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Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Pentagon Whistleblower Under Investigation For Op-Eds
Pentagon Whistleblower Under Investigation For Op-Eds: Pentagon whistleblower Franz Gayl had his security clearance taken away, faces an NCIS investigation, and was forced into retirement.
The Insanity of Militarism From McCain to Flynn and Biden - CounterPunch.org
The Insanity of Militarism From McCain to Flynn and Biden - CounterPunch.org: During the US war in Vietnam, a protester in Providence, Rhode Island set up a tiger cage and lamented that approaching the middle of the decade of the 1970s it was impossible to garner any significant protest against that war from which the US had withdrawn ground troops in 1973. The Vietnam War ended in More
Gradually and Then Suddenly: Explaining the Navy’s Strategic Bankruptcy - War on the Rocks
Gradually and Then Suddenly: Explaining the Navy’s Strategic Bankruptcy - War on the Rocks: “How did you go bankrupt?” Bill asked. “Two ways,” Mike said. “Gradually and then suddenly.” - Ernest Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises The U.S. Navy
Understanding Influence in the Strategic Competition with China | RAND
Understanding Influence in the Strategic Competition with China | RAND:
This report examines China's ability to use various mechanisms of influence to shape the policies and behavior of 20 countries, as well as the lessons that these examples offer for the United States' strategic competition with China.
The Stryker is a 'deathtrap' but you're paying for it anyway – Responsible Statecraft
The Stryker is a 'deathtrap' but you're paying for it anyway – Responsible Statecraft: Despite cuts, the Army wants nearly $1B to upgrade a vehicle that literally put our soldiers in harms way. But it's a boon for the contractor.
US airstrikes in Iraq and Syria are blatantly unconstitutional – Responsible Statecraft
US airstrikes in Iraq and Syria are blatantly unconstitutional – Responsible Statecraft: It will take much more than repealing AUMFs to stop the president from making unilateral decisions to make war.
America’s electric grid has a big, looming problem: Getting power to where it’s needed | The Seattle Times
America’s electric grid has a big, looming problem: Getting power to where it’s needed | The Seattle Times: The nation's strained power grid is either at a turning point toward infrastructure renewal or poised to dash clean-power visions as it crumbles under new stresses being placed on it....
Heart inflammation after COVID-19 shots higher than expected in study of U.S. military | Reuters
Heart inflammation after COVID-19 shots higher than expected in study of U.S. military | Reuters: Members of the U.S. military who were vaccinated against COVID-19 showed higher-than-expected rates of heart inflammation, although the condition was still extremely rare, according to a study released on Tuesday.
Miami Building Collapse Sows Fear Among City’s Condo Owners - Bloomberg
Miami Building Collapse Sows Fear Among City’s Condo Owners - Bloomberg: The building collapse in Surfside, Florida, has frayed nerves in the city as condo dwellers across the Miami area pore over association documents and cast anxious looks at support columns in their own parking garages.
Along With Infrastructure, China Invested in Its People. The US Should, Too
Along With Infrastructure, China Invested in Its People. The US Should, Too: As impressive as China’s infrastructure buildout in the past two decades has been, it is the visible portion of an iceberg. The most important investments China has made during its period of prolonged takeoff involve the most embattled portion of Biden’s own revival program: so-called human infrastructure.
China building more than 100 missile silos, expanding nuclear capabilities - The Washington Post
China building more than 100 missile silos, expanding nuclear capabilities - The Washington Post: Satellite images point to a construction spree for ICBM launch tubes that could a signal a major expansion of Beijing’s nuclear capabilities, though some could be decoys.
It’s official: China has eliminated malaria | Science | AAAS
It’s official: China has eliminated malaria | Science | AAAS: WHO certifies country free of the deadly disease after 3 years without local transmission
America's First Black Billionaire Wants Reparations, Now | RealClearPolicy
America's First Black Billionaire Wants Reparations, Now | RealClearPolicy: Robert L. Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television and America’s first Black billionaire, wants a check. He wants it from the government. And he wants it to come with an apology fo
Im-Politic: From Inside the Wuhan Lab | RealityChek
Im-Politic: From Inside the Wuhan Lab | RealityChek: That was some scoop by Bloomberg.com’s Michelle Fay Cortez the other day, bagging an interview with the last (and only) non-Chinese scientist to work in the Wuhan, China lab suspected of bein…
Is the CDC Still Relevant? | RealClearPolicy
Is the CDC Still Relevant? | RealClearPolicy: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the premier federal agency in charge of scientific public health research and information dispersal. It is a large, bureaucratic organization wi
Billionaire GOP Mega-Donor Funds National Guard Mission to US-Mexico Border | Military.com
Billionaire GOP Mega-Donor Funds National Guard Mission to US-Mexico Border | Military.com: The tab is being picked up by the private Tennessee-based Willis and Reba Johnson's Foundation.
Why Ostpolitik with Russia runs along East-West Euro divide – Responsible Statecraft
Why Ostpolitik with Russia runs along East-West Euro divide – Responsible Statecraft: France and Germany are disenchanted with U.S. sanctions, but Poland and the Baltic states are far from ready for rapprochement.
Grand Illusions: The Impact of Misperceptions About Russia on U.S. Policy - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Grand Illusions: The Impact of Misperceptions About Russia on U.S. Policy - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Getting Russia right—assessing its capabilities and intentions, the long-term drivers of its policy and threat perceptions, as well as its accomplishments—is essential because the alternative of misreading them is a recipe for wasted resources, distorted national priorities, and increased risk of confrontation.
Coronavirus vaccines are widely available in the U.S. So why are scientists working on new ones? - The Washington Post
Coronavirus vaccines are widely available in the U.S. So why are scientists working on new ones? - The Washington Post: Even as vaccine supplies outstrip demand in the United States, the scientific quest for coronavirus shots has scarcely eased.
Senator Mike Gravel and Me: RIP to a Hero of the Antiwar Movement - Antiwar.com Blog
Senator Mike Gravel and Me: RIP to a Hero of the Antiwar Movement - Antiwar.com Blog: Former Senator Mike Gravel (D-AK) died yesterday at 91. He was a major hero of the antiwar movement several times over. Daniel Ellsberg leaked the Pentagon Papers to the New York Times; they began publishing them on June 13, 1971 The U.S. Justice Department immediately tried to halt publication, on the grounds that the information … Continue reading "Senator Mike Gravel and Me: RIP to a Hero of the Antiwar Movement"
Tuesday, June 29, 2021
Not only did Google FUND bioweapons research, it also CENSORED information about covid’s lab origins – NaturalNews.com
Not only did Google FUND bioweapons research, it also CENSORED information about covid’s lab origins – NaturalNews.com: David Feinberg, the head of Google's "health division," admitted at a recent forum of The Wall Street Journal that the tech giant censored information showing that the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) may have originated at a Chinese laboratory.
Feinberg was asked by a reporter why Goo
EU badly split on dialogue with Russia - Asia Times
EU badly split on dialogue with Russia - Asia Times: A thoughtful, farsighted proposal by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron calling for a resumption of the European
The Hoover Institution Releases Essay By Former Chinese Communist Party Insider About Beijing’s Perspective On Relationship With The United States | Hoover Institution
The Hoover Institution Releases Essay By Former Chinese Communist Party Insider About Beijing’s Perspective On Relationship With The United States | Hoover Institution: The Hoover Institution’s Project on China’s Global Sharp Power has released a new essay by Cai Xia, a dissident and former professor at the Central Party School of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), that presents an insider’s account of the CCP’s historical world view and reveals the current perspective of Beijing’s leaders about their relationship with the United States. The
China-US Relations In The Eyes Of The Chinese Communist Party: An Insider’s Perspective | 中共眼中的中美关系一个局內人的观点 | Hoover Institution
China-US Relations In The Eyes Of The Chinese Communist Party: An Insider’s Perspective | 中共眼中的中美关系一个局內人的观点 | Hoover Institution: Since the opening of diplomatic relations with China in 1972, the American strategy of engagement, however well intentioned, has been deeply naïve. While accepting America’s efforts to facilitate their country’s modernization, China’s leaders have worked to restrict any liberal effects on their political system. Now that China is strong, the Chinese Communist Party no longer
A Bombshell Decision On Property Takings | Hoover Institution
A Bombshell Decision On Property Takings | Hoover Institution: Chief Justice Roberts’s opinion in California labor case may well upend American law.
How waffles evolved from communion wafers
How waffles evolved from communion wafers: The earliest waffle irons were invented in the Middle Ages, in order to cook communion wafers.
