WORLD NEWS
A massive explosion rocked Beirut on Tuesday, flattening much of the port, damaging buildings across the capital and sending a giant mushroom cloud into the sky. At least 50 people were killed and 2,700 injured, with bodies buried in the rubble, officials said.
Hours later, ambulances still carried away the wounded as army helicopters helped battle fires raging at the port.
The sudden devastation overwhelmed a country already struggling with both the coronavirus pandemic and an economic crisis: Beirut hospitals quickly filled beyond capacity, pleading for blood supplies and generators to keep their lights on.
Israel Gaza strikes kill top militants and 10 civilians
At least 13 Palestinians, including three commanders of the militant group Islamic Jihad, have been killed in Israeli air strikes on the Gaza Strip.
Palestinian health officials said eight women and children were among the dead. Another 20 people were injured.
Israel said it had launched an operation targeting militants who posed an imminent threat to its citizens.
Islamic Jihad has vowed revenge and Gaza-based militants are expected to respond with rocket fire into Israel.
Russian Military Recruiters Targets ‘Asian Migrant Workers’ to Plug Front Line Gaps: UK
Russia is settings its sights further east to keep its front lines manned, according to a UK defence report, with Tajik and Uzbeki recruits enticed with signing bonuses and high pay.
“Central Asian migrant workers” are being targeted to bolster the Russian front lines in Ukraine “where the casualty rate is extremely high” with recruiting officers visiting mosques and immigration centers. Tajik and Uzbek speakers are said to be those being targeted according to a report from the British Ministry of Defence, which has been publishing regular short-form intelligence digests through the Ukraine War
Migrant Surge Grows to 11K Apprehensions/Got-Aways Per Day for Last 3 Days, Says Border Chief
U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz tweeted on Monday that 26,382 migrants crossed the border between ports of entry during the past three days. An additional 7,399 crossed and managed to avoid apprehension.
Chief Ortiz’s tweet reports that approximately 11,260 migrants are known to have crossed the border per day during the past 72 hours. Of those, agents took 26,382 into custody (8,794 per day) while another 7,399 (2,466 per day) are classified as known got-aways.
The head of the channel alleges the platform took down the page, which had millions of followers, without any warning
The Facebook page of RT Arabic has apparently been taken down without any justification and with no advanced warning, Maya Manna, the head of the channel, announced on Wednesday.
At present, anyone trying to access the page will receive a message informing them that “this content isn’t available right now.” Facebook has yet to release an official statement on taking down the channel, which had over 17 million followers.
Why Do We Keep Feeding the Merchants of Death?
According to mainstream media, the Ukraine war is going well and Russia will be solidly defeated. We just need to give Ukraine the means they need to prevail. However, based on an enormous leak of secret documents, that’s false information
The documents reveal political leaders are lying about the state of Ukraine’s war effort and its potential for winning against Russia. It appears the two adversaries have reached a stalemate that neither side can break. As a result, the war is likely to become a protracted one
Documents also reveal NATO countries, including the U.K. and U.S., have sent 97 special forces to Ukraine. This is in addition to the CIA personnel, military trainers and Pentagon contractors sent previously, and the 20,000 troops from the 82nd and 101st Airborne Brigades already deployed to the border of Poland and Ukraine
In mid-April 2023, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz introduced a Privileged Resolution of Inquiry to force President Biden to disclose the number of U.S. military personnel in Ukraine and the full extent of the administration’s plans to assist Ukraine militarily
U.S. intelligence agencies are also reportedly confused about Biden’s plan. According to investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, U.S. intelligence sources claim a “total breakdown of trust” between the White House and elements of the U.S. intelligence community, as the administration continues to lie and withhold information about its plans. Sources also warn there’s “zero” leadership within the current administration
China to expel Canadian diplomat in tit-for-tat move
China’s foreign ministry will expel a Canadian diplomat from the country’s Shanghai consulate as a “reciprocal countermeasure” hours after Canada declared a Chinese diplomat in China’s Toronto consulate as “persona non grata” over alleged involvement in a campaign to intimidate a Canadian legislator critical of Beijing.
