WORLD NEWS
Russian Spy Chief Claims France Planning to Send 2K Soldiers to Ukraine
Russia has intelligence that France is gearing up to send 2,000 of its soldiers to Ukraine, the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Sergei Naryshkin said Tuesday.
“[The French soldiers] will become a legitimate priority target for attacks by the Russian Armed Forces,” Naryshkin said, according to a statement published on the SVR’s website.
“The sword awaits all Frenchmen who ever enter the territory of the Russian World,” he added.
Naryshkin’s uncorroborated claims came on the same day that General Pierre Schill, chief of staff of the French land forces, said the French army stood ready for “the toughest engagements.”
Schill did not specifically refer to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the risk of the conflict spreading, but he did say “the sources of crisis are multiplying and carry with them risks of spiraling or extending.”
Schill’s statement comes after French President Emmanuel Macron refused in February to rule out deploying ground troops to help Ukraine fight Russia.
Macron’s stance toward Russian President Vladimir Putin has been hardening, and the French leader recently described Putin as a threat not just to Ukraine but to the security of all Europeans.
Schill said France could assemble a division of 20,000 troops in a coalition within 30 days and command an army of around 60,000 soldiers by joining other allied nations. The French army says it has 121,000 soldiers and can call up 24,000 reservists. Naryshkin claimed 2,000 French troops would be deployed to Ukraine in the “initial stage” of a wider mission.
“The French military fears that such a large unit will not be able to be transferred and stationed in Ukraine unnoticed,” he said without elaborating.
Russia Rains Missiles Down on Kyiv in Major Strike, First in Six Weeks
Russia fired 31 ballistic and cruise missiles at Kyiv before dawn Thursday in the first attack on the Ukrainian capital in 44 days, officials said. Air defenses shot down all the incoming missiles, though 13 people including a child were injured by falling wreckage, they said.
Residents of Kyiv were woken up by loud explosions around 5 a.m. as the missiles arrived at roughly the same time from different directions, said the head of the Kyiv City Administration.
Ukraine´s air force said Russia launched two ballistic missiles and 29 cruise missiles against the capital.
An 11-year-old girl and a 38-year-old man were hospitalized in Kyiv, the city administration said. Eight other people sustained light injuries, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
Ukraine’s Emergency Service said around 80 people were evacuated from their homes.
With record of Gaza truce vetoes, US unveils new, ambiguous UN resolution
Eyeing a prospective Israel-Hamas truce deal in Qatar, the US draft resolution does not explicitly demand a ceasefire now.
The United States has circulated a draft United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an “immediate ceasefire tied to the release of hostages” in Gaza, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken who is on a tour of the Middle East.
Israel’s key political and military backer has repeatedly vetoed previous UNSC votes on ending the nearly six-month war, objecting as recently as February to the use of the term “immediate” in a draft submitted by Algeria.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has stepped down from his role and as leader of Fine Gael, citing “both personal and political” reasons.
In a move that came as an unexpected shock to his Coalition colleagues, Mr Varadkar said although there is “never a right time to resign high office” he believes “this is as good a time as any” as Budget 2024 is done and negotiations have not yet started on the next one.
Becoming emotional at times, and flanked by his Fine Gael Cabinet colleagues, Mr Varadkar said he would resign as Taoiseach as soon as his successor takes up that office.
First elected in 2007, Mr Varadkar was appointed by former taoiseach Enda Kenny as minister for transport in 2011 before then becoming minister for health in 2014. He beat Simon Coveney to become leader of Fine Gael in 2017. He then became the youngest person to take up the role of taoiseach.
Appeals Court Reinstates Hold on Texas Immigration Law
A federal appeals court issued an order late on March 19 that reinstates a hold blocking Texas from enforcing a law that enables local law enforcement to arrest suspected illegal immigrants.
This decision came from a three-judge panel of the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, voting 2–1 to overturn a previous ruling made by another panel of the same court that granted an administrative stay of the law’s implementation.
The prior Fifth Circuit ruling had temporarily halted an injunction from a federal district court judge in Austin, Texas, that had blocked Texas from implementing the law. The Austin judge’s rationale was that such a law might pave the way for other states to enact their own immigration legislation.
Following the March 19 order, the Fifth Circuit will now hear arguments on whether to stay the preliminary injunction pending appeal on March 20, according to the order.
“A majority of the panel has concluded that the administrative stay entered by a motions panel on March 2, 2024, should be lifted,” the unsigned order by the court reads.
Circuit Judge Andrew Oldham dissented from the majority opinion on March 19, advocating for the law to remain enforceable.
