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It can be difficult to keep up with everything going on in the world right now. But with the Substack Daily Dose, you will have easy access to important news and happenings from the day, as well as what was covered during our shows, all in one place.
Biden Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine on Monday where he announced another $100 million weapons deal to keep the nation’s hostilities with Russia going a little while longer.
Austin made the trip as the public sours on the Ukrainian fiasco and sets their sights on the combustible situation in the Middle East regarding Israel and Palestine.
“I announced today another $100 million drawdown using Presidential Drawdown Authority to provide additional artillery munitions, additional interceptors for air defense and a number of anti-tank weapons as well,” Austin said to reporters.
The Biden administration is using the Presidential Drawdown Authority to deplete the Pentagon’s stockpile in order to fuel the war between Ukraine and Russia. They continue to dump weapons in Ukraine despite the fact that it is now readily acknowledged by everyone except delusional midget Ukrainian ‘President’ Volodymyr Zelensky that the effort is futile.
“The message that I bring you today, Mr. President, is that the United States of America is with you. We will remain with you for the long haul,” Austin said to Zelensky.
Big League Politicshas reported on Zelensky’s advisors admitting to the mainstream press that the war effort is a failure and Ukraine is doomed to lose:
“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is being called a “deluded” leader by those in his inner circle who now admit that the war against Russia cannot be won.
One of his Zelensky’s top aides told Time Magazine that he “does not intend to give up fighting or to sue for any kind of peace” because of his immense delusion. The madman will send countless more of his people to die as a result of his psychosis.
“On the contrary, his belief in Ukraine’s ultimate victory over Russia has hardened into a form that worries some of his advisers. It is immovable, verging on the messianic,” the aide said.
“We’re out of options. We’re not winning. But try telling him that,” the aide added.
Even though it is obvious Russia will win the war and Ukraine is out of options, Zelensky still talks to the media as if victory is tenable.
“For us it would mean leaving this wound open for future generations,” Zelensky said to Time. “Maybe it will calm some people down inside our country, and outside, at least those who want to wrap things up at any price. But for me, that’s a problem, because we are left with this explosive force. We only delay its detonation.”‘
The U.S. war machine is going to keep the conflict going in Ukraine as long as possible, no matter how many young men and women are forced into the meat grinder as a result of this senseless and barbaric intervention.
The Conference Board's Leading Economic Indicators (LEI) continued its decline in October, dropping 0.8% MoM (worse than the 0.7% decline expected).
The biggest positive contributor to the leading index was building permits at +0.03
The biggest negative contributor was ISM N new orders and average consumer expectations both at -0.22
This is the 19th straight MoM decline in the LEI (and 18th month of 19) - the longest streak of declines since 'Lehman' (22 straight months of declines from June 2007 to April 2008)
“Among the leading indicators, deteriorating consumers’ expectations for business conditions, lower ISM® Index of New Orders, falling equities, and tighter credit conditions drove the index’s most recent decline.
After a pause in September, the LEI resumed signaling recession in the near term.
The Conference Board expects elevated inflation, high interest rates, and contracting consumer spending - due to depleting pandemic saving and mandatory student loan repayments - to tip the US economy into a very short recession.
We forecast that real GDP will expand by just 0.8 percent in 2024.”
Despite 'soft landing' hype, the LEI is showing no signs at all of 'recovering', tumbling back in line with the peak in March 2006...
And on a year-over-year basis, the LEI is down 7.6% (down YoY for 16 straight months) - close to its biggest YoY drop since 2008 (Lehman) outside of the COVID lockdown-enforced collapse...
The annual growth rate of the LEI continues to be negative, but may have reached a bottom...
The trajectory of the US LEI continues to signal a recession over the next 12 months
Is this the cleanest view of The Fed's tightening impact on the US economy? Certainly doesn't look like a 'soft' landing...
US stock futures erased earlier losses to trade flat as Microsoft gained 2% in premarket trading, sending it to a new all time high, after it said Sam Altman will lead the software developer’s new in-house artificial intelligence team. The OpenAI co-founder was ousted from his startup last week.