China turns on world's second-biggest hydropower dam
China turns on world's second-biggest hydropower dam: The first two generating units of the world’s second-biggest hydroelectric dam were officially turned on Monday in southwestern China, the government announced. The Baihetan Dam on the Jinsha River, a tributary of the Yangtze, is part of Chinese efforts to curb surging fossil fuel demand by building more hydropower capacity at a time when dams have fallen out of favor in other countries due to environmental complaints. Plans call for the 289-meter-tall (954-foot-tall) Baihetan Dam to have 16 generating units with a capacity of 1 million kilowatts each.
The Lives of Hannibal and Theodore - Eunomia
The Lives of Hannibal and Theodore - Eunomia: Hannibal was immortalized by his enemies, and Theodore Laskaris was mostly forgotten by his own people.
Why Local Communities May Support Nuclear Energy | The Regulatory Review
Why Local Communities May Support Nuclear Energy | The Regulatory Review: Proponents of nuclear energy should focus on its economic and environmental benefits to garner local support.
Holder, Barr, DOJ and FBI Outed in Slimy Plot Against Assange - CounterPunch.org
Holder, Barr, DOJ and FBI Outed in Slimy Plot Against Assange - CounterPunch.org: A careful read of this stunning investigative piece in Iceland's Stundin newspaper reveals that in June 2011 Eric Holder (no doubt with Obama's enthusiastic approval) initiated a disgraceful FBI frame-up of Julian Assange. Displaying their usual incompetence, the FBI thoroughly screwed up the Holder framing assignment by coming up with a child-molesting embezzler and sociopath as their spy and agent provocateur within the Icelandic branch of Wikileaks, thereby creating such a mess that the Minister of the Interior had our federal gumshoes thrown out of Iceland. More
The Passing of the Present and the Decline of America - CounterPunch.org
The Passing of the Present and the Decline of America - CounterPunch.org: “I asked myself about the present: how wide it was, how deep it was, how much was mine to keep.” — Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five (1969) Kurt Vonnegut’s famous novel about the World War II bombing of the German city of Dresden appeared the year I graduated from West Point. While dimly aware that its publication More
What Price "Defense"? - TomDispatch.com
What Price "Defense"? - TomDispatch.com: President Biden’s first Pentagon budget, released late last month, is staggering by any reasonable standard. At more than $750 billion for the Defense Department and related work on nuclear weapons at the Department of Energy,
‘At first I thought, this is crazy’: the real-life plan to use novels to predict the next war | Books | The Guardian
‘At first I thought, this is crazy’: the real-life plan to use novels to predict the next war | Books | The Guardian: Three years ago, a small group of academics at a German university launched an unprecedented collaboration with the military – using novels to try to pinpoint the world’s next conflicts. Are they on to something?
Vaccine passports underscore the necessity of U.S. privacy legislation
Vaccine passports underscore the necessity of U.S. privacy legislation: While digital health certificates may facilitate a safer reopening and faster economic recovery, technological solutions to vaccine verification also raise valid concerns about the privacy of personal health data and their potential to exacerbate racial and socioeconomic inequities.
White Scare: Critical Race Theory Debate Echoes with History | RealClearPolicy
White Scare: Critical Race Theory Debate Echoes with History | RealClearPolicy: It was hard not to recognize the parallels.
On the dais, an elected official with a demonstrated history of grandstanding who hoped to leverage cultural anxiety for political benefit. Sitting
Critical Race Theory Is Just Anti-White Racism | RealClearPolicy
Critical Race Theory Is Just Anti-White Racism | RealClearPolicy: Critical race theory is the cultural battle of our time. State legislatures across the country are seeking to ban it, parents battle with school boards over it, and several Republican politicians look
Does Biden have a North Korea Policy? Not Really | original | Tokyo Business Today | All the news you need to know about Japan
Does Biden have a North Korea Policy? Not Really | original | Tokyo Business Today | All the news you need to know about Japan: Speculation about a resumption of negotiations between North Korea and the United States is once again in the air. While senior American officials talk about “interesting signals” from Pyongyang, t…
Demographics and the Future of South Korea - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Demographics and the Future of South Korea - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: South Korea is bracing for a momentous demographic shift that could be a bellwether of how other countries around the world will deal with aging populations in the decades to come.
Nation-building Done Right: The Long History of American Developmentalism | The National Interest
Nation-building Done Right: The Long History of American Developmentalism | The National Interest: If America is to find its way through its current troubles, we must look to our past and draw inspiration from the efforts of our forebears. It contains many salutary lessons which Congress and the Biden administration would do well to draw upon.
A Difficult Balancing Act: Russia’s Role in the Eastern Mediterranean - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
A Difficult Balancing Act: Russia’s Role in the Eastern Mediterranean - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Russia’s assertiveness in the Eastern Mediterranean is part of its broader strategy for undermining the cohesion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union and thus complicating the Western alliance’s ability to operate, plan, and formulate policy.
Merkel Continues To Urge Summit With Putin – Eurasia Review
Merkel Continues To Urge Summit With Putin – Eurasia Review: German Chancellor Angela Merkel Monday continued to make the case that a face-to-face summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin is the best way to address regional issues with him, days after ot…
The Covid Lab Leak Theory: Why a Natural Origin Story Is More Likely | The New Republic
The Covid Lab Leak Theory: Why a Natural Origin Story Is More Likely | The New Republic: Most theories about the pandemic starting with a bioengineered virus are less plausible than the simpler alternative: bats being bats.
Monday, June 28, 2021
Facebook Hits $1 Trillion in Market Value, Beats Gov't Antitrust Rap (for Now) - BIG by Matt Stoller
Facebook Hits $1 Trillion in Market Value, Beats Gov't Antitrust Rap (for Now) - BIG by Matt Stoller: With a muddled decision, a judge just instructed Congress on why antitrust law needs to be rewritten. The FTC will likely refile its antitrust case against Facebook and move forward.
A Confused Biden Team Risks Losing Southeast Asia to China
A Confused Biden Team Risks Losing Southeast Asia to China: If the region continues to drift toward China, Washington has only itself to blame.
China shares video and audio from its Mars rover | Engadget
China shares video and audio from its Mars rover | Engadget: China has shared video footageand audio from its Mars rover Zhurong, giving another look at what it's like to explore the Red Planet..
SCOTUS vacates ruling that said officers used reasonable force in pinning prisoner before he died
SCOTUS vacates ruling that said officers used reasonable force in pinning prisoner before he died: Days after Derek Chauvin was sentenced for murdering George Floyd by kneeling on him until he died, the Supreme Court vacated a ruling in Lombardo v. City of St. Louis that had said officers acted reasonably when engaging in similar behavior.
CA bans state travel to Florida, Arkansas over transgender laws | The Sacramento Bee
CA bans state travel to Florida, Arkansas over transgender laws | The Sacramento Bee: Arkansas, Florida, Montana, North Dakota and West Virginia are the newest states to land on California’s state travel ban.
The ‘Palestinian’ Authority is actually Israel’s auxiliary occupation force – Middle East Monitor
The ‘Palestinian’ Authority is actually Israel’s auxiliary occupation force – Middle East Monitor: Palestinian activist and political candidate Nizar Banat, 44, was killed in the early hours of Thursday morning. But it was not Israeli soldiers that killed him. Banat was a critic of the Palest...
Asia, say no to Nato, Opinion News & Top Stories - The Straits Times
Asia, say no to Nato, Opinion News & Top Stories - The Straits Times: The Pacific has no need of the destructive militaristic culture of the Atlantic alliance.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
US carries out air raids on Iran-backed militias in Syria, Iraq | Military News | Al Jazeera
US carries out air raids on Iran-backed militias in Syria, Iraq | Military News | Al Jazeera: Attacks mark second time US President Joe Biden has ordered retaliatory bombing of armed groups since taking office.
Special Report: How Beijing humbled Britain's mighty HSBC | Reuters
Special Report: How Beijing humbled Britain's mighty HSBC | Reuters: On a rainy day last November, China Baowu Steel Group, the world's largest steel maker, gathered its finance department for a training session on the outskirts of Shanghai. One highlight was a presentation featuring a sensitive slide: a "black list" of 60 lenders that the...
TIbor Nagy taking closer look at meeting between Biden and Putin
TIbor Nagy taking closer look at meeting between Biden and Putin: TIbor Nagy, in this commentary, assesses the nation's historical approach to dealing with Russia against the backdrop of the first Biden-Putin meeting
Warnings increase amid fears of closing last aid lifeline in Syria - Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East
Warnings increase amid fears of closing last aid lifeline in Syria - Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East: International and UN organizations press for maintaining the flow of humanitarian aid to northwest Syria through Bab al-Hawa crossing, in light of fears of a humanitarian catastrophe in case the mandate for cross-border aid was not renewed.