He wrote in his dissenting opinion, “I would leave that stay in place pending tomorrow’s oral argument on the question.”
This came hours after the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority rejected an emergency request from the Biden administration to review the administrative stay ordered by the Fifth Circuit’s prior panel.
The Department of Justice argued that the law is a clear violation of the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution and that states do not have the power to enforce immigration laws. The law would cause chaos in immigration law, it argued.
Staff at clinic where Kate had surgery ‘tried to access her medical records’
An investigation has reportedly been launched at the London Clinic over claims staff tried to access the Princess of Wales’s private medical records while she was being treated there.
At least one member of staff tried to access Kate’s notes while she was a patient at the private hospital in central London in January, according to the Mirror.
It quoted a source who said senior hospital bosses had “contacted Kensington Palace immediately after the incident was brought to their attention and assured the palace there would be a full investigation”.
The UK privacy and data protection watchdog said it had received a breach report.
The Metropolitan police could not confirm whether they had been informed of the allegations.
Details of the princess’s condition and surgery have not been disclosed. Kensington Palace previously said it was not cancer-related and that she wished for her personal medical information to remain private.
U.S. NEWS, POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
Another Waco or Ruby Ridge? You be the judge!
Malinowski reportedly near death after shooting, authorities keep quiet
… and …
Brother of Clinton National Airport executive shot in ATF raid says he is “brain dead”
The Executive Director of the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport since 2019, 53-year-old Bryan Malinowski, is not expected to survive after ATF agents during a raid of his Chenal Valley home early Tuesday morning. New information on what happened at airport executive Bryan Malinowski’s house Tuesday morning is scant, and speculation is running the gamut.
Around 6 a.m. Tuesday, federal agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives served a search warrant at Malinowski’s house in West Little Rock. He shot at the agents, according to a press release from the ATF, and they returned fire. One ATF agent was wounded but his injury was not life threatening and he’s expected to make a full recovery.
A source familiar with the situation told the Arkansas Times Tuesday evening that Malinowski had been shot in the head and was on life support. On Wednesday afternoon, Malinowski’s brother, Matthew Malinowski, told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that his brother was brain dead and was “not going to make it.”
“The ATF burst into his house, and they did it in such a manner that was the most dangerous combination possible”, his brother said. “The easiest way to have taken care of this situation – the most common way – would be to wait until he gets in his car, pull over and arrest him. Or you wait until he comes to work and you arrest him there.”
The family wishes to donate Malinowski’s organs, but they say the ATF is standing in the way.
Malinowski joined Clinton National in 2008 as Director of Properties, Planning and Development and was appointed Executive Director in November 2019 and was responsible for the overall administration, operations, maintenance and development for the state’s largest airport.
The ATF and the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation division released initial statements since acknowledging the shooting, but authorities have provided no details about the incident since then, including the warrant itself. Officers were seen removing guns and other materials from the Malinowski home Tuesday evening, reportedly after opening a safe. A crew with the Little Rock Fire Department left Tuesday afternoon around 5 p.m. with large pry bars and saws.
Malinowski’s neighbors said he was known as a gun enthusiast. Debra Bussell, who lives nearby, said Malinowski mostly kept to himself but got to talking when firearms were involved. He often went to gun shows, Bussell said. Bussell said she had been inside the Malinowski house several times over the years and didn’t notice anything strange.
So far, local, state and federal agencies have provided no explanation about why federal agents visited the house on Tuesday. With such a dearth of official information, the online rumor mill is running wild, from Clinton conspiracy theories to speculation about Mexican cartel involvement. After the Arkansas State Police finishes its investigation, the file will be handed over to the prosecuting attorney who will determine is the use of deadly force was justified under Arkansas law.
Inspired by Texas, Republicans in Other States Eye Immigration Bills
On Tuesday, the same day that Texas was briefly allowed to enforce a new law empowering police officers to arrest unauthorized migrants, Iowa lawmakers passed a bill that would make it a crime to enter their state after having been deported or denied entry into the United States.
At least seven states, all controlled by Republicans, are hoping to follow suit or have already considered bills that were not passed.
The flurry of laws and proposals meant to crack down on undocumented migrants entering the country is part of the extraordinary mix of immigration, litigation and politics that is producing legal gridlock in the courts and confusion at the border.
‘Compromised’ Biden leading U.S. to disaster, says Air Force general
‘There is something brewing at home and it’ll take many by surprise’
With a presidential administration well-known to have been compromised by foreign adversaries – especially China – is America on the brink of disaster?
WND asked that question to Brigadier Gen. Blaine “Blaino” Holt, USAF-Ret., who served as the deputy U.S. military representative to NATO and is co-founder of the nonprofit Restore Liberty.
