North Kivu province. Congolese authorities, a group of UN experts, and Western governments, including the US, have accused Rwanda of arming the M23 insurgents to fight in DR Congo, a claim the east African country has consistently denied.
The death penalty is often handed down in the DR Congo, but no offender has been executed in over 20 years, and their sentences are typically commuted to life in prison. Last October, a military court in the former Belgian colony sentenced Edouard Mwangachuchu, a member of the National Assembly, to death, on charges including treason and involvement with the M23 rebel movement.
U.S. NEWS, POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
Jack Smith Gets ‘Worst Possible Outcome’ After Recent Ruling: Former Official
Several former U.S. officials warned that special counsel Jack Smith appears to be struggling in his classified documents case against former President Donald Trump—even after the federal judge in the case denied an attempt to dismiss the charges against the former president.
This week, Judge Aileen Cannon issued an order that denied President Trump’s motion to dismiss the case on grounds of “unconstitutional vagueness.” While she noted his attorneys raised questions that warrant consideration, she said that their arguments relating to the Espionage Act should be made in “connection with jury-instruction briefing.”
Andrew Weissmann, a former U.S. attorney who worked on special counsel Robert Mueller’s team, said on MSNBC that the judge’s ruling not to dismiss the case was the “worst possible outcome for the government” and Mr. Smith. Because, he argued, if the judge had agreed to dismiss the case, it could “have been appealed” to an appeals court in the meantime.
After leaving the special counsel’s team, Mr. Weissmann has become an anti-Trump commentator who appears on MSNBC and other television news outlets to give his opinions on legal matters—often relating to the former president.
According to Mr. Weissmann, the appeals court could have delivered a swift ruling that rebuked Judge Cannon’s decision. He also noted that she asked the special counsel’s team to raise the issue later. “She has not given the government what they clearly” want, he added.
He was referring to Judge Cannon’s move not to rule on another motion filed by the former president’s lawyers arguing that the Presidential Records Act allowed him to designate the documents in the case as his personal property. She said it would be difficult to throw out the case before it went to a jury over the argument.
House May Refer January 6 Committee Members for Obstruction, Lawmaker Says
The chair of a House subcommittee warned that some members of a controversial Jan. 6 investigatory subcommittee could face charges of hiding and destroying documents.
Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) said in an interview last week that he may refer former members of the committee to the Department of Justice for prosecution after a report he commissioned found that its members allegedly hid information from the public.
“As far as holding people accountable, yes, they should be,” Mr. Loudermilk told Just the News last week after the report was released, referring to the possibility committee members will face punishment.
Mr. Loudermilk also said that he believes Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the chairman of the now-disbanded Jan. 6 select committee, allowed then-Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) to make decisions for the panel.
“There’s still documents that we need to get hold off. We still don’t have passwords for the encrypted documents,” he added. “It’s amazing that you know, when I asked the former Chairman Bennie Thompson, ‘all I want you to do is give me the passwords.’ He said, ‘I don’t even know what you’re talking about.’”
“Well, I think it’s coming down to he probably didn’t, because now new information we’re getting is that Liz Cheney ran that committee,” Mr. Loudermilk said.
NY Judge Delays Trump Trial as Defense Seeks Sanctions, Dismissal
New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan adjourned an upcoming trial for former President Donald Trump for 30 days, scheduling a March 25 hearing on the possible dismissal of the case, after which he “will set the new trial date, if necessary.”
The decision follows a discovery dump of 104,000 pages on President Trump’s attorneys less than three weeks before the trial was set to begin.
The judge demanded both parties to supply a “detailed timeline of events surrounding the requests and ultimate production” of those documents by March 21.
The motion for discovery sanctions was filed on March 8, with defense attorneys arguing that this violation of discovery rules warrants sanctions “including dismissal.”
The 104,000 pages the Trump team recently received is related to Michael Cohen, the key witness in the criminal case charging President Trump with falsifying business documents.
They include interviews with Mr. Cohen and what the defense believes is exculpatory evidence.
Former President Donald Trump has vowed to ax every open border policy of Biden one Day One if elected in November The former president opened his March 16 rally in Dayton, Ohio, with a standing salute to Jan. 6 “hostages,” while a recording of the Pledge of Allegiance played in the background.
On the eve of the third anniversary of the Jan. 6 incident, Attorney General Merrick Garland promised to press ahead with more prosecutions—and to cast the net more widely.
“We have initiated prosecutions and secured convictions across a wide range of criminal conduct on January 6, as well as in the days and weeks leading up to the attack,” he said.
Prosecutors have, to date, secured over 890 convictions in connection to the Jan. 6 incident, with Mr. Garland vowing to press ahead to cast the DOJ dragnet widely.
Ohio GOP Candidates Contend for Chance to Unseat Longest-Serving Congresswoman
Marcy Kaptur, the longest-serving woman in either chamber of Congress, is unopposed in the Ohio 9th Congressional District’s Democratic primary. Candidates on the other side of the aisle have transformed their primary into a race that symbolizes the roller coasters of Cedar Point, a storied amusement park in the district along Lake Erie’s shore. Ms. Kaptur, 77, is closely aligned with President Joe Biden. She won her first term in the U.S. House in 1982 when President Ronald Reagan was midway through his first term.