Maneuvering Jerusalem’s future: Upcoming DC visit puts wind in Jordanian monarch’s sails - The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer
Maneuvering Jerusalem’s future: Upcoming DC visit puts wind in Jordanian monarch’s sails - The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer: By James M. Dorsey US President Joe Biden may have little appetite for Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking but seems determined to prevent some third parties from exploiting the regional stalemate to their advantage. That seems to be one message contained in ensuring that
Egyptian, Jordanian and Iraqi leaders meet in Baghdad
Egyptian, Jordanian and Iraqi leaders meet in Baghdad: BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq, Egypt and Jordan took a step toward deepening a regional alliance by holding tripartite talks in Baghdad on Sunday, in a first visit by an Egyptian head of state to the country in 30 years.
Don’t Count on the Quad to Counter China
Don’t Count on the Quad to Counter China: The new grouping won’t give the United States any more leverage over China than it already has—and it might raise tensions in the region higher…
On Iran, Israel must not reprise Netanyahu’s disastrous role in the Iraq War and rise of al-Qaida - Israel News - Haaretz.com
On Iran, Israel must not reprise Netanyahu’s disastrous role in the Iraq War and rise of al-Qaida - Israel News - Haaretz.com: The main beneficiaries of Netanyahu's misguided, bellicose advice to the U.S. on the Middle East have been Iran, al-Qaida, ISIS and Iran again. On Iran's nuclear program, Israel's new government must avoid repeating his failures
How Northern Ireland's 'Good Friday' agreement affects US-UK relations | TheHill
How Northern Ireland's 'Good Friday' agreement affects US-UK relations | TheHill: President Biden has been firm in stating that the Good Friday agreement is sacrosanct and that if open borders are not maintained, the British government can forget a new trade agreement with the United States.
Scientists Admit Lab-Leak Hypothesis Was Valid Last Year - But Kept Quiet Because Of Trump | ZeroHedge
Scientists Admit Lab-Leak Hypothesis Was Valid Last Year - But Kept Quiet Because Of Trump | ZeroHedge: ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero
Global steel production trends shift a gear - Splash247
Global steel production trends shift a gear - Splash247: There’s a changing of the order in the list of the top steel producing nations with significant ramifications for the dry bulk tonne-mile picture. Global steel production reached a new record of 174m tonnes in May, with Chinese output up 8% year-on-year at a new record 100m tonnes, and ex-China production standing up 33% year-on-year …
During Covid-19, Most Americans Got Richer—Especially the Rich - WSJ
During Covid-19, Most Americans Got Richer—Especially the Rich - WSJ: U.S. households added $13.5 trillion in wealth last year, the biggest increase in records going back three decades.
Key Witness in US Case Against Assange Changes His Story – Consortiumnews
Key Witness in US Case Against Assange Changes His Story – Consortiumnews: An FBI informant on Julian Assange upon whose information the U.S. based a key part of its computer intrusion charge against Assange has now admitted that he lied.
By Joe Lauria
Special to Consortium News
An FBI informant upon whose information the United States based aspects of an indictment a
Saturday, June 26, 2021
Video of Black Sea Incident
ФСБ опубликовала кадры стрельбы по курсу британского эсминца | Новости | Известия | 24.06.2021: Федеральная служба безопасности (ФСБ) в четверг, 24 июня, опубликовала кадры предупредительной стрельбы, которую произвел российский сторожевой корабль при попытке заставить британский эсминец УРО «Дефендер» покинуть территориальные воды РФ.
На кадрах видно, как экипаж российского военного корабля, следуя рядом с британским судном, призывает его по средствам радиосвязи поменять курс и направиться от государственной границы Российской Федерации.
The Afghan army we tried, but failed to build – Responsible Statecraft
The Afghan army we tried, but failed to build – Responsible Statecraft: U.S. officials think Kabul could fall to the Taliban within six months, a sad indictment of our multibillion effort to build security there.
After pressure from pro-Israel group, Scientific American removes health care workers’ op-ed calling for boycott – Mondoweiss
After pressure from pro-Israel group, Scientific American removes health care workers’ op-ed calling for boycott – Mondoweiss: The Scientific American has removed a piece calling for solidarity with Palestinians from its website after being pressured by pro-Israel groups.
UFO Report Provides No New Information But Plenty Of Fodder For Cold Warrior Policymakers – Caitlin Johnstone
UFO Report Provides No New Information But Plenty Of Fodder For Cold Warrior Policymakers – Caitlin Johnstone: The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has released its hotly anticipated UFO report, which at nine pages in length with no new information is about as spectacular a letdown for UFO en…
An Anxious 100th Birthday for China’s Communist Party - WSJ
An Anxious 100th Birthday for China’s Communist Party - WSJ: The CCP has survived because of its adaptability, but a generational shift from traditional values to more liberal attitudes could undermine its popular support
Why Vaccinated Athletes Are Testing Positive for Coronavirus - WSJ
Why Vaccinated Athletes Are Testing Positive for Coronavirus - WSJ: Vaccines are very effective at preventing death and severe illness from the disease—but they’re not foolproof in preventing infection. That’s a new problem for sports.
Delta Variant Outbreak in Israel Infects Some Vaccinated Adults - WSJ
Delta Variant Outbreak in Israel Infects Some Vaccinated Adults - WSJ: Preliminary findings by Israeli health officials prompted the government to reimpose an indoor mask requirement and other measures to contain the highly transmissible strain of Covid-19.
7 Ways Covid Has Changed Our World - WSJ
7 Ways Covid Has Changed Our World - WSJ: The pandemic, and our re-emergence from it, are reshaping the economy, government and business in lasting ways. The Journal’s Heard on the Street team explores the ways the globe is transforming.
The Breviary: Pray Constantly - The Catholic Thing
The Breviary: Pray Constantly - The Catholic Thing: Fr. Peter M. J. Stravinskas: Our daily prayers (Divine Office, Liturgy of the Hours, Breviary) invite us into the depths of human emotions.
Ivermectin: Can a Drug Be "Right-Wing"? - TK News by Matt Taibbi
Ivermectin: Can a Drug Be "Right-Wing"? - TK News by Matt Taibbi: A potential Covid-19 treatment has become hostage to a larger global fight between populists and anti-populists
The battle between the two Americas - UnHerd
The battle between the two Americas - UnHerd: The United States has never been so divided
Kamala Harris Has Reputation for Asking, but Not Taking, Questions
Kamala Harris Has Reputation for Asking, but Not Taking, Questions: Kamala Harris shone in the Senate when she was asking questions in hearings. That is where the idea that she might have presidential possibilities flourished. Democrats, observing her surefootednes…
Friday, June 25, 2021
Why Did Congress Just Vote to Break Up Big Tech? - BIG by Matt Stoller
Why Did Congress Just Vote to Break Up Big Tech? - BIG by Matt Stoller: The Judiciary Committee voted 21-20 to split up Google, Amazon, Apple, and Facebook. What happened was unbelievable.
Iran: What Is Behind Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant Shutdown? – OpEd – Eurasia Review
Iran: What Is Behind Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant Shutdown? – OpEd – Eurasia Review: On Sunday, June 20, Gholam-Ali Rakhshani-Mehr, Tavanir’s (Electricity Company) Deputy Distribution Coordinator, announced the emergency shutdown of the Bushehr nuclear power plant due to a te…
Israel restores indoor mask requirement after rise in Covid cases | Israel | The Guardian
Israel restores indoor mask requirement after rise in Covid cases | Israel | The Guardian: Increase is probably due to highly contagious Delta variant, says pandemic response chief
First COVID-19 case could have emerged in China in Oct 2019 - study | Reuters
First COVID-19 case could have emerged in China in Oct 2019 - study | Reuters: The virus that causes COVID-19 could have started spreading in China as early as October 2019, two months before the first case was identified in the central city of Wuhan, a new study showed on Friday.
The Very First Case of COVID-19 Was Much Earlier Than We Knew, New Study Indicates
The Very First Case of COVID-19 Was Much Earlier Than We Knew, New Study Indicates: Ever since COVID-19 struck, scientists have been looking backwards in time, searching for the origins of the coronavirus, seeking to understand where and when the deadly spread began.