As of 8:30am ET, S&P futures were flat at 4.525, following three weeks of gains that pushed the index nearly 10% higher and propelling it to an 11 week high. Treasuries dropped, pushing US 10-year yields up 3bps to 4.47%. The dollar extended a decline, with a gauge of greenback strength hitting its lowest level since August, amid speculation the Federal Reserve is nearing the end of its rate-hike cycle. Commodities are mixed: oil is higher; base metals are lower. OPEC+ members will meet to set policy on November 26 with RTRS sources reporting that OPEC+ is set to consider whether to make additional oil supply cut. Key catalysts this week include FOMC Minutes (Tue), NVDA’s earnings (Tue), Initial Jobless Claims (Wed), PMIs (Fri) and OPEC Meeting (Sun). We will have a shortened week due to Thanksgiving, and the key event is tomorrow's NVDA earnings. As DB's Jim Reid reminds us, "Nvidia's Q1 earnings in May was probably the event that catapulted AI into the stratosphere in terms of being an important macro topic so the pace of their success will be a key driver in how rapidly AI infiltrates our daily lives."
In premarket trading, Microsoft climbed as much as 2.7% after hiring OpenAI co-founders Sam Altman and Greg Brockman to lead its in-house artificial intelligence team. Here are some other notable premarket movers:
Arm Holdings climbed 0.7% as Wells Fargo initiates coverage of the chip designer with an overweight rating, saying that the company is one of the best-positioned within the S550 billion global semiconductor industry.
Boeing gained 1.7% as Deutsche Bank upgrades to buy on "simple” rationale that aircraft deliveries are beginning to accelerate.
Chegg shares dropped 3.5% after the edtech company was downgraded to underweight at Morgan Stanley, which sees weaker trends in October and greater competition from generative AI in the longer term.
Traders are currently pricing in about a 30% chance of a first Fed rate cut in March and are awaiting publication Tuesday week of minutes of the last Fed rates meeting for further insight into Powell's thinking.
"The dovish Fed narrative remains in place," said Win Thin, global head of currency strategy at Brown Brothers Harriman. "There is likely to be ongoing downward pressure on US yields and the dollar."
In the biggest political news over the weekend, Argentinian libertarian candidate Javier Milei (defeated Economy Minister Sergio Massa to win Sunday's presidential runoff. Argentina's bonds rallied, while a gauge of emerging-market currencies gained along with developing-nation stocks. Elsewhere in emerging markets, Zambia's eurobonds plunged after the country said it can't implement a restructuring pact with bondholders as not all creditors supported the agreement. Securities due 2027 fell more than 2 cents in the dollar.
European stocks reversed earlier gains, and traded at session lows, with the Stoxx 600 down 0.2% as a slew of negative corporate news weighed on shares. Bayer AG slumped by the most ever after the German pharmaceutical giant stopped a key drug trial and suffered a defeat in a trial related to its Roundup weed killer. American peer Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. dropped more than 4% in US premarket trading. Ashtead Group Plc plunged after the UK equipment-rental company cut its revenue forecasts. Julius Baer Group Ltd. fell as much as 12% after the Swiss bank warned of a profit decline amid rising bad-loan provisions. Here are the other notable premarket movers:
Diploma rises as much as 9.7%, the most since July. The British construction components firm reported “very solid” delivery and a margins beat, according to Morgan Stanley. Analysts see upgrades to consensus
Pepco jumps as much as 11% in Warsaw after its majority shareholder Ibex said it wouldn’t sell any stake at current stock price
Currys shares gain as much as 5.3%, reaching the highest intraday level since September 4, after RBC Capital Markets upgraded the stock to outperform from sector perform, noting that the sale of the Kotsovolos unit in Greece has made the electronics retailer “more investable”
Julius Baer shares fall as much as 12% after the Swiss bank’s 10-month results indicated a 10% downgrade to FY EPS estimates, according to Kepler Cheuvreux
Ipsen drops as much as 5.4% after Jefferies downgrades to hold, citing potential pipeline risks for the French drugmaker and a lack of key catalysts.
Aurubis falls as much as 3.5%, the biggest drop since Sept. 21, after the copper recycler had its stock downgraded, citing a lack of upside and “disappointing” smelter fees
Endesa shares decline as much as 3% in Madrid after the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce has decided Endesa Generación must pay ~$570 million to liquefied natural gas producer as part of arbitration process
AMS-Osram falls as much as 11% after the chipmaker said it will issue ~724 million new bearer shares at CHF1.07 each, a price that Vontobel says is “clearly lower” than expected
Sirius Real Estate shares fall as much as 5% as the firm offers shares via Joh Berenberg Gossler & Co. KG, Peel Hunt, Panmure Gordon, PSG Capital
A rise in energy costs may cloud the outlook for inflation and interest rates in Europe. Natural gas prices jumped after a vessel seized in the Red Sea by Iran-backed Houthi rebels renewed concerns that the Israel-Hamas war could affect vital waterways for the fuel. Benchmark European gas futures rose as much as 6.9%. The increase was also driven by colder weather forecasts and higher crude oil prices ahead of an OPEC+ meeting later this week. ECB Governing Council member Pierre Wunsch said on Monday that the Central Bank may have to raise borrowing costs again if investor bets on monetary loosening undermine the institution’s policy stance. He was the first of a number of ECB officials set to speak Monday and later this week.