Holt fears the worst under President Joe Biden’s leadership, saying the evidence of betrayal is undeniable. “It’s not statistically possible for an administration to make 100 percent of its decisions counter to United States interests without some other factor at play.”
“If Americans want to know what that factor is,” said Holt, “start watching what Congressman Comer is doing in his oversight committee.”
Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., is chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability. And according to Holt, “Every single day, he is peeling back the onion on the Chinese compromise of this administration.”
Thus, in a March 14 press release, Comer announced “a government-wide investigation into the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) ongoing efforts to target, influence, and infiltrate every sector and community in the United States, including but not limited to America’s education, agriculture, critical infrastructure, research, energy, business, space, and technology sectors.”
“In every area,” Holt stressed, “the Chinese are not only making deals favorable to the Chinese and their interests, but also to second and third order interests.” These include Russia and Iran, he explained. “And if you look through that prism, things start to explain themselves.”
Citing U.S. capitulation to the Chinese regime and “American weakness” around the world, Holt told WND, “no national security team has ever gone 0 out of 100.” And all the while, he said, “fighting-age men are dwelling among us in three tiers.” The tiers include migrants, terrorists and state actors like the People’s Liberation Army, he said.
“Most Americans live in this little bubble where they think that all of our overseas problems stay overseas, and wars stay overseas,” Holt concluded, adding a warning:
“They think these kinds of things won’t visit us here, but there is something brewing at home and it’ll take many by surprise.”
The Republican National Committee is suing Nevada state officials over alleged inconsistencies in the state’s voter rolls.
On Friday, the RNC and the Nevada Republican Party filed a lawsuit in federal court against Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar (D) and five county clerks, alleging they have violated the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 by not maintaining clean and accurate voter rolls.
The lawsuit claimed that five Nevada counties, including Clark County, have “inordinately high voter registration rates” as reflected by their voter rolls.
“At least three Nevada counties have more registered voters than they have adult citizens who are over the age of 18. That number of voters is impossibly high,” the lawsuit says. “An additional two counties have voter registration rates that exceed 90% of adult citizens over the age of 18. That figure far eclipses the national and statewide voter registration rate in recent elections.”
Moreover, the lawsuit claims, “Several Nevada counties have inordinately high inactive registration rates, indicating that Defendants do not make a reasonable effort to remove outdated registrations.”
By not maintaining clean and accurate voter rolls in compliance with federal law, the RNC said that “Aguilar is imperiling election integrity in the 2024 elections and sending a clear message to Nevada voters that he does not care about clean and accurate voter rolls.”
Judge Grants Trump’s Request to Appeal Fani Willis Disqualification Decision
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee has granted former President Donald Trump’s request for a certificate of immediate review, allowing the former president and seven co-defendants to appeal the judge’s order denying the disqualification of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
The certificate of immediate review, filed yesterday at the Superior Court of Fulton County in Georgia, allows President Trump and seven co-defendants to seek an appeal from the Georgia Court of Appeals, which has the discretion to accept or decline to hear the case.
“Judge McAfee has issued a certificate of immediate review allowing us to take our motion to disqualify Fani Willis directly to the Georgia Court of Appeals,” David Shafer, former chairman of the Georgia Republican Party and one of the seven co-defendants, said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, commenting on the judge’s decision.
Besides Mr. Shafer, the co-defendants who can appeal the judge’s disqualification ruling are Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, Robert Cheeley, Michael Roman, Harrison Floyd, and Cathleen Latham.
All of them had joined the initial motion to disqualify Ms. Willis and later joined the motion for a certificate of immediate review.
But in New York …
Attorney General Asks Court Not to Consider ‘Impossibility’ of $464 Million Trump Bond
New York Attorney General Letitia James’s office on March 20 asked the appellate division of the New York Supreme Court to throw out several arguments made by former President Donald Trump as he seeks to stay enforcement of more than $350 million in penalties while he appeals.
“The Court should not consider defendants’ new allegations and arguments—which contend that a full bond or deposit is a ‘practical impossibility,’” the letter to the court reads.
In order to appeal the $350 million judgment and hold off the attorney general from seizing assets in the meantime, President Trump would be required to post a bond upward of $464 million, requiring what one broker estimated to be $1 billion in cash.
The judge in the case dismissed the broker’s statements, citing lack of credibility.
“There is nothing unusual about even billion-dollar judgments being fully bonded on appeal,” the attorney general argued, pointing to cases against Apple, Sony, Samsung, Carnegie Mellon, and Oracle.