Craig Riedel, a former Ohio state legislator endorsed by House Republican Conference Chair and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) before she withdrew her backing over disparaging remarks he made about former President Donald Trump, is one candidate.
State Rep. Derek Merrin, a late entry in the race who is endorsed by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.), is also running, as is Steve Lankenau, a former mayor of Napoleon, Ohio.
All three candidates had trailed J.R. Majewski in the polls until the Air Force veteran dropped out of the race earlier this month after uttering an inflammatory comment about Special Olympics participants.
Supreme Court to Hear Arguments in Biden Admin’s Censorship of Social Media Posts
The U.S. Supreme Court will soon hear oral arguments in a case that concerns what two lower courts found to be a “coordinated campaign” by top Biden administration officials to suppress disfavored views on key public issues like COVID-19 vaccine side effects and pandemic lockdowns.
The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing on March 18 in a case known as Murthy v. Missouri, which started when the attorneys general of two states, Missouri and Louisiana, filed suit alleging that social media companies like Facebook were blocking access to their platforms or suppressing posts on controversial subjects.
The initial lawsuit, later modified by an appeals court, accused Biden administration officials of engaging in what amounts to government-led censorship-by-proxy by pressuring social media companies to take down posts or suspend accounts.
Some of the topics that were targeted for downgrade and other censorious actions included voter fraud in the 2020 election, the COVID-19 lab leak theory, vaccine side effects, the social harm of pandemic lockdowns, and the Hunter Biden laptop story.
The plaintiffs argued that high-level federal government officials were the ones pulling the strings of social media censorship by coercing, threatening, and pressuring social media companies to suppress Americans’ free speech.
Lara Trump to Tap Scott Presler to Lead RNC’s Legal Ballot Harvesting
Lara Trump, the newly elected co-chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC), announced on Friday plans to tap Scott Presler to lead legal ballot harvesting efforts ahead of the 2024 general election.
This strategy encompasses various measures such as legal ballot harvesting, which Ms. Trump noted is a marked departure from the GOP’s past practices.
Other key strategies she mentioned include early voting initiatives and the establishment of an election integrity division within the RNC.
Ms. Trump specifically mentioned Mr. Presler, a prominent conservative activist known for his voter registration efforts, as a key ally to lead the party’s legal ballot harvesting operations.
“We also have to start thinking about things like legal ballot harvesting, something we’ve never embraced as a party,” Ms. Trump said.
Ballot harvesting is the practice of collecting completed mail-in ballots by third-party individuals or organizations, who deliver them to election officials or drop boxes on a voter’s behalf. Some critics refer to it as “ballot trafficking,” and Republicans have typically been against both ballot harvesting and early voting.
However, the practice is now being seen as a way to gain an advantage over the opposition.
It remains to be seen whether the practice will result in legal challenges over alleged voter fraud, as Republicans have pursued against Democrats.
The change in the GOP’s stance follows concerns raised by Republicans and voters regarding election integrity in the aftermath of the 2020 elections.
Ms. Trump highlighted the creation of the RNC’s “first-ever” election integrity division, aimed at addressing such concerns and ensuring a fair electoral process.
Democrat Donors Funding $50 Million Republicans Against Trump Campaign
Some of the biggest Democratic Party donors are funding a group calling itself Republican Voters Against Trump.
On March 12, the Republican Accountability PAC announced it was launching a $50 million campaign in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
“The campaign features one- and two-time Trump voters from across the country—including swing states—who walked away due to January 6, his 91 felony counts, Ukraine, and other issues,” a release from Republican Voters Against Trump said. “Their voices will be elevated using a surround-sound approach, deploying ads on television, streaming, radio, billboards, and digital media in critical swing states.”
According to financial records filed with the Federal Election Commission, the super PAC is currently financed almost entirely by Democratic Party donors.
The PAC, which reports quarterly, was registered in February 2022. When it last reported with the FEC at the end of January, the PAC said it had raised about $8.2 million in 2023 and retained about $6.3 million on hand at the end of that year.
New Florida Laws Aim to Keep Illegal Immigrants Off Roads, Deported Felons Off Streets
Florida lawmakers have adopted some of the most restrictive illegal immigration laws in the nation in recent years and continued to do so in 2024 by approving measures that tighten identification requirements, punish repeat unlicensed driving with prison, and make being in Florida after being deported a felony. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bills, which took effect immediately. Among provisions adopted in 2023’s Senate Bill 1718 are expanded E-Verify to private employers, increased penalties for human smuggling, and more funding to send more illegal immigrants to more sanctuary jurisdictions.
House Bill 1449 increases penalties for driving without a valid driver’s license, including a mandatory jail sentence after a third repeat offense. Florida banned issuing driver licenses to undocumented immigrants in 2022, DeSantis said, but some local governments and nonprofits have accepted driver licenses issued by other states to illegal immigrants. This is going to be a deterrent for illegal immigration into the state of Florida.
Special Prosecutor in Trump Case Steps Down
The special prosecutor in the case in Georgia against former President Donald Trump and others has resigned.
“I am offering my resignation in the interest of democracy, in dedication to the American public, and move this case forward as quickly as possible,” Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor, said in a letter on March 15 to Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
The resignation is effective immediately, according to the letter.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled earlier Friday that either Mr. Wade or Ms. Willis had to remove themselves from the case, which involves charges of election interference against President Trump and 18 others.