James Galbraith: China and Supply Chains - The White House Review's Focus on US Depenedence | naked capitalism
James Galbraith: China and Supply Chains - The White House Review's Focus on US Depenedence | naked capitalism: Despite brave talk about restoring manufacturing in America, extended supply chains and the position of China are insurmountable impediments.
The Real Root Causes of America’s Border Crisis | Foreign Affairs
The Real Root Causes of America’s Border Crisis | Foreign Affairs: How Biden can address the real root causes of America's border crisis.
China Holds Slimmed-Down Belt and Road Conference – The Diplomat
China Holds Slimmed-Down Belt and Road Conference – The Diplomat: At least 29 countries attended China’s virtual “Asia and Pacific High-level Conference on Belt and Road Cooperation.”
Syria's difficult rebirth - Modern Diplomacy
Syria's difficult rebirth - Modern Diplomacy: It is now ten years since a peaceful demonstration against Bashar al-Assad’s regime organised by students in Deraa was brutally repressed by police and government forces, thus triggering a chain of events that plunged Syria into a terrible civil war. The fighting – which saw the total destruction of historic cities such as Aleppo and […]
The Biden No-Go Zones: News: The Independent Institute
The Biden No-Go Zones: News: The Independent Institute: Biden declared that no Americans had been vaccinated until he took office, despite a presidential photo-op of him getting the vaccination on December 21, 2020.
Brexit delivers Ireland a trade surplus with the UK, for the first time ever
Brexit delivers Ireland a trade surplus with the UK, for the first time ever: Richard Murphy on tax, accounting and political economy
Talking Past Each Other on Taiwan - Eunomia
Talking Past Each Other on Taiwan - Eunomia: If you acknowledge the risk of a nuclear exchange, that ought to settle the question of whether it makes sense to go to war for a non-ally.
The Futility of Economic Sanctions - Global Zeitgeist
The Futility of Economic Sanctions - Global Zeitgeist: The U.S. should promote change in Myanmar by working with the ASEAN
Biden crackdown on Beijing dims hopes for Chinese companies in US - Nikkei Asia
Biden crackdown on Beijing dims hopes for Chinese companies in US - Nikkei Asia: PALO ALTO, U.S. -- President Joe Biden's recent crackdown on Chinese companies is testing early optimism that U.S.-Sino relations and business prospec
Covid “Delta Variant” is just a fancy name for vaccine injury
Covid “Delta Variant” is just a fancy name for vaccine injury: Just take out the Marxist playbook and turn to the next page, where the “Delta” variant of the China-disease ‘scamdemic’ is now to blame for every upcoming death caused by the Covid-19 vaccines. Beware of the “Delta variant” and the “Beta variant,” but still get the Covid-19 vaccines, if you haven’t, they’re telling everyone. So […]
Fully Vaccinated Israelis May Be Forced To Quarantine After Exposure To "Delta" Variant | ZeroHedge
Fully Vaccinated Israelis May Be Forced To Quarantine After Exposure To "Delta" Variant | ZeroHedge: ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero
EU leaders blast Viktor Orbán over anti-LGBT bill during tense and at times emotional summit | Euronews
EU leaders blast Viktor Orbán over anti-LGBT bill during tense and at times emotional summit | Euronews: EU countries divided on Russia strategy as leaders meet in Brussels
Russia-India Relations Endure Amid External Pressures
Russia-India Relations Endure Amid External Pressures: Geopolitical trends have pulled Russia and India in opposite directions in recent years. But in April, the two countries announced the establishment of a “2+2” dialogue between each side’s ministers of defense and foreign affairs, showing that it would be hasty to write off their close partnership.
Market Power Is Eating the Economy by Jan Eeckhout - Project Syndicate
Market Power Is Eating the Economy by Jan Eeckhout - Project Syndicate: While economic observers have long worried about the growing dominance of Big Tech, few have apprehended the sheer scale of the problem. Today's technologies have handed exorbitant market power to dominant players across all sectors, to the detriment of the vast majority of people.
India, U.S. Navies Hold Complex Air and Sea Drills in the Indian Ocean, Kicking Off Several Summer Exercises - USNI News
India, U.S. Navies Hold Complex Air and Sea Drills in the Indian Ocean, Kicking Off Several Summer Exercises - USNI News: KUALA LUMPUR – The U.S. Navy carried out a high-tempo exercise this week in the Indian Ocean involving the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group along with the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force. The drills come at the start of the 27th annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise series with CARAT Sri Lanka …
Cultivating Cronyism: The Collapse of Agriculture in Post-War Iraq and Syria - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Cultivating Cronyism: The Collapse of Agriculture in Post-War Iraq and Syria - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Once pillars of global agriculture, Iraq and Syria are plagued by corruption-induced food insecurity. The collapse of Iraq’s agriculture sector over decades of conflict hints at Syria’s future.
Saudi Arabia is 'desperate to get out' of Yemen's yearslong civil war
Saudi Arabia is 'desperate to get out' of Yemen's yearslong civil war: Saudi Arabia says it is ready to talk peace with Houthi rebels in Yemen. But Nadwa Dawsari, a nonresident scholar the Middle East Institute in Washington, DC, says these negotiations have "nothing to do with peace."
The 'Conspiracy Theory' Charade | RealClearPolicy
The 'Conspiracy Theory' Charade | RealClearPolicy: Biden’s “National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism” report last week declared that “enhancing faith in American democracy” requires “finding ways to
U.S. may rethink Iran approach if no deal in foreseeable future
U.S. may rethink Iran approach if no deal in foreseeable future: WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Washington may need to rethink its approach to Iran if the serious differences between the two countries on resuming compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal cannot be resolved "in the foreseeable future", a senior U.S. official said on Thursday. "We still have serious differences ... over the host of issues, whether it's the nuclear steps that Iran needs to take to come back into compliance, the sanctions relief that the U.S. would be offering or the sequence of steps that both sides would be taking," the official told reporters on a conference call. "We do have differences and if we can't bridge them in the foreseeable future, I think we are going to have to regroup and figure out how we ... move ahead."
Why America Doesn’t Really Make Solar Panels Anymore - The Atlantic
Why America Doesn’t Really Make Solar Panels Anymore - The Atlantic: America invented silicon solar cells in the 1950s. It spent more on solar R&D than any other country in the 1980s. It lost its technological advantage anyway.
How the Afghanistan Withdrawal Costs the U.S. With China - The Atlantic
How the Afghanistan Withdrawal Costs the U.S. With China - The Atlantic: The benefits of the withdrawal in terms of promoting competitiveness with China aren’t as compelling as they seem.
Some moderate Democrats oppose second Biden spending package
Some moderate Democrats oppose second Biden spending package: Progressive Democrats’ fears that their more moderate colleagues won’t support President Joe Biden’s fiscal agenda are starting to bear out.
Afghanistan squandered its 20-year opportunity. Joe Biden must stand firm on withdrawal.
Afghanistan squandered its 20-year opportunity. Joe Biden must stand firm on withdrawal.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2021/06/25/afghanistan-war-failures-troop-withdrawal-overdue/5333615001/
Another mysterious Iran strike. Totally different circumstances - Middle East News - Haaretz.com
Another mysterious Iran strike. Totally different circumstances - Middle East News - Haaretz.com: Did the drone strike on the Iranian site – conducted while Israel's army chief is in Washington – surprise the Americans?
China is contributing to the ‘Cold War mentality,’ too - The Washington Post
China is contributing to the ‘Cold War mentality,’ too - The Washington Post: Chinese officials frequently object to the United States' "Cold War" thinking when it comes to China. But Xi Jinping's regime has played a clear role in stoking tensions.
China Coronavirus (COVID-19) Records Were Deleted from a US Database Per the Request of Chinese Scientists
China Coronavirus (COVID-19) Records Were Deleted from a US Database Per the Request of Chinese Scientists: Americans deleted data in a database of early coronavirus cases per the request from Chinese scientists. The Financial Times reported yesterday: Records of early Covid-19 cases in Wuhan were deleted from a US database at the request of Chinese scientists, American officials have confirmed. A team of academics from Wuhan, where the first documented cases…
99% of Americans Dying of Covid-19 Were Not Fully Vaccinated
99% of Americans Dying of Covid-19 Were Not Fully Vaccinated: Of the 18,000 Americans who died of covid-19 in May, only 150 were fully vaccinated.
As Austin Booms, Homelessness Faces Crackdown - WSJ
As Austin Booms, Homelessness Faces Crackdown - WSJ: The Texas city of nearly one million people has debated what to do about its homeless encampments for two years. Now, Austin has been forced to take a tougher approach.