“As a reciprocal countermeasure in reaction to Canada’s unscrupulous move, China decides to declare Jennifer Lynn Lalonde, consul of the Consulate General of Canada in Shanghai persona non grata,” China’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
The Real Reason Why the U.S. is Trying to Control the Elections in Turkey this Week
Yesterday, (May 7, 2023), there was a rally of reportedly 1.7 million people at Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport showing support for Turkey’s current president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, ahead of national elections this coming Sunday, May 14th.
On Saturday, (May 6, 2023), Erdoğan’s opponent for president in the national elections, Kemal Kiliçdaroglu, also held a rally in Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, but I have been unable to find any published reports about how large the crowds were, although some of the foreign English media have reported that the crowds were in “the thousands” or “tens of thousands.”
The media here in the U.S., however, in both the corporate media and the alternative media, are reporting that President Erdoğan is either losing or in a close race with Kiliçdaroglu, as they characterize Erdoğan as losing support in an election that “really matters.”
Why do they say that this election “really matters”?
They use the same old excuse they always use when the U.S. has an interest in interfering with elections in other countries where they do not like the outcome: “democracy is at stake.”
As someone who has lived for many years in Turkey in the past, and was at one time fluent in Turkish and worked as a translator in Turkey, I am going to report the “other side” of this Turkish election that you are not likely going to read in Western English news reports.
To sum up the “other side” of why the United States does not want Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to be re-elected as President of Turkey, it is because Turkey is clearly choosing sides in the conflict between the U.S. and Russia in Ukraine, and they are choosing their neighbor, Russia, who is helping Turkey become energy and military independent from the U.S., and part of a larger coalition of Middle Eastern Countries who are banding together to fight years of U.S. military dominance in their region over oil.
Some have even suggested that the deadly earthquake in Turkey earlier this year was not natural, but caused by an HAARP (High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program) weapon used by the U.S. to punish Turkey for working together with Russia.
U.S. NEWS, POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
Judge Bars Trump From Disclosing NYC Criminal Case Evidence
Former President Donald Trump is barred by a New York Judge from disclosing any evidence or information he and his legal team will learn about in the discovery phase of his criminal case in New York City.
Forbes reported that State Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan issued a protective order Monday that does not allow the former president from publicly disclosing any evidence or information prosecutors have gathered against him, especially on his own social media platform of Truth Social, and orders that he can only view the evidence in the presence of his legal team.
“Any materials and information provided by the People to the defense in accordance with their discovery obligations as well as any other documents, materials, or correspondence provided to or exchanged with defense counsel of record on the [case]… shall be used solely for the purposes of preparing a defense in this matter,” the order said. “It is further ordered that any person who receives the covered materials shall not copy, disseminate, or disclose the covered materials, in any form or by any means, to any third party… or posting the Covered Materials to any news or social media platforms, including, but not limited, to Truth Social, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter, Snapchat, or YouTube, without prior approval from the court.”
Hunter Biden Associate Told to Start Singing or Face Jail Time
Rumors of a coming indictment of Hunter Biden are heating up, but one of his business associates is already facing jail time.
Devon Archer founded Rosemont Seneca Partners with Hunter Biden and helped get the president’s son a position on the board of Burisma. The two also worked together to secure payments from Chinese-controlled entities. Archer was convicted of fraud in 2018 for a scheme involving bonds and the Oglala Sioux tribe.
Texas Military Deploys Additional Troops to Border Ahead of Title 42 End
Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered the deployment of an additional 545 National Guardsmen to assist in the newest surge of migrants crossing the border from Mexico. The deployment under the state’s Operation Lone Star comes days ahead of the expected May 11 end of the Title 42 migrant expulsion program.
“These additional forces will bolster the thousands of Texas National Guard service members already assisting local and state law enforcement agencies to secure the border; stop the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and people into Texas; and prevent, detect, and interdict transnational criminal behavior between the ports of entry,” Texas Military Department officials said in a written statement. “We have expanded our capabilities to include boat teams that patrol hundreds of river miles, drones and helicopters that detect illicit activity from the air, and brush teams, security points, and roving patrols that block and interdict illegal smuggling (drugs, weapons, and people) into Texas.”