Joe Biden got Britney Spears muddled up with Taylor Swift in his latest gaffe in front of reporters.
The US president, who turned 81 today, was in the middle of pardoning two turkeys - Liberty and Bell - in the White House's annual ceremony before the Thanksgiving holiday when he used the name Britney in an apparent reference to Taylor Swift's current overseas tour.
Mr Biden said: "Just to get here, Liberty and Bell had to beat some tough odds and competition. They had to work hard, to show patience, and be willing to travel over 1,000 miles.
"You could say it's even harder than getting a ticket to the Renaissance tour or, or Britney's tour. She's down, it's kind of warm in Brazil right now."
Also speaking at the same White House ceremony, Mr Biden joked about his age, saying: "As much of you know, it's difficult turning 60.
"This is the 76th anniversary of this event. I want you to know I wasn't there, and I was too young to make it up."
The White House did not immediately respond to request for a comment by Sky News' partner network NBC News on Mr Biden's apparent mix-up, which comes as voters express concerns in polling about his age.
Biden's gaffes
In June, the president made a comment about Russian leader Vladimir Putin's "war in Iraq", which led to him being mocked online.
Mr Biden said at the time there were clear signs Mr Putin was losing his grip on power amid the conflict in Ukraine.
He told reporters: "It's hard to tell, but [Putin is] clearly losing the war in Iraq, and he's losing the war at home."
In September, Mr Biden mistakenly praised the "Congressional Black Caucus" while addressing the Congressional Hispanic Caucus at the group's annual gala in Washington DC.
He made the error while noting the group shares qualities with gala award recipient Sister Norma Pimental, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley.
"I know Sister Norma lives the lessons nuns taught me growing up. Lessons based on the Gospel of Matthew: feed the hungry, care for the sick, welcome strangers," he said.
"They echo what my dad taught me, and I mean this sincerely, my dad used to say, 'Everyone, everyone is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect.' The Congressional Black Caucus embodies all those values."
And in April, during a visit to Ireland, the US president praised former Irish rugby international Rob Kearney who he said was "a hell of a rugby player, and beat the Black and Tans".
Most infamously, the force massacred 14 people and wounded 60 more at a Gaelic football match at Croke Park in Dublin in 1920.
Ahead of the 2024 election, Democrat Mr Biden is currently trailing former Republican president Donald Trump, 77, among young voters ages 18 to 34, with 46% of them supporting Mr Trump and 42% Mr Biden, according to NBC News' latest poll.
The disparity is significant compared to Mr Biden's success among young voters in the 2020 presidential election, when he won over voters ages 18 to 29 by more than 20 points, according to the national exit poll.
Another NBC News poll in September found 59% of Americans had major concerns about Mr Biden having the necessary mental and physical health to be president for a second term.
Fulton County DA Fani Willis has requested the court to schedule a trial on August 5, 2024, for the election interference case involving former President Donald Trump in Georgia, just a few months before the November 2024 presidential election.
If Judge Scott McAfee accepts this date, President Trump may become involved in trial proceedings as Americans head to the polls in November 2024 to choose the next U.S. president.
President Trump’s legal team objected to the date, but in a court filing on November 17, 2023, Ms. Willis stated that the trial date of August 5, 2024, strikes a balance between the constitutional right to a speedy trial and potential delays arising from the former president’s other legal proceedings.
President Trump is scheduled to go to trial in Washington on March 4, 2024, and in Florida on May 20, 2024.
In response to Ms. Willis’ request, President Trump’s legal team, in a court filing, stated that the former president objects to the proposed date.
They have consistently requested that the trial dates for all four criminal cases against him be scheduled after the November 2024 election.
“Fani Willis has again proven that her case is purely political, designed to interfere with President Trump’s re-election by demanding a trial date in the most crucial time in President Trump’s winning campaign,” said Steven Cheung, Trump’s presidential campaign spokesman, in a statement.
Earlier this week, Ms. Willis, on Monday, stated that the campaign schedule would not influence how she manages the case.
Due to the appeals process, she believes the Georgia case will extend into early 2025.
President Trump and 18 co-defendants have been charged with racketeering and other charges for allegedly working to overturn his narrow “defeat” in Georgia in the wake of the 2020 election.