Biden, Senators Agree to Roughly $1 Trillion Infrastructure Plan - WSJ
Biden, Senators Agree to Roughly $1 Trillion Infrastructure Plan - WSJ: The deal secures bipartisan agreement on overhauling the nation’s transportation, water and broadband infrastructure.
Miami Building Collapse: Dozens Missing in Surfside, Florida; at Least One Killed - WSJ
Miami Building Collapse: Dozens Missing in Surfside, Florida; at Least One Killed - WSJ: A portion of a condo tower in the Miami-area beachfront town of Surfside collapsed, killing at least one person and triggering a painstaking search for survivors in the rubble. There were at least 99 people unaccounted for.
US national parks plagued by 30,000 abandoned oil wells leaking methane | The Independent
US national parks plagued by 30,000 abandoned oil wells leaking methane | The Independent: There are a total of 214,538 untraceable orphaned wells which need plugged across the US
The Return of ‘Law and Order’ – Patrick J. Buchanan – Official Website
The Return of ‘Law and Order’ – Patrick J. Buchanan – Official Website: To secure the safety of poor communities, several elements have always been needed: police to prevent crimes and arrest the criminals who commit them, prosecutors who will put them away, and prison cells to house them. This was the formula that broke the back of the long crime wave that began in the 1960s —…
Nursing homes struggle to reduce a serious COVID risk: many employees resist vaccination - The Boston Globe
Nursing homes struggle to reduce a serious COVID risk: many employees resist vaccination - The Boston Globe: The failure of many nursing home staff members to get vaccinated has emerged as one of the most serious gaps in the United States’ defenses against COVID.
There are still people dying of COVID-19 nearly every day. For their loved ones, the world is far from normal - The Boston Globe
There are still people dying of COVID-19 nearly every day. For their loved ones, the world is far from normal - The Boston Globe: For those families, grief is complicated by the sense that the worst of the pandemic was behind them only to see the virus find their loved one.
60 Catholic House Dems Challenge the US Bishops on Communion — Here’s Why They’re Wrong| National Catholic Register
60 Catholic House Dems Challenge the US Bishops on Communion — Here’s Why They’re Wrong| National Catholic Register: These are some lenses through which to read the ‘Statement of Principles’ on the reception of Holy Communion, and a breakdown of the Statement’s most glaring...
Henry Olsen on the “Care for Her Act” - CatholicVote org
Henry Olsen on the “Care for Her Act” - CatholicVote org: CV NEWS FEED // Columnist Henry Olsen endorsed a new GOP-led legislation proposal called the Care for Her Act, which would bolster support for America’s pregnant…
Biden Nominee: “Stop At One or Two Kids” To Save the Planet - CatholicVote org
Biden Nominee: “Stop At One or Two Kids” To Save the Planet - CatholicVote org: CV NEWS FEED // Tracy Stone-Manning, President Joe Biden’s nominee to head the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), once wrote that Americans “breed” too much, called…
Heading off power outages in California – a regulatory challenge | Reuters
Heading off power outages in California – a regulatory challenge | Reuters: Seth Hilton and Morten Lund of Stoel Rives LLP discuss efforts by regulatory agencies and utilities to address power outages in California as the state prepares for the summer heat.
Romania ratifies $8bn nuclear power deal with US - News - GCR
Romania ratifies $8bn nuclear power deal with US - News - GCR: Romania’s Senate has ratified an intergovernmental agreement signed last year with the US which aims ......
U.S. Democrats launch bill allowing existing nuclear plants tax credit | Reuters
U.S. Democrats launch bill allowing existing nuclear plants tax credit | Reuters: Five Democrats in the U.S. Senate introduced a bill on Thursday that would allow some existing nuclear power plants to receive a tax credit equal to an incentive already given to operators of wind power turbines.
Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal Omits Big Climate Measures - The New York Times
Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal Omits Big Climate Measures - The New York Times: Democrats hope to include climate and clean energy in a second bill. It could be Biden’s last chance to pass major global warming legislation.
Blackouts Loom in California as Electricity Prices Are ‘Absolutely Exploding’ | RealClearEnergy
Blackouts Loom in California as Electricity Prices Are ‘Absolutely Exploding’ | RealClearEnergy: Two inexorable energy trends are underway in California: soaring electricity prices and ever-worsening reliability – and both trends bode ill for the state’s low- and middle-income consume
Can Massive Cargo Ships Use Wind to Go Green? - The New York Times
Can Massive Cargo Ships Use Wind to Go Green? - The New York Times: Cargo vessels belch almost as much carbon into the air each year as the entire continent of South America. Modern sails could have a surprising impact.
The Little Hedge Fund Taking Down Big Oil - The New York Times
The Little Hedge Fund Taking Down Big Oil - The New York Times: An activist investment firm won a shocking victory at Exxon Mobil. But can new directors really put the oil giant on a cleaner path?
Climate Change Is Destroying My Country. The Nations Causing It Must Help. - The New York Times
Climate Change Is Destroying My Country. The Nations Causing It Must Help. - The New York Times: Islands like the Bahamas are paying the price for wealthier nations’ emissions — an injustice crying out for a global remedy.
What if American Democracy Fails the Climate Crisis? - The New York Times
What if American Democracy Fails the Climate Crisis? - The New York Times: Ezra Klein and four environmental thinkers discuss the limits of politics in facing down the threat to the planet.
Under Bennett, Israel approves construction in West bank for first time in six months - Israel News - Haaretz.com
Under Bennett, Israel approves construction in West bank for first time in six months - Israel News - Haaretz.com: At issue are 31 zoning plans in the settlement of Ma’aleh Adumim east of Jerusalem
Ivermectin: life saver or time waster? - The Post
Ivermectin: life saver or time waster? - The Post: There’s an old Carl Sagan line: “The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.” The Establishment gets a lot of things wrong. [...]Read More...
How the EU bungled Brexit - UnHerd
How the EU bungled Brexit - UnHerd: Just like David Cameron, Europe's leaders were woefully unprepared
The emptiness of 'British values' - UnHerd
The emptiness of 'British values' - UnHerd: It's impossible to forge a national identity without a common history
Anti-Racism: Original Sin Repackaged - The Catholic Thing
Anti-Racism: Original Sin Repackaged - The Catholic Thing: David Carlin: Systemic racism asserts a mythic Original Sin. The truth is the original Original Sin persists and requires our only Redeemer.
Thursday, June 24, 2021
What do Catholics believe about the Bible?
What do Catholics believe about the Bible?: Catholics believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God, written by human authors.
UN General Assembly calls for US to end Cuba embargo for 29th consecutive year | | UN News
UN General Assembly calls for US to end Cuba embargo for 29th consecutive year | | UN News: A total of 184 countries on Wednesday voted in favour of a resolution to demand the end of the US economic blockade on Cuba, for the 29th year in a row, with the United States and Israel voting against. |
Meatball Subs, Not Nuclear Subs - TomDispatch.com
Meatball Subs, Not Nuclear Subs - TomDispatch.com: Groton and New London, Connecticut, are home to about 65,000 people, three colleges, the Coast Guard Academy, 15 nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed submarines capable of destroying the world many times over, and General Dynamics’ Electric Boat, a
Israel's cruel Citizenship Law is rotten, racist and unredeemable - Israel News - Haaretz.com
Israel's cruel Citizenship Law is rotten, racist and unredeemable - Israel News - Haaretz.com: For 18 years, Israeli governments have backed a law built on faulty security arguments, explicit demographic engineering and pure human suffering. The Bennett coalition seems set to prolong ruining Palestinian and Israeli lives
SPEECH: Learning lessons from vaccine development : Perspectives - World Nuclear News
SPEECH: Learning lessons from vaccine development : Perspectives - World Nuclear News: There are important lessons to be learned from the approaches that led to the rapid deployment of vaccines in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, James Naismith, professor of structural biology at the University of Oxford and director of the Rosalind Franklin Institute, told World Nuclear Association's Thinking Outside the Dome - Strategic eForum on Nuclear Innovation. The following is the text of his speech.
Caltech's David Baltimore discusses the debate over origins of SARS-CoV-2 - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Caltech's David Baltimore discusses the debate over origins of SARS-CoV-2 - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Caltech's David Baltimore, president emeritus of the California Institute of Technology and Distinguished Professor of Biology, is a virologist who received the Nobel Prize for his research into viral genetics. In this interview, he discusses the debate over the origins of SARS-CoV-2.