Texas shooter Mauricio Garcia recorded bizarre voicemail about money: report
The Texas mall mass shooter reportedly recorded a bizarre message on his cellphone voicemail — informing his provider that he paid his bill, asking his parents for cash and telling female callers he has “plenty of money.”
Mauricio Garcia, who killed eight people and wounded seven others with an AR-15-style assault rifle at the Allen Premium Outlets in Allen on Saturday, appeared to obsess about money in the message, according to records obtained by Fox News Digital.
“Hi, this is Mauricio. If you’re the phone company, I sent you the money, or if you’re my parents, please send money,” he says.
“If you are my financial aid institution, you didn’t lend me enough money, if you are a friend, you owe me money. And if you are a female, don’t worry, I have plenty of money,” the suspected neo-Nazi sympathizer adds, according to the outlet.
The phone number listed in the records goes straight to the odd message. It was unclear when he made the recording.
Source: Army Booted Alleged Mall Gunman Over Mental Health
The man accused of killing eight people and wounding several others in a mass shooting at a suburban Dallas shopping mall was discharged from the Army in 2008 because of mental health issues and apparently had been working as a security guard, according to neighbors and an Army official.
Authorities on Monday were trying to piece together what led to the attack Saturday in Allen, which ended when police shot and killed the suspected gunman, who was identified as 33-year-old Mauricio Garcia by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Garcia joined the Army in 2008 but was terminated three months later without completing his initial training, said U.S. Army spokeswoman Heather J. Hagan, who added that the Army doesn’t disclose the reason for any soldier’s discharge.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Signs Law Reinstating Death Penalty For Child Rapists
Brevard County, FL – Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed off on legislation on Monday reinstating the death penalty for convicted child rapists.
Under House Bill 1297, which goes into effect on Oct. 1, offenders convicted of sexual battery on a child under the age of 12 can be sentenced to death with a jury vote of at least 8-4, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.
The decision previously had to be unanimous.
Louisiana man wrongly convicted of rape released after 29 years in prison
A Louisiana man who served 29 years for a crime he did not commit has been released from prison after it was revealed in court that the victim had told the prosecutors in New Orleans for over two decades that the man was innocent, but she was repeatedly ignored.
Patrick Brown, 49, was sentenced to life without parole in December 1994 after he was accused of raping his six-year-old stepdaughter. But for over 20 years, the victim had told authorities that her stepfather was innocent and implicated another family member, who had bragged about it around the time of the crime, according to filings and prosecutors notes from the time.
Brown, who appeared in court on Monday morning wept into the arms of his attorney as the decision to vacate his conviction was delivered by the presiding judge, Calvin Johnson.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Signs Legislation to Curb Influence of the Chinese Communist Party
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed legislation Monday designed to curb the influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
The governor signed three bills — SB 264, 258, and 846 — which take crucial steps to stop CCP influence in the Sunshine State.
Tucker Carlson’s Lawyer Responds, Says Nobody ‘Going to Silence Tucker’
A high-powered attorney who is representing Tucker Carlson said that his client will not be silenced amid speculative, anonymous reports about Carlson’s future.
In a statement to Axios, Bryan Freedman, a Hollywood-based lawyer, said that “the idea that anyone is going to silence Tucker and prevent him from speaking to his audience is beyond preposterous.” The Epoch Times has contacted his office for comment.
While Freedman’s comment was brief, it appears to be the first response Carlson has given in light of reports claiming that Fox News hasn’t actually fired Carlson and is still keeping him under contract. Carlson has not publicly addressed the matter, and a Fox News spokesperson last week didn’t comment on those reports.
Amid Over 300 Sex Abuse Lawsuits, California Diocese Files for Bankruptcy
The Catholic Diocese of Oakland announced Monday that it had filed for bankruptcy, in order to stabilize its finances amid 330 sex abuse lawsuits.
The diocese said that most of the claims center on abuses that occurred in the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s by priests who are either no longer active in ministry or who are deceased.