The state attorneys also claimed that the sureties’ not accepting real estate as collateral “is hardly impossible as a general matter.”
“They do not explain why a bank would not accept real property to finance [an irrevocable] letter of credit,” the letter reads.
The state argued that the defense supplied no evidence that these sureties will not accept real estate, “or precisely why the sureties were unwilling to accept the assets.”
Mr. Giulietti had generalized in his explanation that sureties generally are not equipped to handle the management or quick sales of real estate should a claim be made on the bond.
The state suggested that the court could infer that the Trump properties “are not nearly as valuable as defendants claim,” and that this may be why he can’t get a bond.
They fault the defendants for “fail[ing] to propose a serious alternative to fully secure the judgment.”
President Trump had stated in a social media post that to put up the cash required for a bond of this size would demand a “fire sale” of his properties.
State attorneys argue that this is preferable to the state’s taking on the risk of liquidating Trump Organization assets.
“If defendants were truly unable to provide an undertaking, they at a minimum should have consented to have their real-estate interests held by Supreme Court to satisfy the judgment,” or otherwise pledged the assets as security, they argued.
Billionaire Nelson Peltz Backs Trump, Says Biden Has ‘Really Scary Mental Condition’
Billionaire Disney investor Nelson Peltz is planning to back former President Donald Trump’s bid to retake the White House in November, saying that Biden has a “really scary mental condition.”
Nelson Peltz was less than enthusiastic about his choice in an interview this week with the Financial Times. “It will probably be Trump and I’m not happy about that,” he said.
However, after reading the story in full, you’ll realize there were no immediate threats!
Is it fear mongering to keep America “on edge”?
Federal Agency Issues Warning About Drinking Water
A Environmental Protection Agency warned this week that foreign adversaries are carrying out cyberattacks against water and sewage systems across the United States.
AOC takes heat over ‘RICO is not a crime’ comment in Biden impeachment probe hearing
Bobulinski attempted to tell AOC that RICO is “a category of crimes that you are then charged under” as the congresswoman talked over him
AOC tells Tony Bobulinski “RICO is not a crime” during Biden impeachment hearing
The internet quickly lit up with responses to the progressive congresswoman’s claim that “RICO is not a crime.”
California voters pass Proposition 1 to tackle the state’s homelessness crisis
California voters have approved a measure that will impose strict requirements on counties to spend on housing and drug treatment programs to tackle the state’s homelessness crisis, in a tissue-thin win for Gov. Gavin Newsom, who personally campaigned for the measure’s passage.
Democrats outnumber Republicans by a staggering 2-to-1 in California, and the borderline vote — coming more than two weeks after election day — signaled unease with the state’s homeless policies after Newsom’s administration invested billions of dollars to get people off the street but no dramatic change has been seen in Los Angeles and other large cities.
Led by Its Youth, U.S. Sinks in World Happiness Report
The 2024 report, released on Wednesday, had a note of alarm that was less about who was at the top of the rankings and more about who wasn’t: Americans — particularly those under 30 — have become drastically less happy in recent years.
The report, compiled annually by a consortium of groups including the United Nations and Gallup, was the latest data point in what some researchers have described as a crisis among America’s youth.
For the first time since the first World Happiness Report was published in 2012, the United States fell out of the Top 20 and dropped to 23rd, pushed down by cratering attitudes of Americans under 30.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
JPMorgan’s Dark Legacy Continues: A Colossal $348 Million Fine Levied
The Federal Reserve and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) are hitting banking giant JPMorgan Chase with a $348.20 million fine in a coordinated enforcement action.
Both the Fed and the OCC say JPMorgan engaged in “unsafe or unsound banking practices” in relation to its trade surveilling program.
The OCC says that since 2019, JPMorgan operated with gaps in its trade surveillance program, leading to the bank’s failure to adequately monitor its traders and clients for potential market misconduct in billions of trading instances.
Meanwhile, the Fed says JPMorgan’s trade surveillance program had been deficient at certain points in time from 2014 to 2023. The Fed says the deficiencies allowed the trillion-dollar lender’s corporate and investment bank division to operate without “adequate data oversight and reconciliation processes to achieve effective and comprehensive trade surveillance.”
On top of the monetary penalty, the two regulatory bodies issued cease-and-desist orders to JPMorgan requiring the bank to take extensive actions to improve its trade surveillance program.
The OCC orders JPMorgan to create an action plan that provides a detailed description of the steps needed for its trade surveillance program to achieve compliance, along with a reasonable timeline for completion and the name of the person responsible for accomplishing the regulator’s remedial measures.