The Republican Party has Turned Fascist and is Now the Most Dangerous Threat in the World - CounterPunch.org
The Republican Party has Turned Fascist and is Now the Most Dangerous Threat in the World - CounterPunch.org: When Donald Trump was in the White House there was much debate about whether or not he could be called a fascist in the full sense of the word, and not merely as a political insult. His presidency showed many of the characteristics of a fascist dictatorship, except the crucial one of automatic re-election. But Trump or Trump-like leaders may not have to face this democratic impediment in future. It was only this year that the final building blocks have been put in place by Republicans as they replicate the structure of fascist movements in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s. More
Where is North Korea heading? Major political rule changes may tell us | NK News
Where is North Korea heading? Major political rule changes may tell us | NK News: By far the most serious revision in the new Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK) rules is the creation of the “first secretary” position, along with other measures that appear to prepare for the death or incapacitation of Kim Jong Un. But the new statutes also contain a number of other meaningful revisions that warrant consideration, …
Iran and Ebrahim Raisi Have a Legitimacy Crisis
Iran and Ebrahim Raisi Have a Legitimacy Crisis: After an engineered election, Iran’s new president may have little choice but to govern cooperatively.
Jadaliyya - Observations on the Human Rights Watch Report on Israeli Apartheid
Jadaliyya - Observations on the Human Rights Watch Report on Israeli Apartheid: Over 45 years ago the international community, acting through the United Nations General Assembly, adopted a landmark resolution which determined that “Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination.”
How the ‘Greens’ Could Upend the Green Dream: News: The Independent Institute
How the ‘Greens’ Could Upend the Green Dream: News: The Independent Institute: There is growing concern among some commentators and experts that the United States has become 'dangerously dependent' on imported minerals and metals and that such dependence is hampering the development of clean energy technologies. The concern is real.
But the reason the U.S. is dependent on foreign producers, many of them competitors and adversaries, is not that many of the world's mines are
Under Review: Tony Saich on Chinese Communism at 100 | Harvard Magazine
Under Review: Tony Saich on Chinese Communism at 100 | Harvard Magazine: The first century of the Chinese Communist Party—and what impends
‘Nightmare Scenario’ book excerpt: Inside the extraordinary effort to save Trump from covid-19 - The Washington Post
‘Nightmare Scenario’ book excerpt: Inside the extraordinary effort to save Trump from covid-19 - The Washington Post: An excerpt from the book ‘Nightmare Scenario’ details how Trump's illness was far more severe than the White House acknowledged. Advisers thought it would alter his pandemic response. They were wrong.
Biden adviser Steve Ricchetti helps secure breakthrough in infrastructure talks - The Washington Post
Biden adviser Steve Ricchetti helps secure breakthrough in infrastructure talks - The Washington Post: Steve Ricchetti is playing a key role in guiding the president through negotiations, pulling on decades of experience and relationships
How Do Elite CCP Decisions Really Get Made? - ChinaTalk
How Do Elite CCP Decisions Really Get Made? - ChinaTalk: A Former Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council reflects on how top-level leadership, pilot program, academic support, and market forces are key to getting anything done in modern China.
China builds bunker to test whether nuclear waste can be dumped underground | South China Morning Post
China builds bunker to test whether nuclear waste can be dumped underground | South China Morning Post: If research there is successful, a long-term underground dump for high-level radioactive waste could be built, helping to address a global problem.
Milley: China Wants Capability to Take Taiwan by 2027, Sees No Near-term Intent to Invade - USNI News
Milley: China Wants Capability to Take Taiwan by 2027, Sees No Near-term Intent to Invade - USNI News: China wants the ability to invade and hold Taiwan within the next six years but might not intend to do so in the near term, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley told Congress today. Milley said congressional testimony earlier this year from former U.S. Indo-Pacific Command commander Adm. Phil Davidson and …
Amazon and Other Tech Giants Race to Buy Up Renewable Energy - WSJ
Amazon and Other Tech Giants Race to Buy Up Renewable Energy - WSJ: The race to secure electricity deals for power-hungry data centers has tech companies reshaping the renewable-energy market and grappling with a new challenge: how to ensure their investments actually reduce emissions.
Supreme Court Rules for High-School Cheerleader Brandi Levy in Free-Speech Case Over Snapchat Post - WSJ
Supreme Court Rules for High-School Cheerleader Brandi Levy in Free-Speech Case Over Snapchat Post - WSJ: The high court ruled a Pennsylvania school district overstepped its authority by punishing a high-school cheerleader who used a vulgar word on Snapchat.
Can Criminal Justice Reform Survive a Violent Crime Wave? | RealClearPolicy
Can Criminal Justice Reform Survive a Violent Crime Wave? | RealClearPolicy: Last year was a disturbingly violent one for New York City, which suffered nearly 150 more homicides and around 750 more shootings than in 2019. The killings have been heartbreaking: a man on a handba
All recent US population growth comes from people of color, new census estimates show
All recent US population growth comes from people of color, new census estimates show: The soon-to-be-released 2020 census will make even more clear where the nation’s demographic destiny resides—once again illustrating a patchwork of different races, backgrounds, and cultures that are dispersing across all parts of the country.
Explained: Is Israel facing another COVID-19 wave as the delta variant spreads? - Israel News - Haaretz.com
Explained: Is Israel facing another COVID-19 wave as the delta variant spreads? - Israel News - Haaretz.com: The delta COVID variant has been identified in more than 80 countries, and Israel fears that infections will spike without renewed restrictions. What makes it so contagious and how effective is the vaccine against it?
The ‘Conspiracy Theory’ Charade | The American Conservative
The ‘Conspiracy Theory’ Charade | The American Conservative: Biden’s “National Strategy for Countering Domestic Terrorism" report last week declared that “enhancing faith in American democracy” requires “finding
ICT Supply Chain | U.S. Department of Commerce
ICT Supply Chain | U.S. Department of Commerce: Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain
The Executive Order: Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain declares that threats to the information and communications technology and services supply chain by foreign adversaries are a national emergency. The Executive Order prohibits certain transactions that involve information and communications technology or services designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied by persons owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a foreign adversary whenever the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with other Federal officials, determines that such a transaction, or a class of transactions:
Poses an undue risk of sabotage to or subversion of the design, integrity, manufacturing, production, distribution, installation, operation, or maintenance of information and communications technology or services in the United States;
Poses an undue risk of catastrophic effects on the security or resiliency of United States critical infrastructure or the digital economy of the United States; or
Otherwise poses an unacceptable risk to the national
U.S. companies bearing the brunt of Trump's China tariffs, says Moody’s
U.S. companies bearing the brunt of Trump's China tariffs, says Moody’s: Moody's said American importers absorbed more than 90% of additional costs resulting from the 20% U.S. tariff on Chinese goods.
NRF | 21 Million U.S. Jobs Depend on Imports, New Study Shows
NRF | 21 Million U.S. Jobs Depend on Imports, New Study Shows: NRF joined eight other business organizations to release “Imports Work for American Workers”
INTERNATIONAL TRADE SUPPORTS MORE THAN 4.7 MILLION CALIFORNIA JOBS: STUDY - Global Trade Magazine
INTERNATIONAL TRADE SUPPORTS MORE THAN 4.7 MILLION CALIFORNIA JOBS: STUDY - Global Trade Magazine: “We stand united to preserve and modernize North American trade, which supports over 12 million jobs and a strong U.S. economy."
2021 State Export Report | US-China Business Council
2021 State Export Report | US-China Business Council: In 2020, the global economy underwent significant shifts, and the US-China commercial relationship was no exception. Early in the year, the United States and China signed and implemented the Phase One trade agreement and halted tariff escalations for the first time in two years. Last year saw a healthy recovery of goods exports to China, though services exports—the data for
Position Statement: On the COVID-19 Vaccine | New York State Nurses Association
Position Statement: On the COVID-19 Vaccine | New York State Nurses Association: The intent of this position statement is to emphasize that the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) supports the recommendation that everyone be vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 in a just, fair, and equitable manner so that those communities that experience the most risk of severe disease and death are prioritized for vaccine access.
Republicans Defend Church after Dem Threatens its Tax-Exempt Status - CatholicVote org
Republicans Defend Church after Dem Threatens its Tax-Exempt Status - CatholicVote org: CV NEWS FEED // Some Republicans have condemned a Democratic congressman’s suggestion of stripping the Catholic Church of its tax-exempt status as punishment if pro-abortion politicians…
Biden Dept. of Education: All States Must Let Boys be Girls - CatholicVote org
Biden Dept. of Education: All States Must Let Boys be Girls - CatholicVote org: CV NEWS FEED // The Department of Education announced Wednesday that all public educational institutions nationwide must recognize the “gender identities” of “trans” people, including by…
Contraception and Our Abdication of Fatherhood - The Catholic Thing
Contraception and Our Abdication of Fatherhood - The Catholic Thing: Michael Pakaluk: Using contraception, a man declares against his masculinity, and also against his relationship with God, by ignoring God.