“This process is the best way to ensure a fair and equitable outcome for survivors,” Bishop Michael C. Barber wrote in a letter to parishioners.
… and you were worried about bed bugs???
Tennessee hotel guest wakes up to night manager sucking on his toes: police
Toe-tally gross.
An evening manager of a Tennessee hotel was arrested after he snuck into a man’s room and sucked on his toes, according to police.
David Neal, a 52-year-old manager at the 4th Avenue South Hilton Hotel in Nashville, allegedly crept into a male guest’s room while he was sleeping on March 30 and got intimate with his feet.
According to Nashville Metropolitan Police, Neal made a key card to get into the room and entered around 5 a.m., WKRN reported.
The guest told police he woke up to Neal’s mouth around his toes and immediately confronted him.
Eric Lira pleads guilty to supplying performance-enhancing drugs to Olympic athletes
A Texas man faces up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to supplying performance-enhancing drugs to Olympic athletes.
Eric Lira, 43, is the first defendant to be charged under a new US law introduced in the wake of Russia’s state-backed Olympic doping scandals.
The 2020 law is named after Russian whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov.
US Attorney Damian Williams said in a federal court the case was a “watershed moment for international sport”.
The Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act enables US authorities to prosecute individuals involved in “doping schemes for the purpose of influencing international sports competitions” including those who have not previously been governed by sport anti-doping laws
Lira was found to have supplied drugs to Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare, who last year was banned from athletics for 11 years.
The 34-year-old was expelled from the Tokyo Olympics just before the women’s 100m semi-finals after it emerged she had tested positive for human growth hormone in an out-of-competition test in Slovakia before the delayed 2020 Games.
Williams added: “Lira provided banned performance-enhancing substances to Olympic athletes who wanted to corruptly gain a competitive edge.
“Such craven efforts to undermine the integrity of sport subverts the purpose of the Olympic Games: to showcase athletic excellence through a level playing field.
“Lira’s efforts to pervert that goal will not go unpunished.”
2ND AMENDMENT
Shannon Watts Criticizes Texas for Not Raising AR-15 Purchase Age to 21 (Mall Shooter Was 33)
In the wake of Saturday’s Allen, Texas, mall shooting, Mike Bloomberg gun control affiliate Shannon Watts criticized Lone Star lawmakers for not raising the minimum purchase age for AR-15s to 21.
The individual who opened fire on mall-goers was 33.
Moms’ Gun Control Group Urges Colorado Governor to Ban All Guns (Lawsuits will be filed if this happens!)
Here 4 the Kids, a gun control group comprised of mothers, is urging Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) to use an executive order to ban all guns in the state.
The mothers are hoping a “group of 25,000 will come together for a sit-in at the state Capitol” on June 5 to demand all guns be banned, 9 News reports.
ECONOMY & BUSINESS
Delaying Nation’s Debt-Limit Increase Only Makes Matters Worse, Warns Elon Musk
Industrialist Elon Musk stated that delaying the raising of America’s debt ceiling will only make consequences worse, as the United States is only a few weeks away from breaching the limit.
“In the end, all debts must be paid, just a question of when. Later makes it worse,” Musk posted in a May 8 tweet. He was responding to a tweet about Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s warning on Sunday that any failure to raise the national debt limit could result in economic chaos. Back in January, Yellen said that the government can only pay its bill through early June with the current debt limit of $31.4 trillion. The limit was hit in January. Washington now only has a few more weeks before the country risks breaching the ceiling.
In a May 6 tweet, The Kobeissi Letter, an industry-leading commentary on the global capital markets, warned that though the failure to raise U.S. debt ceiling would be catastrophic, taking on additional debt “is a crisis itself.”
Since 2008, the United States has added $22 trillion in debt—$8 trillion of which has been accumulated since 2020. It had taken the country 230 years to add its first $8 trillion in debt.
Urban Crime Fuels Rise in Armored Vehicle Sales
The urban riots with images of buildings and cars set ablaze in 2020 proved how dangerous America’s city streets can be for anyone stuck in traffic during incidents of civil unrest.
With little warning, your vehicle could be up against an angry, fist-pounding mob bent on causing harm and destruction.