Defendants in the case moved to have both prosecutors disqualified, showing through bank records and other documents that the pair took multiple trips together and that Mr. Wade paid for most of them.
Fani Willis Faces Possible Contempt of Congress Proceedings Over Subpoena Non-Compliance
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) has notified Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis that she could face contempt of Congress proceedings for alleged non-compliance with a subpoena to produce records related to her office’s use of federal funds related to her case against former President Donald Trump.
The subpoena is the result of a Washington Free Beacon report
that claimed that the whistleblower—a former employee in Ms. Willis’s office— was demoted after she warned Ms. Willis about her alleged use of federal grant funds that were supposed to be used for the prevention of gang activity but were instead used for trips and laptops.
Supreme Court rules that Public Oficials can block their Constituents on Social Media
Public officials may block people on social media in certain situations, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously last Friday. At the same time, the court held that public officials who post about topics pertaining to their work on their personal social media accounts are acting on behalf of the government. But such officials can be found liable for violating the First Amendment only when they have been properly authorized by the government to communicate on its behalf. The case is important because nowadays public officials routinely reach out to voters through social media on the same pages where they discuss personal matters unrelated to government business.
It has now been revealed that following all of the scandals involving Boeing aircraft, Boeing officials overwrote (deleted) security camera footage showing work being done on a door that blew out on the Alaska Airlines MAX jet in January. The NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said it’s unclear “who performed the work to open, reinstall and close the door plug on the accident aircraft as Boeing is unable to find the records documenting this work.”
More suspiciously, it was also revealed last week that Congressman William R. Keating (D-MA), sold somewhere between $1,001 and $15,000 worth of Boeing shares on February 28th.The timing of the sale of Keating’s stock similarly appears to coincide with Fed Governor Raphael Bostic selling off massive S&P futures the day before the DOJ announced it was criminally investigating Boeing. Boeing’s stock value tumbled about 11% at that time.
Adding to the conspiracy behind the goings-on at Boeing is the alleged “suicide death” of Boeing whistleblower John Barnett, a 32-year veteran Boeing employee, after alleging serious safety concerns at the North Charleston, South Carolina plant in a lawsuit against Boeing.
Biden to sign executive order to expand research on women’s health
President Biden on Monday will sign an executive order aimed at expanding research and improving government initiatives on women’s health, a move that will coincide with a White House Women’s History Month reception.
The president’s executive order will “ensure women’s health is integrated and prioritized across the federal research portfolio and budget,” the White House said, with a focus on the administration’s Initiative on Women’s Health Research.
In addition, Biden will announce more than 20 actions from federal agencies outlining ways they will prioritize research on women’s health.
The executive order directs relevant agencies to strengthen research and data standards on women’s health with the purpose of better leveraging federal funding. It also directs agencies to prioritize funding for women’s health research and encourage innovation.
And Biden’s order will direct the Office of Management and Budget and the Gender Policy Council to assess gaps in federal funding for women’s health and identify potential changes.
In addition, the president and first lady Jill Biden will announce more than 20 commitments and actions through the Pentagon, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Among the actions will be the launch of an effort that will direct investments of $200 million in fiscal year 2025 to fund new women’s health research. Biden has previously called on Congress to create a Fund for Women’s Health Research at the National Institutes of Health.
The executive order signing comes as the president and first lady are set to host guests for a White House reception to mark Women’s History Month. It also comes after the first lady in February announced $100 million in federal funding for research and development into women’s health through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, or ARPA-H.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Social Security Checks May Be Larger in 2025, Analyst Says
Americans receiving Social Security payments may see a higher-than-anticipated increase next year, a policy group predicted, citing higher-than-expected inflation for the start of 2024.
The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for monthly payments could be 2.4 percent starting next year, an increase from a previous forecast, said the Senior Citizens League, a nonpartisan group representing retired people, according to several reports this week.
“This is way early,” Mary Johnson, a policy analyst with the Senior Citizens League, told CNBC. “It will change multiple times since the COLA is on the average inflation in the third quarter of the year against the previous year.”
“It is an ongoing struggle for seniors and retired people trying to keep up with these costs,” she added. “It’s like being stuck in the mud. They’re spinning their wheels. Every time someone thinks they have all their bills settled, and they get a small raise with a new COLA, there’s always some new healthcare disaster right around the corner, or their rent increases by more than the amount of the COLA.”
But Ms. Johnson said that she believes the inflation numbers will be lower in 2024. “Clearly, inflation rates are expected to fall from 2023 levels, and the COLA for 2025 will also be lower,” she added to Yahoo Finance.
Last month, the seniors policy group projected that 2025’s Social Security checks would see a 1.75 percent increase based on the January CPI data.
“It’s really important for people to stay informed about what’s on the horizon for Social Security,” Ms. Johnson said. “Some of those changes can affect our pocketbooks in the very near future. So it’s a good time to get up to speed on what those changes are and how it could affect you.”
IRS Warns of Looming Deadline to Correct Improper Tax Credit Claims or Face Penalties
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued a warning to taxpayers who improperly claimed a pandemic-era tax credit that they face a fast-approaching deadline to apply for a voluntary disclosure program that will let them avoid penalties and interest—and even get a sharp discount on repayments.