The former president has pleaded not guilty and has called the case an attempt by his political rivals to interfere in the 2024 presidential election.
Libertarian outsider Javier Milei swept to victory in Argentina’s presidential election Sunday, vowing to halt decades of economic decline in a country reeling from triple-digit inflation.
The self-described “anarcho-capitalist” pulled off a massive upset by ousting the populist Peronist coalition which has long dominated Argentine politics.
With 55.7 percent of the vote, Milei thumped his rival, Economy Minister Sergio Massa, who won 44 percent of the vote and rapidly conceded defeat.
“Today begins the reconstruction of Argentina. Today begins the end of Argentina’s decline,” Milei said in his victory speech. “The model of decadence has come to an end. There is no way back.”
Latin America’s third-biggest economy has suffered decades of crises under interventionist governments big on welfare that resort to printing money to finance spending, fueling inflation, while borrowing heavily only to default on their debt.
Access to dollars is strictly controlled, leading to a thriving black market for greenbacks, and analysts warn the peso is ripe for a sharp devaluation.
“There is no room for gradualism… or half-measures,” said Milei.
Milei’s main platform has been a plan to ditch the ailing peso for the US dollar and “dynamite” the Central Bank to do away with the “cancer of inflation.”
Analysts, however, warn the country is too low on dollar reserves for the move to happen anytime soon.
“This is the change that us young people want. I am not afraid of Milei, I am afraid my dad won’t be able to pay his rent. The Argentine peso isn’t worth a thing,” said Juan Ignacio Gomez, 17.
– ‘I am not afraid’ –
Thousands of Milei supporters waved flags and chanted “freedom” as they celebrated outside his campaign headquarters.
“We are tired of Peronism. Milei is an unknown, but better a madman than a thief,” said 50-year-old writer Nacho Larranaga, wearing the blue-and-white Argentina flag as a cape.
Milei, a 53-year-old economist with wild hair and thick sideburns, has drawn comparisons with former US president Donald Trump and Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro for his abrasive style and controversial remarks.
Both former presidents congratulated him on social media.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington “(looks) forward to working with President-elect Milei and his government on shared priorities.”
Milei had vowed on the campaign trail to cut ties with his country’s top trading partners Brazil and China, saying he would not “do business with communists.”
Following Milei’s victory, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wished “good luck and success” to the new Argentine government.
China said Monday it would continue working with Argentina, congratulating the president-elect on his victory.
“China has always attached great importance to the development of China-Argentina relations from a strategic and long-term perspective,” foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said at a regular briefing.
Milei is against abortion, has insulted Pope Francis, questioned the death toll under Argentina’s brutal dictatorship and says humans are not causing climate change.
He took to the stage in his campaign wielding a powered-up chainsaw to symbolize the drastic cuts he plans to make to a bloated state.
– ‘The lesser evil’ –
Milei’s red-faced rants against the “thieving and corrupt political class” struck a nerve with Argentines struggling to make ends meet and fed up with politicians they see as the architects of their misery.
He carried out much of his campaign on TikTok and other social media, firing up young people.
Others were spooked by his style in an election that has polarized the nation.
Teacher Catalina Miguel, 42, among a dejected crowd at Massa’s campaign headquarters said she was in “shock.”
“Milei will find us on the street defending every right he seeks to challenge. Half of Argentina does not support him.”
On the other end of Milei’s chainsaw are millions of Argentines who depend on welfare assistance and generous government subsidies of fuel, electricity and transport — with bus tickets costing only a few cents.
Meanwhile, the country’s coffers are in the red, with $44 billion debt with the International Monetary Fund looming over the incoming government.
– ‘Quick decisions’ –
Political analyst Ana Iparraguirre said that Argentines should brace themselves.
“Whoever comes into office has to make some quick decisions that are going to hurt people.”
As Milei is set to take office on December 10, leaving his rival Massa still in charge of the economy for three weeks, analysts predict a rocky ride with the strictly controlled peso ripe for devaluation.
Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue think-tank in Washington said Argentina “is part of the regional trend of a real weakening of political parties and the emergence of an outsider who… has a powerful message that resonates: just get rid of the political class and then everything will be ok.”
Former troops are suing the U.S. government for lost pay and benefits due to the Biden administration’s military vaccine mandate, one of the lawyers who successfully brought down the Anthrax vaccine told Breitbart News.
Attorney Dale Saran, a retired Marine, and fellow attorneys Andy Meyer and Brandon Johnson are representing the former troops in three separate lawsuits they plan to turn into a class action lawsuit on behalf of all service members who were either kicked out or illegally ordered to stop drilling, resulting in loss of pay.