It’s an urban motorist’s worst nightmare, says James Jamila, North American manager for The Armored Group, an international armored vehicle manufacturer based in Shelby, North Carolina.
Jamila said the riots triggered by the death of George Floyd and the COVID-19 panic saw an unprecedented increase in people calling his company wanting to know more about armored vehicles.
Iran Central Bank and Oman Ditch the U.S. Dollar
The strategic policy of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI) is to set aside US dollar in trade and FOREX exchanges with other countries, the CBI chief said.
Mohammad Reza Farzin made the comment in his meeting with Omani Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion Qais bin Mohammad Al Yousef in Tehran on Monday.
During the meeting, Farzin pointed to the full readiness of the Central Bank of Iran to remove the US dollar from trade and economic transactions between Iran and the Sultanate of Oman.
Suitable ways have been paved for carrying out the trade and economic transactions based on the national unit of currency with trade partners including Oman completely, the governor emphasized.
The Americans use the dollar as a political tool to pressurize countries while other currencies in the world are significantly growing especially in the Asia region, he continued.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Farzin pointed to the constructive talks held between Iranian and Omani officials on the development of monetary and banking relations and reiterated that Iran is ready to use bilateral and multilateral monetary treaties in trade transactions with Oman and the country’s trade partners.
Emphasizing the use of joint debit cards between the monetary and banking networks of the two countries, he said necessary talks have been held in this regard with the officials of the Central Bank of Oman.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Tech Companies Announce Mass Layoffs Amid Economic Woes
The mass layoffs that started late last year have continued into 2023, amid recession fears and economic slowdowns.
So far, the number of tech layoffs globally this year has exceeded the total number from a year ago.
According to data compiled by online tracker Layoffs.fyi, the running total of tech layoffs to date is 191,416, surpassing last year’s total of 164,576.
Some experts are warning that a U.S. recession is expected this year, despite the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showing that the U.S. economy added 253,000 new jobs in April.
The unemployment rate dropped slightly to 3.4 percent, down from 3.5 percent, according to the BLS.
“We still forecast a recession to start in 2023 as the Fed continues to raise its target interest rate to bring inflation under control,” wrote Selcuk Eren, senior economist at The Conference Board, following the BLS report released on May 5.
Eren added: “The slowing economy will reduce labor demand. We expect the unemployment rate to rise to around 4.5 percent by the beginning of 2024.”
SURVEILLANCE STATE
The FBI Wants You to Celebrate Because It Has Spied on Fewer Americans Without Warrants
The FBI has some fantastic news for you.
The agency has reportedly cut back on conducting surveillance on Americans without warrants. This means they have supposedly been violating our rights fewer times than they were a couple of years ago.
sn’t that wonderful?
The number of searches has dropped precipitously:
The number of warrantless searches of Americans’ telephone calls, emails and text messages conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation plummeted last year, dropping from millions of searches to about 120,000, according to a U.S. intelligence report.
According to a report from the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the number of warrantless searches of Americans’ communications conducted by the FBI dropped significantly in 2022. The searches decreased from millions to about 120,000, representing a decline of over 90 percent compared to the previous year.
This drop is attributed to improved compliance with search restrictions following internal reforms and variations in national security investigations, according to the report. Factors such as changes in communication practices of suspected foreign spies and technological advancements also contributed to the decline.
The report’s findings have caught the attention of Congress, which is considering whether to amend the law that authorizes the surveillance program before it expires at the end of the year. The program in question is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which allows the National Security Agency (NSA) to collect communications believed to belong to foreigners living abroad, inadvertently sweeping up Americans’ data in the process.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Millions of Americans Need to Prepare for Widespread Power Outages This Summer
Authorities are warning that extreme temperatures and widespread drought could cause America’s power grid to fail across large swaths of the country this summer.
In a statement, published on May 18, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) warned that “several parts of North America are at elevated or high risk of energy shortfalls this summer due to predicted above-normal temperatures and drought conditions over the western half of the United States and Canada.”
On May 19, NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center forecast that nearly the entire contiguous United States is expected to experience above average temperatures throughout the summer months this year.