The IRS warned in a March 15 notice that businesses that were “misled” by predatory promoters into filing improper employee retention credit (ERC) claims have until March 22 to take action to fix the problem.
“The window of opportunity is closing for those with questionable claims to fix things before they receive follow-up compliance action,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement.
The IRS said on March 15 that it had “sharply” increased its compliance actions around ERC claims through audits and criminal probes and that more such activity is planned in the future.
HEALTH
Note: Power Hour Jay & Producer Kathryn are picking up the long run tradition at The Power Mall for weekly fasting.
They will be fasting every Monday & Wednesday and welcome any listeners to participate in one or two of the days if they’d like!
Some of you may remember Joyce sharing her favorite “No-Chicken Chicken Broth Recipe” to help during fasts and will share that recipe (and more) on the Power Hour Forum where we will create a fasting board.
Refined Grains Increase the Risk of Stroke
People relying on diets high in refined grains are more likely to suffer strokes. A regular B-complex vitamin could help.
The glycemic index of a food tells us how quickly it raises blood sugar. The glycemic load of a diet also takes into account how much blood-sugar-boosting food is being eaten. Refined grains usually have a high glycemic index. Where they provide a substantial proportion of calories, the result is often a high glycemic load. In the US, refined grains are generally fortified with B vitamins. In other places, however, they may not be. Research suggests that a B-complex supplement might help prevent stroke in those regions.
Do Refined Grains Up the Chance of a Stroke?
An epidemiological study in China reveals that women eating a high-glycemic load diet (one rich in refined grains) are more likely to suffer a stroke. The study included data on 64,000 women between 40 and 70 years of age. The volunteers filled out detailed dietary questionnaires at the start of the study and were followed up for 10 to 12 years.
Can B Vitamins Reduce the Risk of Stroke?
A meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials has revealed that vitamin B complex supplements may reduce the risk of stroke (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, March 2024). Among more than 76,000 participants in the combined trials, vitamin supplements containing modest doses of folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 reduced the risk of stroke by 34 percent.
That relative risk reduction held only in areas where refined grains are not fortified with folic acid. (They generally are in the US.) The researchers suggest that in such regions, B vitamin supplements not exceeding 0.8 mg folic acid and 0.4 mg vitamin B12 could help. At higher doses, the benefit drops.
Power Mall Product of Interest: Vitamin B Complex plus Vitamin C Re-Natured®
EPA Finalizes Rule to Slash Emissions of Cancer-Causing Chemical Used in Medical Sterilization
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the “strongest measures in U.S. history” to curtail emissions of a toxic chemical used to sterilize medical equipment.
In a March 14 news release, the agency said its final rule on ethylene oxide would “reduce lifetime cancer risks” for people living near commercial sterilization facilities across the United States.
Ethylene oxide is a highly flammable, colorless gas widely used across many industries, including as a chemical intermediate in the manufacturing of ethylene glycol (antifreeze), textiles, detergents, medicine, and adhesives.
It is also used to sanitize medical and surgical equipment and plastic devices that cannot be sterilized by steam; and as a fumigating agent for spices.
Ethylene oxide is also one of the most potent cancer-causing chemicals, according to the EPA.
Under the agency’s new rule, sterilizer facilities will have to reduce emissions by installing new pollution-control technologies within the next two to three years, and continuously monitor emissions, including filing quarterly reports to the EPA.
Such facilities will also have to establish standards for currently unregulated emissions, such as building leaks and chamber exhaust vents, to reduce cancer risk and account for technological developments in pollution control.
Additionally, facilities will also need to ensure communities, states, Tribes, and local governments are kept up to date with the most recent emissions data to ensure ethylene oxide is not entering the outdoor air.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Equating lab-grown meat with animal meat is ‘kooky thinking’ – Alliance for Natural Health
Faux meat investors hope to replace real meat
Manufacturing our own food and eating it is the situation that we may soon be facing with (stem) cell-cultivated lab-grown meat based on CRISPR gene-editing technology. Will we indeed be shown to be “stupid” if we eat it, as Barry Groves stated in the above quote highlighted by the Alliance for Natural Health (ANH)?Standing to profit, ANH USA explains, are those heavily invested in Upside Foods such as large meatpacking companies Tyson and Cargill, and Bill Gates. Upside Foods owns a patent on the technology and Bill Gates has said that rich countries should transition to eating synthetic meat.
Legislation against lab-grown meat gaining momentum
Fortunately, there is some good news for those alarmed by efforts to replace real animal meat with cell-cultivated “meat.” Although it is not yet available in supermarkets, legislation against the ersatz meat is being promoted in states seeking to protect their livestock-based agricultural industries.
Alabama, Arizona, Florida, and Tennessee are seeking to ban the “meat” in their states, as reported by Wyatt Myskow and Lee Hedgepeth for Inside Climate News. Transgressors can be hit with penalties such as jail time, as well as fines and legal fees amounting to thousands of dollars.
Laws addressing the use of the word meat have been passed in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. Some have banned cell-cultured, plant-based, or insect-based food products from being labeled as meat.