Saran said the amount is in the “billions.”
“It’s worth billions. That’s just flat-out. That’s what it is in backpay. It’s billions of dollars,” he said.
The lawsuits were filed in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, which Saran said is a specialized court where illegal discharges are heard.
“The Court of Claims has been around since the Reconstruction Era. It’s a very old court and kind of a weird one. But in any event, you can go there if you’ve got a claim and say, ‘Hey, I was illegally discharged, or the military did something to impede my pay,’ or whatever. The Court of Claims is where you go,” Saran said.
Saran estimates there are 80,000 to 100,000 service members — both active-duty and reservists — who were impacted by the mandate. While more than 8,000 active-duty troops were kicked out, tens of thousands of reservists were told not to drill anymore or were moved to inactive status, he said.
“They were basically [without] the benefit of any due process. No boards were held. They didn’t hold any administrative separation boards; they didn’t hold any hearings. They didn’t do any federal recognition boards; none of the administrative or judicial procedures were used. They just flat-out did it. And then…they got the Coast Guard to follow along, and they got a bunch of Coasties too,” Saran said.
One of the former Coasties suing for damages is Zach Loesch, whom President Joe Biden had called personally to thank for saving people’s lives during Hurricane Ian, as previously reported by Breitbart News. At the time, Loesch was two weeks away from being kicked out of the Coast Guard for not taking the vaccine.
Saran said the monetary damages were not only from lost backpay but also from repayment of enlistment bonuses. He explained, “Say you enlisted for five years, you got a bonus and $50,000…And then, now, they’re like, ‘Hey, we’re gonna inject you with this.’ You’re like, ‘Yo, that’s experimental. Like, that’s not actually licensed. And the defense secretary’s order was we’d only have to take licensed vaccines — that says experimental.'”
Hd added, “And they throw you out. Now it’s like, ‘Well…now you didn’t fulfill your obligation; give us back the grant.'”
“We got a bunch of those clients, too, guys getting money taken back. So not only did they throw them out — unceremoniously [and] wrongfully — now they’re…without a job instantly, no separations pay, none of that. And instead, they’re standing out in the cold, and worse yet, here comes the government…here comes the debt collectors. Now you owe us money,” Saran added.
Saran said the Pentagon already has the money to award backpay for those who lost active-duty or drill time since that pay is factored into the Pentagon’s budget allocated by Congress annually.
“That’s money we’re saying was illegally kept,” Saran said. “That’s money that’s fundamentally — as far as I can tell — has been stolen by the DOD [Department of Defense].”
Saran reflected on his experience with the Anthrax vaccine and called it deja vu.
“I defended people who refused the Anthrax vaccine back in ’99 and 2000 when I was a young judge advocate,” he said. “I did some work on the lawsuit Doe v. Rumsfeld that shut down the anthrax vaccine. And so…here we are, second go around again, 15 years in, and we’re right back at the mass vaccination of unlicensed vaccines like the government didn’t learn last time. So, nothing new under the sun.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that deliveries of artillery shells from the US have "decreased" since Israel unleashed its relentless bombing campaign in Gaza following the October 7 Hamas attack.
The US has provided Ukraine with a huge amount of artillery ammunition since Russia launched its invasion last year, including over 2 million 155mm shells. But supplies are strained as Ukraine is using ammunition at a much faster rate than can be produced by the entire NATO alliance.
Supplies are even more strained now that the US is backing Israel’s onslaught in Gaza. The support includes near-daily weapons shipments.
Axios recently reported that the US had diverted 155mm shells initially bound for Ukraine to Israel to replenish an ammunition stockpile in the country.
"Our deliveries have decreased," Zelensky told reporters on November 16, according to AFP. "It’s not like the US said: we don’t give Ukraine any. No! It’s just that everyone is fighting for (stockpiles) themselves… This is life. I’m not saying that this is positive, but this is life, and we have to defend what’s ours."
Russia has meanwhile kept up the pressure at the contested city of Avdiivka:
Zelensky’s news of a reduction in U.S. deliveries, meanwhile, comes at a particularly challenging moment for Ukraine as Russia steps up its assaults near Avdiivka, a eastern-Ukrainian city where intense fighting resembles that seen in Bakhmut last winter.
"The situation is quite difficult," said Ukrainian parliamentarian Yehor Cherniev. "The intensity of heavy shelling from our side is lower and lower because of the lack of ammunition."
According to Defense One, Ukraine fires about 240,000 155mm artillery shells per month, significantly higher than US monthly production rates. The US has ramped up its monthly production rate to 28,000 shells and is working to reach a goal of 80,000.