Experts are warning that the power grid is extremely delicate and demand for electricity may outpace availability resulting in forced power outages, known as rolling blackouts, for millions of Americans. Forced rolling blackouts are used to prevent damage to electricity infrastructure when demand exceeds supply.
After taking aim at gas stoves as a way to cut greenhouse gases, the Biden administration has turned its attention to other home appliances, with dishwashers now in its crosshairs.
The Department of Energy (DOE) on Friday announced congressionally-mandated proposed standards for new dishwashers that promise to lower costs while reducing the amount of carbon being emitted into the atmosphere.
“This Administration is using all of the tools at our disposal to save Americans money while promoting innovations that will reduce carbon pollution and combat the climate crisis,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said in a statement.
The proposed rulemaking (pdf), published in the Federal Register, seeks to impose separate new efficiency standards for power and water usage for standard-size and compact dishwashers during their regular cycles.
The proposal seeks to cut energy use by 27 percent and water use by 34 percent in new conventional household dishwashers made in the United States or imported into the country, starting three years after the publication of the final rule.
This means that the maximum estimated annual energy use for standard-sized dishwashers would be 223 kWh/year and the maximum per-cycle water consumption would be 3.3 gallons.
Compact dishwasher models would, under the proposed rulemaking, see a 22 percent reduction in power use and an 11 percent lower water usage. Specifically, this would mean that compact dishwasher models made in or imported into the United States would have a maximum annual energy use of 174 kWh/year and maximum water consumption of 3.1 gallons.
If the new rules are adopted within the DOE’s suggested timeframe, they would come into effect in 2027. The agency estimated that the new rules would save consumers nearly $3 billion in utility bills over 30 years.
It would accomplish this by cutting carbon dioxide emissions over the time period in question by around 12.5 million metric tons, which is roughly the combined annual emissions of 1.6 million homes, while saving around 240 billion gallons of water.
The dishwasher rule comes alongside new requirements for electric motors and beverage vending machines, which the DOE said would reduce carbon emissions by an additional combined 94.7 million metric tons over 30 years.
This Is Why Experts Are Warning That A Massive Tsunami Could Potentially Hit The West Coast…
We all live on a giant rock that is flying through space, and the truth is that this giant rock is not very stable. There are dozens of significant earthquakes around the world each day, and as I write this article volcanoes are erupting all over the planet.
In addition, scientists are starting to detect a lot of very unusual activity on the floors of our oceans. Hydrothermal vents can heat water to temperatures greater than 600 degrees Fahrenheit, and a team of researchers recently discovered a “sprawling field” of such vents in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean…
On March 12, a team of scientists gathered in the control room of the RV Falkor (too), an oceanographic research vessel operated by the Schmidt Ocean Institute. They watched the monitor of a camera-wielding underwater drone, or ROV, as it explored the deep sea 2,000 meters (6,600 feet) below the ship. When the screen showed a plume of black smoke, the scientists cheered.
The video showed a sprawling field of hydrothermal vents — fissures in the seabed where seawater mixes with magma — on the Puy des Folles Volcano on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Some of the vents, known as “black smokers,” had formed tall “chimneys” of iron sulfide deposits that gushed out dark, sulfurous plumes with temperatures up to about 340° Celsius (644° Fahrenheit), hot enough to melt lead.
There is much more going on under the water than we realize.
According to Newsweek, “over 19,000 new underwater volcanoes have been discovered”, and we are being told that thousands more could still be found because most of our ocean floors have not been mapped yet.
Could all of this seismic activity be the reason why ocean temperatures have been rising so rapidly?…
Scientists are alarmed as sea surface temperatures stubbornly maintain record-breaking highs for more than a month, pushing the state of Earth’s oceans into uncharted territory.
Starting in mid-March, data from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) leaps dramatically from earlier recordings, following lows of both Arctic and Antarctic sea ice this year.
As a consequence, a large number of ocean heat waves are emerging around the globe, putting untold pressure on wildlife.
Something unusual caused ocean temperatures to jump “dramatically” beginning in mid-March.
Is it possible that we are being cooked from underneath?