As for the Fed, the regulator requires the bank to get an independent third party that will be tasked to assess JPMorgan’s trade surveillance program in different areas including measures to detect market misconduct and measures to address instances of non-surveilled trading activities.
Since 2000, JPMorgan Chase has paid $39.34 billion in total fines imposed by US regulators, enforcement agencies and lawsuits related to anti-competitive practices, securities abuses and other violations.
That’s according to data from the Violation Tracker, a comprehensive corporate misconduct database. The bank made $49.6 billion in profit last year.
FCC’s New All‐In Pricing Rule for Cable and Satellite
In the Biden administration’s latest effort to combat “junk fees,” the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted March 14 to mandate “all‐in pricing” for broadband and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providers.
Under the new rule, cable and DBS providers must display a single line, all‐in price for their services in consumers’ bills and on advertising materials that state a price. The FCC thinks this will stop consumers from being surprised by unexpected fees passed onto them, such as the mandatory “broadcast TV fee, or regional sports programming surcharge.”
Making sure these fees are represented in an upfront total price will “allow consumers to comparison shop,” the FCC says, without being misled to think these charges are government‐imposed.
Who could oppose revealing the total price of a video programming service upfront? Compared to other “junk fee” regulations that control prices (credit card late fees) or make all customers pay to provide services to others (banning airlines from charging parents on basic economy tickets for guaranteeing seats with their children), this regulation might seem like a fuss about nothing.
Firms can still itemize bills to provide consumers granular detail, including identifying these charges, as well as “franchisee fees, public, educational, and governmental access fees…and other…charges imposed by the government,” or equipment costs. So there’s not much being lost on transparency through this bundling.
Intel and Biden Admin Announce up to $8.5 Billion in Direct Funding Under the CHIPS Act
U.S. Department of Commerce has proposed up to $8.5 billion in direct funding through the CHIPS and Science Act to advance Intel’s commercial semiconductor projects in Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio and Oregon.
Intel also expects to benefit from a U.S. Treasury Department Investment Tax Credit (ITC) of up to 25% on more than $100 billion in qualified investments and eligibility for federal loans up to $11 billion.
Proposed funding supports Intel’s previously announced plans to invest more than $100 billion in the U.S. over five years to expand U.S. chipmaking capacity and capabilities critical to economic and national security and acceleration of emerging technologies, such as AI.
Intel’s investments are expected to create more than 10,000 company jobs and nearly 20,000 construction jobs, and to support more than 50,000 indirect jobs with suppliers and supporting industries.
HEALTH
Do you really trust Big Pharma enough with your life?
Influenza Vaccines Linked to Elevated Stroke Risk in Elderly: FDA Study
Some people who received a COVID-19 vaccine were at higher risk of stroke but an analysis found that the risk was connected to influenza vaccination, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) researchers said in a new study.
The researchers, analyzing data from Medicare, detected an elevated stroke risk among the elderly following receipt of a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer and Moderna and available from the fall of 2022 to the fall of 2023. There was an elevated risk of nonhemorrhagic stroke or transient ischemic attack in people 85 or older following Pfizer vaccination and people aged 65 to 74 following Moderna vaccination, the researchers found.
But the researchers then looked at which people received an influenza shot at the same time as a COVID-19 shot and saw that the elevated risk only persisted among people who received the vaccines concomitantly.
“This finding suggests that the observed association between vaccination and stroke in the concomitant subgroup was likely driven by a high-dose or adjuvanted influenza vaccination,” Steven Anderson, director of the Office of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the FDA, and the other researchers wrote.
High-dose influenza vaccines are primarily for the elderly, while adjuvanted influenza vaccines are another type of flu shot.
The researchers also found an elevated risk of nonhemorrhagic stroke among people who received an influenza vaccine and did not get a COVID-19 vaccine, supporting the finding.
The study was published by the Journal of the American Medical Association. It was previously filed as a preprint.
Elon Musk Warns of DEI in Medical Schools: ‘People Will Die’
Elon Musk again raised concerns that the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policy, particularly in medical schools, can lead to people dying.
“If the standards for passing medical exams and becoming a doctor or especially something like a surgeon, if the standards are lowered, then the probability that the surgeon will make a mistake is higher,” Mr. Musk said. “They’re making mistakes in their exam. They may make mistakes with people, and that may result in people dying.”
Mr. Musk provided an example of a surgeon in training who, despite making numerous mistakes during operations, still passed training due to lower standards. He suggested that this lower standard could increase the likelihood of fatal outcomes.
Mr. Musk has long been outspoken against the DEI initiative. During an interview with commentator Ben Shapiro earlier this year at the European Jewish Association Conference in Poland, the owner of X said people should “always be wary of any name that sounds like it could come out of a George Orwell book.”