Besides the tightening supplies, the Biden administration also has yet to secure new funding for the proxy war in Ukraine. President Biden asked Congress to authorize $61 billion to fund the conflict for another year, but US lawmakers appear more focused on arming and supporting Israel.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have completed their raid on al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, but there was very little evidence procured to show that Hamas has been using the facility as a "command center."
Over the past several weeks, Israel has been pushing the narrative that a hidden "Hamas Command Center" exists inside al-Shifa, this being the excuse Israel used to bomb and raid the facility, killing patients and other civilians along the way. In the end, the raid turned up next to nothing to support Israel's claims.
The image below, which shows masked IDF soldiers showing off what they uncovered, reveals little more than a handful of radios, some booklets, some CDs, and a pair of handcuffs – hardly enough of anything, in other words, to back the claim that Hamas was using al-Shifa as a command center.
IDF raid on al-Shifa clearly a "made for TV" dramatization
As noted by independent reports, there were a couple rifles found in the hospital as well, but those could have easily been planted by IDF soldiers before they took the above photo, apparently boasting about what was uncovered.
Despite all this, Israel has decided to go ahead and declare that the MRI center of al-Shifa still was, somehow, a Hamas "operational command center."
Information Liberation's Chris Menahan commented that the whole operation was clearly "made for TV" because of how ridiculous the whole thing appears. The world was expecting massive evidence of a Hamas presence inside the hospital, based on Israel's previous claims, only to discover that there was almost no evidence in the end to back them.
The following clip also shows anomalies with Israel's claims of what its military forces did find, suggesting that Israel planted fake evidence but messed up the script a few times along the way:
Image Credit: Protestors with Palestinian flags participate in a demonstration against the United States' Mideast policy at the Pariser Platz square near the US embassy in Berlin, Saturday, Dec. 23, 2017. In background the Brandenburg Gate. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)
Fears are mounting in Germany that the federal government is preparing to accept a large influx of refugees from bomb-stricken Gaza, the country’s biggest-selling newspaper has reported.
According to Bild, staff at the German embassy in Cairo have erected a large makeshift processing center on its grounds and recruited crisis support teams to assist with applications.
The foreign office in Berlin announced on Monday that it was successfully repatriating hundreds of German citizens from the war-torn region, but security personnel are reportedly concerned that Germany will soon play host to a larger reception of asylum seekers.
“We have so far been able to ensure that around 320 Germans, including their family members, have been able to leave Gaza safely,” Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Monday, but when her office was pressed by Bild on how many of those being brought to Germany were actual German citizens, it opted not to reply.
Photographs from the garden of the German embassy in the Egyptian capital suggest a larger operation may soon swing into action with several staff setting up shop at workstations tasked with handling asylum applications.
“The construction of processing stations under a tent roof in the embassy garden suggests that Minister Annalena Baerbock’s department may be preparing for a larger influx of Gaza refugees,” Bild reported.
The newspaper revealed there is now “great concern” among security officials that members of the Hamas terrorist organization may be flown to Germany under family reunification rules, as the Islamic militant group seeks to flee the oncoming Israeli ground invasion — a retaliatory measure following Hamas’ slaughter of more than 1,300 Israeli civilians in a terror attack on Oct. 7.
Opposition politicians are calling for the federal government to take action to prevent such a scenario.
“The federal government must ensure that it does not bring Hamas supporters or even terrorist murderers into the country,” said Andrea Lindholz, the CSU’s security spokesperson and vice-president of its parliamentary party in the Bundestag.
“To achieve this, thorough police work by German and Israeli authorities is essential before departure from Cairo,” she added.
The scenario has striking similarities with the aftermath of the conflict in Syria when members of the Islamic death cult ISIS infiltrated Europe claiming to be asylum seekers.
It was confirmed that at the peak of the last migrant crisis to envelop Europe back in 2015, at least one of the terrorists responsible for slaughtering dozens in Paris had entered the European Union with a Syrian passport, portraying himself as an asylum seeker.
“These individuals took advantage of the refugee crisis… of the chaos, perhaps, for some of them to slip in” to Europe, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls told the National Assembly at the time.
Image Credit: Protesters pack the central Cibeles square in Madrid, Spain, Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Alicia Leon)
Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated in Madrid over the Socialist Party’s (PSOE) move to seize power, with the party only able to form a government via controversial pacts with separatist parties that not only violate the constitution but also threaten to tear Spain apart.