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
The economics of deep trade agreements: A new eBook | VOX, CEPR Policy Portal
The economics of deep trade agreements: A new eBook | VOX, CEPR Policy Portal: While multilateral trade negotiations have stagnated and tensions between major players have surged, bilateral and regional agreements seem to have run away with the trade agenda. There are over 300 agreements today, up from 50 in 1990. Most importantly, many of these agreements have extended their reach well beyond tariffs, aiming to achieve integration beyond trade, or
China’s Atomic Pessimism and the Future of Arms Control - War on the Rocks
China’s Atomic Pessimism and the Future of Arms Control - War on the Rocks: Marshall Billingslea, the Trump administration’s arms control envoy, argued in 2020 that the United States knew how to win arms races and “spend the
Celebrate "summer Christmas" with these 5 traditions for John the Baptist
Celebrate "summer Christmas" with these 5 traditions for John the Baptist: Once honored as the "summer Christmas," the Nativity of John the Baptist is a great feast with beautiful traditions.
[Salon] A grandson of Palestinian immigrants could be Chile’s next president, and these Jews are worried - micheletkearney@gmail.com - Gmail
Sabrina Aquino - Chile: Neoliberalism Under Siege in its Country of Birth | Brave New Europe
Sabrina Aquino - Chile: Neoliberalism Under Siege in its Country of Birth | Brave New Europe: The movement for a new constitution is changing Chile, the country where military rulers embarked on an early and violent experiment in market reforms. Sabrina Aquino, director of Fundación País Digno and feminist activist of [...]
Opinion | Congress is investigating whether the 2019 Military World Games in Wuhan was a covid-19 superspreader event - The Washington Post
Opinion | Congress is investigating whether the 2019 Military World Games in Wuhan was a covid-19 superspreader event - The Washington Post: Several athletes who took part fell sick. Why were they never tested?
Anatomy of a Diplomatic Failure - The Liberal Patriot
Anatomy of a Diplomatic Failure - The Liberal Patriot: Philip Zelikow's "The Road Less Traveled: The Secret Battle to End the Great War, 1916-1917" shows just how hard it is to end wars - even when that's what everyone wants
NIH begins study of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy and postpartum | National Institutes of Health (NIH)
NIH begins study of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy and postpartum | National Institutes of Health (NIH): Researchers will evaluate antibody responses in vaccinated participants and their infants.
Favorable outcome on viral load and culture viability using Ivermectin in early treatment of non-hospitalized patients with mild COVID-19 – A double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial | medRxiv
Favorable outcome on viral load and culture viability using Ivermectin in early treatment of non-hospitalized patients with mild COVID-19 – A double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial | medRxiv: Background Ivermectin, an anti-parasitic agent, also has anti-viral properties. Our aim was to assess whether ivermectin can shorten the viral shedding in patients at an early-stage of COVID-19 infection.
Methods The double-blinded trial compared patients receiving ivermectin 0·2 mg/kg for 3 days vs. placebo in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients. RT-PCR from a nasopharyngeal swab was obtained at recruitment and then every two days. Primary endpoint was reduction of viral-load on the 6th day (third day after termination of treatment) as reflected by Ct level>30 (non-infectious level). The primary outcome was supported by determination of viral culture viability.
Results Eighty-nine patients were eligible (47 in ivermectin and 42 in placebo arm). Their median age was 35 years. Females accounted for 21·6%, and 16·8% were asymptomatic at recruitment. Median time from symptom onset was 4 days. There were no statistical differences in these parameters between the two groups.
On day 6, 34 out of 47 (72%) patients in the ivermectin arm reached the endpoint, compared to 21/ 42 (50%) in the placebo arm (OR 2·62; 95% CI: 1·09-6·31). In a multivariable logistic-regression model, the odds of
Oxford University explores anti-parasitic drug ivermectin as COVID-19 treatment | Reuters
Oxford University explores anti-parasitic drug ivermectin as COVID-19 treatment | Reuters: The University of Oxford said on Wednesday it was testing anti-parasitic drug ivermectin as a possible treatment for COVID-19, as part of a British government-backed study that aims to aid recoveries in non-hospital settings.
The Politics of 'Follow the Science' | naked capitalism
The Politics of 'Follow the Science' | naked capitalism: How the ralllying cry of "Follow the science" is looking more and more like sloganeernig as opposed to best practice.
Tech Giants, Fearful of Proposals to Curb Them, Blitz Washington With Lobbying - The New York Times
Tech Giants, Fearful of Proposals to Curb Them, Blitz Washington With Lobbying - The New York Times: Executives, lobbyists, and more than a dozen groups paid by Big Tech have tried to head off bipartisan support for six bills meant to undo the dominance of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google.
Afghanistan: The Fog at the End of the Tunnel* - Project on Defense Alternatives
Afghanistan: The Fog at the End of the Tunnel* - Project on Defense Alternatives: When will US troops leave Afghanistan? Why the uncertainty? And how the logistics of withdrawal has little to do with it. Carl Conetta, 19 June 2021 (Note: Reference numbers in text link directly to relevant documents)
Remembering the Khobar Towers bombing
Remembering the Khobar Towers bombing: Bruce Riedel remembers the attack on the U.S. Air Force barracks at Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia 25 years ago and the U.S. government response, which he saw up close as deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Near East and South Asia.
Moderna wins $3.3B Defense Department contract for additional COVID-19 vaccine doses | Fox Business
Moderna wins $3.3B Defense Department contract for additional COVID-19 vaccine doses | Fox Business: The Department of Defense on Monday announced a $3.3 billion contract was awarded to Moderna last week for the production of hundreds of millions of additional doses of its COVID-19 vaccine.
Opinion | Biden’s new normal seems ominously heading toward a revival of Cold War politics - The Washington Post
Opinion | Biden’s new normal seems ominously heading toward a revival of Cold War politics - The Washington Post: The president is leaning toward an ominous revival of Cold War politics.
Afghans who spied for CIA say they fear retaliation once US forces withdraw | intelNews.org
Afghans who spied for CIA say they fear retaliation once US forces withdraw | intelNews.org: AFGHAN CIVILIANS WHO WERE recruited by the United States Central Intelligence Agency as local assets say they fear retaliation by a resurgent Taliban once American forces withdraw from Afghanistan …
A Brief History of the Caribbean - Uncharted Territories
A Brief History of the Caribbean - Uncharted Territories: This is the last free GeoHistory article before I start the next phase: the role of technology. I was recently visited Puerto Rico, and as I dove into its geography and history, I fell in a rabbit hole to understand why the Caribbean is the way it is today. It’s fascinating. So please get into this adventure with me! Here’s what you’re going to discover:
Judge strikes down Iowa law requiring 24-hour waiting period for abortion | Washington Examiner
Judge strikes down Iowa law requiring 24-hour waiting period for abortion | Washington Examiner: Iowa may not enforce a law approved last year that required women seeking an abortion to receive an ultrasound and then wait at least 24 hours before undergoing the procedure, a judge ordered on Monday.
South Korea companies develop molten salt reactor for shipping, power generation | S&P Global Platts
South Korea companies develop molten salt reactor for shipping, power generation | S&P Global Platts: South Korea's state run nuclear energy research institute and the country's major shipbuilder have agreed to join forces to develop a marine molten salt reactor as part of efforts toward developing sm
Japan Restarts First Nuclear Reactor Since 2018 Amid Hurdles - Bloomberg
Japan Restarts First Nuclear Reactor Since 2018 Amid Hurdles - Bloomberg: Japan restarted the first nuclear reactor in more than three years, a long-awaited step forward for the nation’s utilities that are struggling to gain local support and fulfill onerous regulatory requirements.
New Delta Virus Variant Escalates Lockdowns
New Delta Virus Variant Escalates Lockdowns: The emergence of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant from India, called "Delta," could result in a new round of lockdowns around the world.
Russia says it chases British destroyer out of Crimea waters with warning shots, bombs | Reuters
Russia says it chases British destroyer out of Crimea waters with warning shots, bombs | Reuters: Russia said on Wednesday it had fired warning shots and dropped bombs in the path of a British warship to chase it out of waters Moscow claims in the Black Sea off the coast of the Crimea peninsula.