“Diversity, equity, inclusion, these all sound like nice words. But what it really means is discrimination on the basis of race, sex, and sexual orientation, and it’s against merit,” Mr. Musk said at the time.
On March 7, the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing titled, “Divisive, Excessive, Ineffective: The Real Impact of DEI on College Campuses.”
During the testimony, Dr. Stanley Goldfarb, former associate dean of curriculum at the University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, and chair of the medical nonprofit Do No Harm, raised great concerns about the DEI initiative in medical schools and warned of its potential consequences.
“DEI is dangerous everywhere, but it’s most dangerous in medical schools,” Dr. Goldfarb raised the alarm.
Not All Sunshine–The Reality of Vitamin D Supplementation
One in five Americans regularly reach for vitamin D supplements, yet most are unaware that they’re taking not just a vitamin— but a hormone.
While renowned for bolstering bone strength and immune health, vitamin D’s story is not straightforward. A blend of myth and established science invites a closer look into its true nature and impact.
Vitamin D stands apart in the world of nutrients. It’s a sun-sourced substance acting as both a nutrient and a hormone. This dual role is significant, as hormones, which orchestrate many bodily functions, aren’t typically taken as supplements like vitamins.
Endocrinologist Dr. Michael Holick, a leading vitamin D expert, says, “The body more effectively utilizes vitamin D when it’s naturally synthesized from sunlight, compared to standard supplement doses.” This difference is key to understanding vitamin D’s health role and the complexities of supplementing a hormone.
Unlike most nutrients, the hormonal nature of vitamin D means it has a broader systemic impact, influencing not just bone health but also immune function, cell growth, and inflammation control. This understanding is crucial in guiding medical approaches to its use, including the potential risks and benefits of supplementation.
Vitamin D is more than just a bone health and immune system booster. Its multifaceted role in the body impacts everything from mood regulation to cardiovascular health.
At its core, vitamin D is vital for calcium absorption in the gut, and essential for bone strength and health. “Without enough Vitamin D, the body can only absorb 10–15 percent of calcium,” Dr. Alex Foxman, a leading internist and preventive care specialist, told The Epoch Times. Insufficient calcium can result in weaker bones and heightened fracture risks.
Moreover, vitamin D is pivotal for immune health. Dr. Holick observes, “Vitamin D receptors are in almost every cell, including immune cells.” Proper levels are vital for a balanced immune response and preventing autoimmune disorders.
For those who aren’t able to be outside and utilize the sunshine’s Vitamin D, you may want to consider a whole food Vitamin D supplementation like Optivida Vitamin D – this is a NEW AND IMPROVED FORMULA: NOW 4,000 IU PLANT-BASED D3
Illinois Moves to Cut Thousands of Non-Citizens From Taxpayer-Subsidized Health Care
Illinois officials are moving to stop providing taxpayer-subsidized health care to thousands of non-citizens, including many illegal immigrants, in a bid to rein in soaring costs.
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services said in a recent statement it will start annually verifying the eligibility for two programs—Health Benefits for Immigrant Adults (HBIA) and Health Benefits for Immigrant Seniors (HBIS)—after enrollment was paused due to budget concerns.
“This process will mirror the redetermination process used in the traditional Medicaid program to ensure those enrolled remain eligible,” the agency said.
The plans include closing cases for people who are enrolled who make over a certain amount or who otherwise are no longer eligible for the program in which they’re enrolled. Officials also plan on removing legal permanent residents who qualify for Medicaid, which is a federal program.
“The redetermination process ensures that those who are enrolled remain eligible for coverage,” Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services spokesperson Jamie Munks told WBEZ. “If an individual loses coverage through the redetermination process, it is because they no longer meet eligibility requirements, or they are required to respond or submit additional information to prove their continued eligibility, but they do not do so.”
The processes are estimated to reduce the number of enrollees in the state programs by about 6,000 people, state Sen. Don DeWitte, a Republican, told the Center Square after hearing from state health officials. Those removals would result in savings of $14 million.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Elon Musk’s Neuralink shows brain-chip patient playing online chess
Noland Arbaugh, paralyzed after diving accident, received implant in January but experts caution that procedure is in early days
Elon Musk’s brain-chip startup Neuralink live-streamed its first patient implanted with a chip playing online chess.
Noland Arbaugh, the 29-year-old patient who was paralyzed below the shoulder after a diving accident, was playing chess on his laptop and moving the cursor using the Neuralink device.
He had received an implant from the company in January and could control a computer mouse using his thoughts, Musk said last month.