No lab meat for school kidsTwo U.S. senators would also like to make sure that the lab-grown meat is kept out of children’s school lunches, FoodService Director senior editor Benit Gingeralla reports. Senators Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.), have introduced “The School Lunch Integrity Act of 2024 would prevent lab-grown protein from being used in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program.”The U.S. Senators argue for the ban since no published guidance on the cell-cultivated product has been put out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). They also argue that there is insufficient proof that the lab-grown meat is safe.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Geoengineering Watch Global Alert News, March 16, 2024, #449
“Severe storms bring heavy snow to the Rockies and baseball-sized hail to the Midwest” (NBC News). Chemical ice nucleation cloud seeding operations are a core component for unstable air masses and massive hail. Late this week snow was also falling in Arizona at above freezing temperatures while it was raining in north eastern Canada. Does that make any sense from a meteorological perspective? The short answer is no, it doesn’t, unless geoengineering is considered. “Fruit chaos is coming”, that new headline from the Atlantic is referring to the crop crushing effect of record warm temperatures immediately followed by freak flash freezes. This devastating scenario is occurring all over the world. Is it just the result of nature? Or something else altogether? How soon till the food shelves empty out?
The First Full Moon of Spring Will Be the ‘Worm Moon’ With Eclipse—Here’s What You Need to Know
In the spring, the earthworm creeps its way up through the thawing soil, while spring’s first full moon gets ready to creep likewise—up over the horizon. It might sit lower than usual, appearing to loom larger, and even taking on a reddish glow.
In a nod to this crawler’s seasonal debut, the March full moon has been dubbed the Worm Moon. This year’s will fall on Monday, March 25, reaching peak illumination at 3:00 a.m. EST.
Here’s what you need to know to enjoy the Worm Moon to the fullest.
Earthworms might have been on the minds of the Colonial settlers or Native American tribesmen who bequeathed the entire calendar month (not just the full moon itself) this name. But another form of grub (not earthworms) may actually be the true originator of the moniker Full Worm Moon.
This year’s Full Worm Moon on March 25 will coincide closely with the spring equinox, which falls a few days earlier, on March 19. Thus, the moon may appear especially close to the horizon and, as a consequence, might even take on some spectacular appearances: it could appear larger than usual or assume a rust-red tinge.
The reason? It’s part optical illusion and part natural special effect.
The so-called “moon illusion,” according to NASA, is simply a trick of the eye that makes the moon appear larger than it really is. It’s caused by the moon’s apparent proximity to terrestrial objects on the horizon—buildings or trees, which are dwarfed in comparison—giving the impression to us humans that the moon is humungous. Conversely, when it’s soaring in the heavens it seems small set in the vastness of space.
4.0 Magnitude Earthquake Hits, Florida Disney Guests Feel Effects
In the latest news, as reported by Jax Today, a 4.0 magnitude earthquake was registered by the United States Geological Survey. The earthquake was noted a little over 100 miles east of Cape Canaveral. The “rumblings” of the rare earthquake were reportedly felt all the way from Palm Coast, Florida, through Vero Beach, Florida. While not affecting Orlando residents and Walt Disney World Resort guests, the earthquake’s range, inadvertently, includes Disney’s Vero Beach Resort. The Disney Resort has not released any official statement about the occurrence. As many, particularly Disney World guests, would know, Florida isn’t known for its earthquakes; rather, the region is susceptible to hurricanes and sees some truly catastrophic ones. Despite this, this earthquake isn’t the only possible one noted this week in the Sunshine State. On March 12, the Earthquake Monitor noted a “seismic-like event,” a possible earthquake, near Valparaiso, Florida. This seismic event, however, has not been noted to be an earthquake by the U.S. Geological Survey.
GARDENING, FARMING & HOMESTEADING
The Big Squeeze: Over 140,000 U.S. Farms Lost In 5 Years
Between 2017 and 2022, the number of farms in the U.S. declined by 141,733 or 7%, according to USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture, released on Feb. 13. Acres operated by farm operations during the same timeframe declined by 20.1 million (2.2%), a loss equivalent to an area about the size of Maine. Only 1.88% of acres operated and 1% of farm operations were classified under a non-family corporate farm structure. With a loss of 141,733 farm operations, representing a 7% decline, and reduction of 20.1 million acres under cultivation, equivalent to the size of Maine, the agriculture sector has faced significant shifts. Though the data shows an ongoing consolidation of farms into fewer, larger operations, it also highlights the adaptability of farmers and ranchers. Despite fewer farms and reduced acreage, the value of agricultural production has increased by 40% (17% in inflation- adjusted dollars), reaching $543 billion in 2022. This increase in productivity underscores the impact of technological advancements and efficiency gains, allowing farmers to produce more with fewer resources. The magnitude of changes is not uniform across states, with the Southwest experiencing a much higher percentage loss in farms than states east of the Mississippi. The challenges faced by farms of all sizes has raised calls for a robust and comprehensive farm bill that could provide support to the operations most at risk and to those providing the lion’s share of the American food supply, helping both to navigate economic uncertainties and regulatory complexities, to undertake innovative and sustainable practices, and to promote the long-term viability of a diverse agricultural landscape across the nation. The Census of Agriculture paints the picture of what we have lost, and of what more could be lost without firm support.