U.S. Senate war powers vote now delayed until at least July
U.S. Senate war powers vote now delayed until at least July: U.S. Senate war powers vote now delayed until at least July
Exclusive: Biden's top intelligence official says COVID-19 origins may never be known
Exclusive: Biden's top intelligence official says COVID-19 origins may never be known: Avril Haines, the director of national intelligence, expressed considerable caution about the likelihood of the U.S. government solving this vexing mystery.
A National Crime - The Catholic Thing
A National Crime - The Catholic Thing: David Warren: Catholics are blamed for graves found at a Canadian school, because anti-Catholics believe everything is a dark secret.
Fr. Bob's Homily - Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Franciscan Friars of the Atonement
Fr. Bob's Homily - Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Franciscan Friars of the Atonement: Today’s Gospel tells of a sea voyage that was made a long time ago… a long way off…The location was a small body of water called the Sea of Galilee, which most of us have never seen and probably never will.
China's unrivaled economic power will define Asia's political future - Nikkei Asia
China's unrivaled economic power will define Asia's political future - Nikkei Asia: William Bratton is author of "China's Rise, Asia's Decline." He was previously head of equity research, Asia-Pacific, at HSBC.Much of the current West
What the West Is Facing Is Not Your Average Heat Wave | RealClearPolicy
What the West Is Facing Is Not Your Average Heat Wave | RealClearPolicy: It might be tempting to shrug at the scorching weather across large swaths of the West. This just in: It gets hot in the summer.
But this record-setting heat wave's remarkable power, size and unusuall
Australians favor neutrality in a US-China war - Asia Times
Australians favor neutrality in a US-China war - Asia Times: China’s aggressive stands and the sharp deterioration of the bilateral relationship are flowing through strongly to produce record negativity by
How Covid exposed the world's lack of care - UnHerd
How Covid exposed the world's lack of care - UnHerd: Instead of pushing the old and disabled out of society, we must find them a home
Women are being erased - UnHerd
Women are being erased - UnHerd: A 'progressive' agenda has become surreal and poisonous
California Wildfires: How PG&E Ignored Risks in Favor of Profits - The New York Times
California Wildfires: How PG&E Ignored Risks in Favor of Profits - The New York Times: Pacific Gas & Electric, California’s largest utility, has been responsible for wildfires in recent years that destroyed hundreds of thousands of acres. Several proved fatal.
NIH study suggests COVID-19 prevalence far exceeded early pandemic cases | National Institutes of Health (NIH)
NIH study suggests COVID-19 prevalence far exceeded early pandemic cases | National Institutes of Health (NIH): Researchers estimate nearly 17 million undiagnosed cases in the U.S. by mid-July 2020.
Skip the Dude Ranch. A Hands-On Vacation at These Working Ranches Is Far More Authentic and Gratifying. - WSJ
Skip the Dude Ranch. A Hands-On Vacation at These Working Ranches Is Far More Authentic and Gratifying. - WSJ: The pandemic made sloths of many of us. To shake off the inertia—and really get your heart pumping—book a vacation to a working cattle ranch and prepare to pitch in.
Blackstone Bets $6 Billion on Buying and Renting Homes - WSJ
Blackstone Bets $6 Billion on Buying and Renting Homes - WSJ: The investment firm’s deal for a company that buys and rents single-family homes is the latest sign Wall Street believes the U.S. housing market is going to stay hot.
American Basketball Pro Spent Eight Months in Secretive China Detention - WSJ
American Basketball Pro Spent Eight Months in Secretive China Detention - WSJ: Pro basketball player Jeff Harper describes being locked in a room with a rancid mattress for eight months in a type of legal Chinese detention that a human-rights group says is used at a “mass level.”
Tuesday, June 22, 2021
Uruguay exemplifies how to deal with China
Uruguay exemplifies how to deal with China: Other countries in Latin America should follow Uruguay's tactful path to make the most of the opportunities provided by China.
Expect the Unexpected From the Delta Variant - The Atlantic
Expect the Unexpected From the Delta Variant - The Atlantic: There’s no way of knowing how bad things will get in the U.S. In a way, that’s a luxury.
Expect the Unexpected From the Delta Variant - The Atlantic
Expect the Unexpected From the Delta Variant - The Atlantic: There’s no way of knowing how bad things will get in the U.S. In a way, that’s a luxury.
Majority of Africans would take a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine – Africa CDC
Majority of Africans would take a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine – Africa CDC: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA, 17 DECEMBER 2020. A survey conducted by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), in partnership with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) has shown that a predominant majority (79% average) of respondents in Africa would take a COVID-19 vaccine if it were deemed safe and … Majority of Africans would take a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine Read More »
As Vaccine Delays Grind on Across Africa, the Coronavirus Surges - The New York Times
As Vaccine Delays Grind on Across Africa, the Coronavirus Surges - The New York Times: The W.H.O. said that test positivity had risen in 14 countries on the African continent over the last seven days, and that eight had reported surges of over 30 percent in new cases.
Coronavirus Surges in Kisumu, Kenya - The New York Times
Coronavirus Surges in Kisumu, Kenya - The New York Times: The pandemic is worsening in Africa as more contagious variants spread, vaccinations lag and hospitals in some places are pushed beyond their limits.
Inside the Industry Where the Uber-Rich Pay Millions to Hide Trillions - Rolling Stone
Inside the Industry Where the Uber-Rich Pay Millions to Hide Trillions - Rolling Stone: Music, Film, TV and Political News Coverage
EU will 'react' if UK continues to make unilateral decisions on Brexit, says MEP | Euronews
EU will 'react' if UK continues to make unilateral decisions on Brexit, says MEP | Euronews: EU will 'react' if UK continues to make unilateral decisions on Brexit, says MEP
The US must engage with China — even when countering China | TheHill
The US must engage with China — even when countering China | TheHill: Rather than ending engagement, the Biden administration should be thinking about engagement’s different dimensions.
End of Yemen quagmire? Saudi-led coalition, Houthis near peace deal | Reuters
End of Yemen quagmire? Saudi-led coalition, Houthis near peace deal | Reuters: Yemen's warring parties are thrashing out terms for a peace deal that would extricate Saudi Arabia from a costly war and help alleviate a devastating humanitarian crisis, two sources close to the talks and a Houthi official said.
US-Russia Relations: The New Normal Is the Old Normal - OZY | A Modern Media Company
US-Russia Relations: The New Normal Is the Old Normal - OZY | A Modern Media Company: Washington and Moscow have gotten back to normal discourse. And "the mundane never looked so good."
From vaccines to protests, the Palestinian Authority keeps proving its irrelevance
From vaccines to protests, the Palestinian Authority keeps proving its irrelevance: Palestinians have grown tired of undemocratic leaders who treat our cause as an administrative problem rather than a struggle for freedom.
China to Keep Covid-19 Border Restrictions for Another Year - WSJ
China to Keep Covid-19 Border Restrictions for Another Year - WSJ: Beijing is concerned about variants as it stages the Winter Olympics and a power transition, people familiar with the matter say.
Scoop: After U.S. pressure, Israel joins statement criticizing China - Axios
Scoop: After U.S. pressure, Israel joins statement criticizing China - Axios: Israel had previously remained mum on China's human rights abuses.
Feds: We Don’t Have Chinese Defector Dong Jingwei - SpyTalk
Feds: We Don’t Have Chinese Defector Dong Jingwei - SpyTalk: Rumors of Chinese counterintelligence chief fleeing are false, Washington says
Should colleges pay their athletes? What Catholic social teaching has to say. | America Magazine
Should colleges pay their athletes? What Catholic social teaching has to say. | America Magazine: A changing legal landscape in college sports has renewed the discussion of what is “fair” for college athletes when it comes to compensation.
Israel sees highest COVID daily infections in two months as delta variant spreads - Israel News - Haaretz.com
Israel sees highest COVID daily infections in two months as delta variant spreads - Israel News - Haaretz.com: 125 Israelis test positive for coronavirus on Monday, Health Ministry says, as the delta variant continues to make headway in Israel
Israel to participate in international naval drill in Black Sea - www.israelhayom.com
Israel to participate in international naval drill in Black Sea - www.israelhayom.com: Israel is slated to participate in an international naval exercise led by the US Navy, the latter announced Monday.
Wuhan lab did secret research, complicating hunt for coronavirus pandemic origins - The Washington Post
Wuhan lab did secret research, complicating hunt for coronavirus pandemic origins - The Washington Post: The Wuhan Institute of Virology, at the center of the “lab-leak theory,” conducted secret research projects, public records show.
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