“The surgery was super easy,” Arbaugh said in the video streamed on Musk’s social media platform X, referring to the implant procedure. “I literally was released from the hospital a day later. I have no cognitive impairments.”
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Total Eclipse of Sun to Cross 10 States, Reach 32 Million Americans in April—Here’s What to Know
If things go the way astronomers say they will, some 32 million North American locals will witness the sun go black on April 8, 2024, with millions more flocking to see the extraordinary astronomical event. It’s been billed as becoming the most watched solar eclipse in history.
A total solar eclipse is where the new moon passes directly in front of the sun, totally blocking out sunlight, and casting the moon’s shadow upon the surface of the Earth.
The last total solar eclipse to fall on American soil was the Great American Eclipse in 2017. Some 12 million locals, plus the millions who came for the spectacle, saw the sun go dark.
Next month’s eclipse is set to be even more spectacular. It will last longer and slice across highly populated parts of North America. Starting from Mexico’s South Pacific coast, the path of totality will traverse over 10 American states, cross parts of eastern Canada, and reach the Maritime Atlantic.
Many who saw the Great American Eclipse “know the marvels that arrive with a solar totality,” astronomer Bob Berman said in an article for the Farmer’s Almanac. Those who resultantly became hooked on solar eclipses, or who missed out on the 2017 event, will get a second chance in April.
Position is key in eclipse watching. The moments of totality swipe along a relatively narrow ribbon about 100 miles wide over the Earth’s surface. Only viewers situated in this narrow band where the moon’s shadow falls will be able to witness a 100 percent total solar eclipse.
Climate change geoengineering study probes making clouds brighter
Scientists ponder fighting climate change by making clouds brighter and thicker
Scientists keep studying creative ways to reduce global warming, and on Wednesday they highlighted another possibility: Making clouds over the oceans thicker and brighter.
This would involve a fleet of ships, which would crisscross vast stretches of the world’s oceans, spraying seawater up into the clouds to thicken them, thus cooling the atmosphere underneath.
This geoengineering technique – widespread use of which is only in the theoretical stage at this point – is called “marine cloud brightening” (MCB), according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It’s not new, either: The idea has been around for around 30 years.
What’s new is a study published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances that lays out how viable this technique is and also proposes a program of research that includes laboratory studies, field experiments and cloud modeling.
GARDENING, FARMING & HOMESTEADING
Quackgrass – Identification, Control, and Uses
Quackgrass, Elymus repens, also known as couch grass, is a common weed in lawns and gardens. Treated as a scourge by lawn care companies, it’s quite valuable for herbal medicine and livestock food. We share identification tips, how to use it, and how to get rid of quackgrass where it’s not wanted.
CANCEL CULTURE
Infowars bankruptcy lawyer wants out of company’s Chapter 11 case
The lawyer responsible for guiding Alex Jones’ media company through bankruptcy will ask a judge for permission to drop out of the case at a court hearing next week, saying he has irreparable disagreements with the company’s management.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston, Texas, said on Friday that he would convene an emergency hearing on March 11 to consider a request by Ray Battaglia, who has been lead bankruptcy counsel for Infowars’ parent company Free Speech Systems since 2022 after Battaglia said his relationship with the company’s chief restructuring officer, Patrick Magill is “fundamentally broken.”
Magill, who is in charge of day-to-day operations at FSS, has withheld Battaglia’s legal fees for January and February as “blatant retaliation” for a Jan. 25 disagreement about whether or not FSS should pursue litigation over a legal claim, Battaglia said in a Feb. 29 court filing. Battaglia did not describe the legal claim, but he said that pursuing it would be “ill advised.”
FSS and Jones filed for bankruptcy after being sued over Jones’ repeated lies about the 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school massacre.
A judge has since ruled that Jones cannot use his personal bankruptcy to avoid paying at least $1.1 billion in defamation verdicts that the families have won against Jones in court cases in Connecticut and Texas. The families of the Sandy Hook shooting victims have voted for a bankruptcy plan that would liquidate Jones’ assets, if approved in court.
FSS’ bankruptcy, which was filed before the defamation verdicts, is proceeding in parallel with Jones’ personal bankruptcy. The company initially said it would attempt to reach a settlement with the Sandy Hook families, but the defamation cases proceeded to judgment without a settlement with FSS.
Battaglia has “zealously” represented FSS since becoming lead counsel in September 2022, but he never intended to be the company’s lead lawyer, according to his motion.
Battaglia, a solo practitioner, was hired as co-counsel when FSS filed for bankruptcy in July 2022, but he became the company’s sole bankruptcy lawyer after its other lawyers were kicked off the case due to a conflict of interest.