2ND AMENDMENT
Gun Control Advocates Set Their Sights on Gun Industry Trade Group
A national gun control organization has taken responsibility for creating the NRA’s legal problems, is setting its sights on a firearms industry trade organization, and is calling on people to join its fight.
In a March 14 email, Brady—formerly The Brady Campaign—solicited signatures on a petition for Congress to pass more gun control laws to end the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).Mark Oliva, Managing Director of Public Affairs for the NSSF, said he is not surprised by the email. He said Brady is only one of several groups assaulting Americans’ Second Amendment rights.
“I think, if anything, [the email] is a testament to the effectiveness of NSSF and our ability to advocate for our industry,” Mr. Oliva told The Epoch Times.
Mr. Oliva said he expects anti-gun groups to continue, and even intensify, their attacks.
Shocking police bodycam video shows officers chasing a suspected teen drug dealer brandishing a gun on a busy Florida beach during spring break.
Police bodycam footage shows a wild scene unfolding in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
The beach was packed with spring breakers when suddenly a fight broke out around 3:45 p.m. on Thursday.
Deputies were directly in the area of the melee and bodycam footage caught the moment that the suspect pulled out a gun on the crowded beach.
Eliminating the expletives, an officer drew his gun and ordered the gunman to drop his weapon. The gunman instead sprinted away from police and into the ocean, standing in knee-deep water, while the cops stood on shore, guns pointed at him. The 16-year-old has been identified as Felixander Solis-Guzman, who was later charged with three counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, possession of a firearm by a person under 18, improper exhibition of a firearm, commission of a 2nd-degree felony with a weapon, resisting a law enforcement officer, two counts of tampering with evidence, and sale of marijuana.
Solis-Guzman – who is from Lakeland – was also arrested on seven active no-bond warrants out of Orange County, including robbery with a firearm and violation of his probation.
The Office of the State Attorney announced on Friday that Solis-Guzman would be prosecuted as an adult.
District Judge: Gun Ban For Illegal Immigrant Unconstitutional
U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman decided against a federal
ban on gun ownership for illegal immigrant Heriberto Carbajal-Flores.
The case at hand centered on Carbajal-Flores, who was “charged with possession of a firearm while illegally or unlawfully in the United States.” He had a handgun in his possession “in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois,” on June 1, 2020. He was charged for being a non-citizen in possession of a firearm.
Carbajal-Flores sought twice, unsuccessfully, to have his indictment removed. But in his third attempt, a decision in the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and the Supreme Court of the United States’ Bruen (2022) decision, resulted in a different outcome.
Coleman, a Barack Obama appointee, countered government arguments against Carbajal-Flores’ firearm possession by noting:
The government argues that Carbajal-Flores is a noncitizen who is unlawfully present in this country. The Court notes, however, that Carbajal-Flores has never been convicted of a felony, a violent crime, or a crime involving the use of a weapon. Even in the present case, Carbajal-Flores contends that he received and used the handgun solely for self-protection and protection of property during a time of documented civil unrest in the Spring of 2020.
Coleman ultimately concluded, “The noncitizen possession statute, 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(5), violates the Second Amendment as applied to Carbajal-Flores. Thus, the Court grants Carbajal-Flores’ motion to dismiss.”
The case is United States v. Carbajal-Flores, No. 1:20-cr-00613 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
COVID RELATED NEWS
28 Types of Kidney Complications Reported Following COVID-19 Vaccination
A healthy 20-year-old man took his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, and six days later, he was admitted to the hospital.
His kidney function had deteriorated, and he was subsequently diagnosed with drug-related acute interstitial nephritis, a type of kidney disorder.
“A close linkage between COVID-19 vaccination and acute interstitial nephritis should be considered,” wrote the authors of a January case report.
Twenty-eight different kidney injuries have been reported following COVID-19 vaccination, according to a 2023 review published in the Indian Journal of Community Medicine.
The paper reviews all the kidney-related complications reported in the literature following COVID-19 vaccinations, consulting nephrologist Dr. Richard Amerling, who was not involved in the review, told The Epoch Times.
Kidney complications can be a flare-up of a previous condition or occur suddenly in patients with no previous kidney disease.
While most clinical trials would evaluate the effects of a drug from the day it is administered, these COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are not being evaluated from the first day the vaccines are given. A later date is chosen, which inflates the vaccine’s perceived efficacy and safety, researchers say.
It could make an ineffective vaccine — a COVID vaccine with zero efficacy — have a perceived vaccine effectiveness of up to 48 percent, said researcher Raphael Lataster on Feb. 26, citing a paper authored by professor Peter Doshi from the University of Maryland and others. Mr. Lataster, associate lecturer at the University of Sydney, spoke at Sen. Ron Johnson’s (R-Wis.) Feb. 26 roundtable discussion on COVID-19 vaccines and public health messaging. He summarized findings from a collection of four commentaries published in a peer-reviewed journal, of which two were authored by him.
He said that they have also been looking at verifying claims that COVID-19 vaccines reduced severe disease, hospitalizations, and deaths.
One of the problems that has been identified is that most of these studies do not define or have different definitions of what counted as a vaccinated person.
CANCEL CULTURE
US Supreme Court Denies Request by Group to Host Drag Show at Texas University
The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request by a student group that asked to host a drag show at West Texas A&M University and sought to lift a school ban on the performance.