50 miles off the coast of Oregon, scientists have discovered a giant hole that is “spewing hot liquid” into the Pacific Ocean like a firehose…
GARDENING, FARMING & HOMESTEADING
Are You and Your Family Really Ready For A Power Grid Failure?
The dangers to our aging, fragile electrical grid are numerous. Over the last few years, many of us have focused on the risk of an EMP, mostly fueled by North Korea’s nuclear and ICBM testing. But that may not be the biggest risk our power grid faces, according to Dan Coats, the National Director of Intelligence. According to a recent statement by him, cyber attacks against the grid have become so commonplace as to have “the light flashing red” right now. This is just as it was after the 9-11 World Trade Center disaster.
EMPs Aren’t The Only Threat To A Power Grid Failure
So, if you were breathing easier because the risk of North Korea causing mischief has gone down, don’t be hasty. In fact, North Korea is one of the four principal countries that are trying to infiltrate our government’s computer networks at all levels as well as our nation’s industry and power grid.
While this may not seem as serious a risk as an EMP shutting everything down, it very well could be. A well thought out attack, causing cascading failures, could shut down large parts of the grid. Worse, getting into the computers of power plants could cause serious damage to those plants. In the case of nuclear power plants, it could have catastrophic results.
Just in case you hadn’t heard, some hackers have gotten far enough into the computers running the grid (and in one case a power plant) to do just that. Why they didn’t is something we don’t know. They could just be waiting for the right time.
—> Lion Energy (Make sure you’re prepared; financing available! Make sure you contact The Power Hour to let us know you’ve ordered a generator from Lion Energy!)
How to Make Compost for Your Vegetable Garden
If you are looking to grow a lush and fruitful vegetable garden, composting is one of the best things you can do for your plants. Learn how to make compost for your vegetable garden with our easy-to-follow guide.
HEALTH
FDA Approves First Pill Containing Human Feces
Patients needing a fecal microbiota transplant for recurrent Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) infections now have the option of getting stool in pill form.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Vowst, the first oral biologic drug for fecal microbiota that was shown in clinical trials to be as effective as fecal microbiota transplants given rectally. Biologic drugs are derived from blood, proteins, bacteria, and other living organisms.
In a traditional fecal microbiota transplant or FMT, healthy donor stool is transferred into the colon of a patient, usually via colonoscopy or retention enema. Late last year, the FDA approved the first microbiota product for rectal administration to C. diff patients.
- diff, often contracted by taking antibiotics, is highly a contagious bacterial infection that causes severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever and can result in organ failure and even death. Recurrent infections within two to eight weeks are a problem for about one in six patients, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Risk factors include recent hospital or nursing home stay, a weakened immune system, and previous C. diff infections.
In response to the approval of the new oral microbiota product, Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a news release:
“The availability of a fecal microbiota product that can be taken orally is a significant step forward in advancing patient care and accessibility for individuals who have experienced this disease that can be potentially life-threatening.”
Child Fentanyl Deaths Rose 30-Fold in Just 8 Years
The synthetic opioid fentanyl is killing increasing numbers of U.S. kids, emulating the chilling trends seen among adults, a new study finds.
Pediatric deaths from fentanyl increased more than 30-fold between 2013 and 2021, according to study author Julie Gaither, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Yale School of Medicine.
Nearly half of the deaths occurred at home, and most were deemed unintentional. Teens may not have known the drugs they were using were contaminated with fentanyl, while very young children may have touched or swallowed drugs used by their parents.
Drink This To Make Your Gut & Metabolic Health Soar, Says An MD
Your gut is a microbial galaxy of about 39 trillion bacteria. Yes, you read that right: “That’s more bacteria in your gut than stars in the night sky,” world-renowned physician and researcher William Li, M.D., author of Eat To Beat Your Diet, shares on the mindbodygreen podcast. And these bacteria communicate with each other at all hours of the day to support different functions, like metabolism, immunity, skin health, brain health, and so much more.