The genie is out of the bottle for the Spanish left. On Saturday, in addition to hundreds of thousands of people demonstrating again in downtown Madrid against the Socialist Party’s pacts to form a government, 30,000 people in the Basque Country demanded self-determination for the region.
Pedro Sánchez was sworn in as prime minister on Friday, after parliament authorized him to form a government by an absolute majority, with 179 votes in favor. However, he has paid a huge price for attaining power, having to reach an agreement with the separatist Catalan and Basque parties, without which he would have been forced to call new elections.
In the end, Sánchez opted for treason and made pacts with the separatists, raising concerns not only about the constitutionality of his actions but also about the rule of law.
He promised Catalans an amnesty law that would grant all politicians involved in the independence movement a pardon going back to 2012, including Carles Puigdemont, who has been a fugitive in hiding in Belgium for six years after being unable to take responsibility for his unconstitutional declaration of Catalan independence in 2017. The Socialist Party also waived 20 percent of the region’s debt to the state (around €15 billion) and handed over all of Catalonia’s rail infrastructure and its management, which was considered to be in the national interest.
In return for a yes vote from the Basque parties, he promised to give them their own social security system within two years and to recognize the Basque country as a nation.
The demonstrators, backed by at least a hundred NGOs and the right, accused the new head of government of treason, and carried banners with slogans, such as: “Not in my name: no amnesty, no self-determination.”
The event was also attended by the leader of the right-wing opposition party Vox, Santiago Abascal, and the head of the People’s Party (PP), which won this year’s early elections, Alberto Núnez Feijóo, who only failed to form a government because, unlike Sánchez, he refused to sell his country to separatist parties.
At the demonstration, Feijóo accused Sánchez of “raising walls in Spanish society” and “humiliating the country” even though he claimed to have adopted such extreme measures to protect peaceful coexistence for the Spanish people. He then described the inauguration of the Socialist Party leader on Friday as a fraud and a lie.
The leader of Vox, Santiago Abascal, also spoke, again referring to the agreements made by the Socialist Party in order to form a government as a “coup d’état.” He then announced that his party will continue to support all peaceful movements in the future because Spain cannot give up the battle.
Yesterday, did the former chief legal counsel in President Trump’s initial impeachment trial call for his assassination?
Jen Psaki, former press secretary for Barack Obama, had Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) as a guest on her MSNBC show, ‘Inside with Jen Psaki,’ on Sunday. They were discussing the recently released tapes from January 6 when he made some concerning remarks that are now going viral on social media.
In their interview, Psaki aired a recording of a discussion between Trump and ABC’s Jonathan Karl regarding the January 6 protests. The former president wishes he could have gone to the Capitol to “stop the problem” and claimed he would have been “very well-received” had he been allowed to do so.
She then asked Goldman whether he felt “as a prosecutor, this is something that could be useful in the case against Trump.”
Goldman gave a positive answer and went on to blame Trump for “riling up” and “inciting” his supporters.
He also states that “every time he (Trump) talks, he’s putting himself into a bigger criminal hole” and “his objective is purely political.”
The New York leftist then calls for extreme measures to prevent Trump from being elected, stating, “he has to be eliminated.”
“His rhetoric is really getting dangerous, more and more dangerous… and we saw what happened on January 6th when he used inflammatory rhetoric. That man cannot see public office again,” he said.
“He is not only unfit, he is destructive to our democracy. He has to be eliminated,” he added.
A disturbing video recorded by a bystander has gone viral, showing a fatal confrontation involving a California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer on the 105 Freeway in Watts on a Sunday afternoon.
Around 3:15 p.m., the CHP responded to multiple calls reporting a man walking through traffic near the Wilmington Avenue exit of the 105 Freeway. According to CHP officials, a struggle ensued when a trooper made contact with the pedestrian, ultimately resulting in an officer-involved shooting, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The video, which has since gone viral on social media, depicts a CHP officer and another individual engaged in a physical struggle in the middle of the freeway. Within seconds, a gunshot can be heard. The officer then stands up and fires at least four additional shots at the prone man.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office confirmed on Monday that the person involved in the incident had died, withholding identification pending notification of family, and not disclosing the cause of death.
The CHP has not released further details about the shooting, directing all inquiries to the California Department of Justice (DOJ), which investigates police shootings involving unarmed individuals. The state DOJ has confirmed that it is actively investigating the incident.
Travis Norton, a law enforcement officer who runs the California Assn. of Tactical Officers After Action Review, said video is a limited way to understand a police shooting.
“It is hard to diagnose without knowing what the officer saw, experienced and interpreted was happening,” Norton said. “All I see is a very short scuffle. I see the suspect point something that appears to look like some sort of weapon. … From the video, without knowing anything else about it, the use of deadly force appears appropriate.”