In a one-sentence order, the high court wrote that Justice Samuel Alito denied the emergency request from the LGBT group, Spectrum WT, and two student leaders. There were no dissenting votes issued, and the court did not explain the decision—the usual practice with cases on the Supreme Court’s emergency docket.
The Supreme Court’s decision doesn’t finally decide the issue but means Spectrum WT won’t be able to schedule its performance until the matter is resolved in the courts. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments in the case in April.
All-American swim star Riley Gaines and 15 other all-female athletes are suing the National Collegiate Athletics Association for allowing transvestites to invade women’s sports and locker rooms. Gaines, host of the podcast “Gaines for Girls,” noted on X, “The dam is bursting & it’s about time.”
Independent Council on Women’s Sports, the group that ultimately organized the class action, penned a letter in January 2023 putting the NCAA Office of Legal Affairs on notice that their “practice of allowing male athletes on women’s teams constitutes illegal discrimination against women on the basis of sex.”
Stressing that the “NCAA is not above the law,” the women’s advocacy group demanded the association oust men from women’s sports and locker rooms.
In subsequent months, various state governors around the country, cognizant of the well- demonstrated athletic gap between men and women, implored the NCAA Board of Governors to revise its transvestite student-athlete policy.
ICONS’ letter and the gubernatorial pressure apparently weren’t enough to make the NCAA budge. Sixteen female athletes figured a lawsuit might do the trick. The Free Press reported that the suit could impact eligibility rules at 1,100 colleges and universities represented by the NCAA.
Planet Fitness has doubled down on its decision to ban a member who reported a “trans woman” for shaving in the female locker room. The fitness juggernaut said that although people may feel uncomfortable by the situation, it “is not a reason to deny access to the transgender member,” per the Daily Mail.
The revelations went viral after Libs of TikTok posted to X, writing: “Woman in Planet Fitness claims she went into the bathroom and this man who thinks he’s a woman was in there shaving. Why does @PlanetFitness allow men to use the women’s bathroom and invade women’s private spaces??”
The woman in the video, Patricia Silva, who lives in Alaska, said the “trans woman” was shaving in the female locker room while a girl — who could have been as young as 12 years old — was sitting in the corner wrapped in a towel, appearing to be distressed that here was a man in her locker room.
Three days later, Libs of TikTok posted an update, posting a video of the same woman. The account posted to X: “UPDATE: The woman who exposed a man shaving in an Alaska Planet Fitness women’s locker room with a 12-year-old present just had her membership revoked. Why is @PlanetFitness prioritizing a man with a p*nis using a woman’s private space over women’s and girls’ safety?”
Silva was so distraught about the situation that she took a photo of the man and posted it to social media. She said: “I just came out of Planet Fitness. There is a man shaving in the women’s bathroom. I love him in Christ.”
“He is a spiritual being having a human experience. He doesn’t like his gender so he wants to be a woman, but I’m not comfortable with him shaving in my bathroom. I just thought I’d say it out loud.”
Following the incident, Silva claimed that Planet Fitness “canceled my membership and allowed the pedo to stay !!” However, Silva provided no evidence that the individual in question was a pedophile. Silva has also reportedly expressed QAnon theories in the past, per the Daily Mail.
Utah State Rep. Phil Lyman did not appear to endorse Silva’s claim about the individual being a pedophile but claimed that the fitness company allowed the transgender individual in the female locker room because “transgender ‘rights’ supersede women’s rights.”
Netflix appears to be turning to porn and viewers are canceling subscriptions
Some Netflix users have been threatening to “cancel” their subscriptions over an alleged explicit series featuring a story about a famous Italian porn star in a seven-part series. Released on March 6, the series Supersex tells the story of Rocco Tano, a man from Ortona, Italy, who became the most famous porn star in the world in 1986 under the name Rocco Siffredi. He acted in more than 1,500 X-rated films and may have possibly had sex with over 5,000 people. The drama has been rated by Netflix strictly for viewers aged 18 and over – but that hasn’t stopped fans from sharing their disgust over the ‘inappropriate’ content released by the steaming giant.
The steamy, seconds-long scene was posted by Netflix on its U.S. Instagram page on March 7, before it was mysteriously deleted.
The clip disappeared from the Netflix Instagram account within a few hours, though it remains unclear if the platform deleted it due to fan backlash. Either way, several Netflix users voiced their displeasure over the series and threatened to cancel their subscriptions.
“Now we have porn on Netflix as well? Canceling account while we speak, my kids can’t see this,” one commenter said.
“Isn’t this inappropriate for a platform where KIDS FOLLOW YOU?!” another commenter said.
Brain Rot: YouTube is being flooded with AI-Generated Videos aimed at Children
Video creators are increasingly turning to AI tools to rapidly produce low-quality videos
targeting children on YouTube, raising concerns about the impact of such content on kids.
Wired reports that the world of children’s entertainment on YouTube is facing a new challenge: a growing influx of AI-generated videos aimed at the youngest viewers. According to a Wired investigation, a rising number of YouTube channels appear to be leveraging AI tools like ChatGPT, text- to-speech services, and generative AI features to automate the production of animated videos for kids.