Battaglia initially balked at Lopez’s decision to disqualify them, telling the judge, “I can’t do this alone.”
Battaglia then hired Magill to take over the company’s day-to-day operations, and the two men initially had a “constructive working relationship,” according to Battaglia’s court filing.
Alex Jones-Tied Vendor Moves to Upend Infowars Parent Bankruptcy
An Alex Jones-related company that sold dietary supplements he regularly hawked to his Infowars audience moved to disempower an independent officer running the bankruptcy of the media company’s parent.
PQPR Holdings Limited LLC, a company managed and partially owned by Jones’ father, on Thursday asked the US Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas to appoint someone new to take over the Chapter 11 case for Free Speech Systems LLC. The request came days after court papers revealed a growing rift between the company’s chief restructuring officer and its lead bankruptcy lawyer, and just weeks before it’s scheduled to present its proposed bankruptcy plan to a judge.
PQPR, an Infowars vendor and also the target of a lawsuit filed by Free Speech, accused the independently-appointed CRO of acting unprofessionally and bringing dysfunction into the proceedings.
PQPR, which is accused of receiving millions in insider payments from Free Speech, takes issue with CRO Patrick Magill’s decision earlier this week to replace the company’s lead bankruptcy lawyer with someone new. Attorney Ray Battaglia, who represented Jones in a separate legal action four years ago, stood in the way of Magill’s desire to move the case forward, the CRO said.
Urging the court to either appoint an examiner to take control of the Chapter 11 case or convert the proceedings to a controlled liquidation, PQPR argued that Magill’s actions “are troubling and indicate continuing issues.”
Magill didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The disputes over Free Speech’s management and legal representation come as the company seeks court approval of a bankruptcy plan that would create a trust to partially pay families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims. The Sandy Hook families hold $1.5 billion worth of legal judgments against Jones and Infowars for falsely calling the 2012 massacre a hoax.
The famed conspiracy theorist and his right-wing media company filed separate bankruptcy cases in 2022 after losing state court defamation cases.
The Sandy Hook families last month voted 100% in favor of a Chapter 11 plan for Jones that would liquidate and redistribute his property and cash.
Alabama Governor Signs Law Banning State Funding of DEI at Public Schools, Universities
A new Alabama law that bans state agencies, local boards of education, and institutions of higher education from sponsoring so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs or offices, was signed into law on Wednesday by Gov. Kay Ivey.
Alabama’s Republican-led Legislature voted on Tuesday to advance legislation SB 129, which was authored by Republican state Sen. Will Barfoot. The law will become effective Oct. 1, 2024.
An amended version of the bill was initially passed by the House of Representatives on March 7, with the Senate approving the changes in a 25–4 vote this week.
Under the measure, “divisive concepts” about race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin would be banned from being taught or sponsored by a state agency, local board of education, or public institution of higher education, such as public universities and colleges.
The legislation outlines eight “divisive concepts,” which include teachings that any race, religion, or sex is inherently superior or inferior, or that, by virtue of an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, ethnicity, or national origin, the individual is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive—whether consciously or subconsciously.
Other “divisive concepts” include that individuals, based on factors such as race, religion or sex, are responsible for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race, color, religion, or sex.
Specifically, the measure says that state agencies, local boards of education, or public institutions of higher education may not sponsor any DEI program or maintain any office, physical location, or department that promotes such programs; direct or compel a student, employee, or contractor to personally affirm, adopt, or adhere to a divisive concept; or require students, employees, or contractors to share their personal point of view of any divisive concept outside of an academic setting.
ICYMI
Police: Texas High School Teacher Sexually Abused Up To 12 Boys
A Texas high school teacher accused of grooming and sexually assaulting up to 12 male
students is now claiming to be pregnant, officials say.
Jaden Charles, a 25-year-old former Agua Dulce High School science teacher, was arrested Tuesday after being turned in by her own mother, following recent investigations by the Agua Dulce City Marshal’s office and the Alice Police Department.
Agua Dulce City Marshal Joe Martinez told 3NEWS that the city’s investigation was initially about kids vaping at school, but officials found that Charles allegedly provided vape products to victims.
The disgraced teacher is also accused of getting the victims intoxicated before having sexual relations with them.
The Alice Police Department’s investigation came about when a parent made a police report about their son leaving campus with a teacher.
“We do have parents that were concerned and made some calls about their children being with a teacher,” Alice Police Department Chief Eden Garcia said. “We do have video of the teacher with a student at one of the hotels.”
Charles, a mother of four children, has reportedly been hit with grooming and aggravated sexual assault of a child charges. Additional charges are expected to come, the local outlet noted.
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