It can be overwhelming to reflect on the scope of your gut microbiome, but according to Li, “We’re beginning this expedition into the great unknown to discover the important bacteria.” One of those important discoveries happens to be a bacteria called Akkermansia muciniphila. “This one bacteria has been discovered to be a guardian of our health,” Li adds.
And it turns out, a very simple tonic can promote the growth of this very vital bacteria: 100% pure pomegranate juice.
Why pomegranate juice is great for gut & metabolic health
“Akkermansia is a guardian,” says Li. “It helps insulin control—if you’ve got good Akkermansia working on your behalf, it actually lowers the risk of Type 2 diabetes. It also seems to influence body fitness.” He references a study in which high amounts of Akkermansia are associated with lower risk of obesity. “That association is really important because of the role of Akkermansia and controlling your insulin and metabolism,” he adds.
Suffice it to say: This is one powerful gut bacteria. Yet despite the complex nature of your gut microbiome, it’s not too difficult to promote Akkermansia naturally. According to Li, all it takes is some pomegranate juice: “It turns out that certain kinds of polyphenols, ellagitannins, will actually prompt your gut to secrete more mucus,” he notes. And mucus serves as the “soil” this bacteria needs in order to thrive.
Pomegranate and pomegranate juice contain these ellagitannins3, which have been shown to stimulate the growth of 4Akkermansia4 in in vitro culture studies. Li recommends drinking an 8-ounce cup of pure pomegranate juice to get things grooving: “Two shot glasses worth is enough to get the mucus flowing in your gut,” he notes. Although, pure pomegranate juice can be pretty tart, which is why many commercial options often contain added sugar—and consuming refined sugar has its own gut health-related issues.
COVID RELATED NEWS
Efforts to overturn vaccine mandates for both hospital patients and health care workers appear to be gaining momentum across the United States.
In what is seen as a major victory for transplant patients who did not take the COVID vaccine, one of the largest transplant centers in the United States reversed its policy to require the jab in order to be eligible for an organ transplant.
The University of Michigan (UM) announced its new policy on May 4 just before court proceedings were about to get underway in a lawsuit filed against it for declaring patients ineligible for an organ transplant unless they agreed to the jab.
The suit was filed on behalf of several patients by David Peters of Pacific Justice Institute who in celebrating the reversal simply stated “we’re winning!”
In a written statement, UM said it was “new information” that led to the “voluntary decision” to reverse its policy.
“The University hereby gives notice to the Court that in light of developing epidemiological and other actuarial circumstances, effective April 27, 2023, it has changed its Transplant Center COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement for Adult Transplant Candidates. Relevant to this litigation, COVID-19 vaccine will no longer be required prior to wait-listing of potential adult solid organ transplant recipients.”
NIH Restarts EcoHealth Alliance Grant, Watchdog Outraged
Despite Republican opposition in Congress, National Institutes of Health (NIH) is restarting the controversial grant to the EcoHealth Alliance (EHA), which provided subgrants to the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Former President Donald Trump ended the grant three years ago during the start of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, last funding the controversial bat coronavirus research in 2019 at $661,980.
EHA Director Peter Daszak’s group had been receiving the grant since 2014 under the Obama administration, for a total of more than $3.7 million. The $576,290 grant for the 2023 restart, which was funded April 26 for four years and began May 1, will run the total to Daszak’s group to more than $4.32 million through this year from NIH under this grant alone.
CANCEL CULTURE
Anheuser-Busch CEO Blames Bud Light Boycott on ‘Misinformation’
The chief executive of Anheuser-Busch blamed what he called “misinformation” for the backlash against Bud Light in a Monday interview following the company’s partnership with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney.
“People often talk about this topic in social media like noise,” chief executive Michel Doukeris told the Financial Times in the interview. “You have one fact and every person puts an opinion behind the fact. And then the opinions start to be replicated fast on each and every comment. By the time that 10 or 20 people put a comment out there, the reality is no longer what the fact is, but is more [about] what the comments were.”
Doukeris further stated that there was “misinformation and confusion” that circulated online that included a Bud Light can with Mulvaney’s likeness on it. Again distancing Bud Light from Mulvaney, he said that it was “never intended to make it for general production and sale for the public.”
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