These channels, often promoting themselves as educational or relying on familiar aesthetics like those of the popular Cocomelon series, are churning out videos at an alarming rate. One channel called Yes! Neo, with over 970,000 subscribers, has published a new video every few days since its launch in November 2023, with titles like “Ouch! Baby Got a Boo Boo” and “Poo Poo Song.”
Ben Colman, CEO of deepfake detection startup Reality Defender, analyzed several of these channels and found evidence of AI-generated scripts, synthetic voices, or a combination of both. “Generative text-to-speech is increasingly more commonplace in YouTube videos now — even for children, apparently,” Colman said.
The current trend of AI videos seems focused on capitalizing on YouTube’s recommendation algorithms and monetization opportunities. Tutorials promising riches from AI-generated kids’ videos have flooded the platform, with titles like “$1.2 Million With AI Generated Videos for Kids?” and “$50,000 a MONTH!”
Experts warn that this wave of hastily assembled, AI-driven content could have detrimental effects on young viewers. David Bickham, research director at Boston Children’s Hospital’s Digital Wellness Lab, expressed skepticism about the educational value of such videos, stating, “Something that’s generated entirely to capture eyeballs — you wouldn’t expect it to have any educational or positive beneficial impact.”
The rapid pace of AI video production raises concerns about the lack of human oversight and quality control. Tracy Pizzo Frey, senior adviser of AI for Common Sense Media, emphasized the importance of “meaningful human oversight, especially of generative AI,” suggesting that the responsibility shouldn’t fall entirely on families.
As YouTube prepares to introduce content labels and disclosure requirements for AI-generated content, questions remain about the platform’s ability to effectively monitor and regulate this emerging trend. The potential impact on children’s cognitive and emotional development, coupled with the risks of exposure to inappropriate or harmful content, has sparked calls for greater accountability and ethical considerations in the use of AI for kids’ entertainment.
Olivia Rodrigo Ends Giveaways of Morning-After Pills, Contraceptives at Concerts Following Backlash
Olivia Rodrigo concerts will no longer feature free contraceptives, lubrication, and morning-after pills for fans after a public backlash.
Organizers told Variety widespread media attention forced the reversal with local abortion funds told Thursday afternoon they could not distribute any such free resources at the concerts.
The outlet went on to detail the exact steps that forced the move by the pop singer and Joe Biden fan’s management:
According to three sources at local abortion funds, that decision came from Rodrigo’s team and was relayed over Slack by the National Network of Abortion Funds, which partnered with the pop star to set up booths at each of her North American tour stops.
Jade Hurley, the communications manager for the DC Abortion Fund, says the NNAF said Rodrigo’s team preferred they no longer pass out lubrication, condoms and Plan B because “children are present at the concerts.”
The reality is that youth have sex, and youth need access to birth control and emergency contraception,” Hurley tells Variety over the phone. “What we’re doing is completely legal in all 50 states.”
As Breitbart News reported, Rodrigo donated a portion of her concert tour ticket sales to pro-abortion groups while also handing out so-called “Plan B” pills to fans, including at a recent concert in St. Louis, Missouri — which was the first state to effectively end abortion after the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade in 2022.
Rodrigo fans shared photos of the free pills and condoms they received in St. Louis.
The singer handed out samples of “Julie” — a morning-after, or “Plan B” pill that terminates pregnancy as she strives to make abortion a central part of her public image.
The former Disney star — she appeared in Bizaardvark and the High School Musical series — told a crowd of young fans during her “Sour” tour in 2022 they need to “protect our right to have a safe abortion.”
Later that year, she publicly assailed the Supreme Court for overturning Roe, dedicating singer Lily Allen’s song “Fuck You” to those justices in the majority.
“I’m devastated and terrified that so many women and so many girls are going to die because of this,” Rodrigo said at the time.
PET NEWS
FDA Reminds Veterinarians and Pet Owners about Eye Drop Recalls
The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine is reminding veterinarians and pet owners about recalls of eye drops marketed under several brands, due to the risk of eye infection.
These products were marketed for use in humans, but the FDA is aware that veterinarians may have dispensed or recommended that pet owners purchase them from pharmacies. Although the last recall took place in November 2023, veterinarians and pet owners may still be using the products. The FDA has received at least one adverse event in an animal related to the use of these eye drops.
Veterinary hospitals and pet owners should check their eye drops against the brands and lots listed here and discard any products that are included in the recalls. Pet owners who have used these products on their pets and notice that the pets are rubbing or scratching at their eyes or have swelling or discharge of the eyes should consult their veterinarians immediately.
ICYMI
Georgia woman, 21, killed in freak accident after dropping AirPod at golf cart factory
Investigators are looking into the death of a Georgia woman who was killed in a freak accident at a golf cart factory after trying to retrieve an AirPod that she had dropped.
A witness told investigators that Alyssa Drinkard, 21, a contracted line worker, was working her shift around 9:45 p.m. this month at the Club Car factory in Evans — a suburb of Augusta, Georgia when she dropped her AirPod earbud under the conveyor belt and while attempting to retrieve it, got caught in the chain that moves the conveyor, which then dragged her into the machine. Emergency crews had to cut the metal frame from around the conveyor belt in order to free her. EMS performed life-saving measures before Drinkard was rushed to the hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries the next morning.
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