But other experts said the use of force raises many questions.
Ed Obayashi, a police shootings expert who investigates the incidents for numerous law enforcement agencies in California, said investigators will immediately ask the officer why he was engaging with the person without a partner or backup in the immediate vicinity.
Obayashi also said that investigators will look into why the officer felt the need to shoot the man after standing up and disengaging from him.
American rapper and songwriter Cardi B, a supporter of Joe Biden, recently expressed her outspoken views on social media regarding the present political situation in the United States. She specifically discussed the budget cuts in New York City and criticized the administration of Joe Biden.
The leftist celebrities are now starting to flip on Joe Biden.
In a recent online outburst, Cardi B, also known as Belcalis Marlenis Almanzar, expressed her frustration and concern over a significant budget cut in New York that’s affecting schools, public libraries, and the police department.
“I’m angry a** b**ch right now. I’m an angry b**ch. Y’all need to get in here because I’m about to go off right now,” Cardi B said during her Instagram Live.
“I need you to spread this f*king video. I need you to spread this video. And if something happens to me, it’s because I’m speaking truth. So God forbid something happens to me or my family or some sh*t because n*gg*s is after me because I’m speaking the truth,” she added.
She emphasized the potential negative effects of these cuts, like reduced sanitation leading to increased rat infestations due to Democrat Eric Adams and Joe Biden’s failed policies.
“In New York, there is a $120 million budget cut that’s going to affect schools, public libraries, and the police department. And a $5 million budget cut in sanitation. B**ch, we are gonna be drowning in f**king rats,” Cardi B said.
The budget comes after tens of thousands of illegal aliens have flooded New York City in the last year due to Biden’s open borders policies. As reported by the New York Post, “Since last spring, over 72,000 people have flooded into Gotham with over 45,000 currently living in 160 taxpayer-funded emergency shelters and hotels.”
The rapper, recognized for her left-leaning perspectives, expressed her disappointment with the political leadership, including Joe Biden, whom she had previously supported.
“I’m not endorsing any presidential candidates anymore. How can there be a hundred million dollar budget cut for essential services like schools, libraries, police safety, and sanitation in New York City,” she said.
Not holding back, leftist Cardi B slammed Joe Biden’s warmongering stance. She expressed disapproval of the administration’s spending choices, highlighting the contrast between domestic budget cuts due to illegal immigration and the allocation of funds for military operations in Israel and Ukraine.
“Joe Biden’s talking about like, ‘Yeah, we could fund two wars. We could fund two wars, motherf**kers.’ Talking about we don’t got it, but we got it. Like, we’re the greatest nation. No, the fk we’re not. We’re going through some sh*t right now. Like, say it! We really are f**ked right now.” Cardi B said during her Instagram Live.
“New York is dirty, and it is dirty. And we’re going to get even dirtier with the f**king budget cut. And, yeah, we talking about we could fund two wars. That’s like a n*gg* trying to front like, yeah, I got the money to support two bitches, but you really don’t,” she later added.
“No, we cannot fund these f**king wars. We can’t keep it a beam. We can’t. Like, y’all doing budget cuts on the biggest city in the United States,” she continued.
“This sh*t is getting out of hand. They don’t want to say the word, but we’re going through a recession right now. We really, really f**king are. And Major Eric said it there is a budget cut going on in New York. And little by little, it’s going to go in your states. Okay? This is f**king crazy,” Cardi B concluded.
WATCH: Cardi B’s full live stream below: (Warning: Explicit Language)
Former White House Press Secretary turned media propaganda mouthpiece Jen Psaki warned Democrats that Donald Trump will “lock up” his political opponents if re-elected president.
The MSNBC host voiced concerns that Trump will take revenge on his political enemies and argued why it would be better if Biden remained president.
Unluckily for Psaki, Biden is losing to Trump in five crucial states, according to a recent New York Times/Siena College poll.
However, Psaki argued that too many Democrats were “freaking out” about Biden’s poll numbers but still warned about the “very real” prospect of a second Trump term.
“Yet the hand ringing and cocktail party speculation about an alternative to Joe Biden is continuing, will continue,” Pasaki said.
“Guess what? Joe Biden isn’t perfect. No candidate is, by the way, but we have to understand what the alternative is here.”
“If elected to a second term, Donald Trump would prosecute anyone he deems an enemy, unleash troops on protesters, and essentially unravel the rule of law as we know it,” she said.
“But sure, Joe Biden is 3 years older and occasionally trips over things.”
“Look, there’s a lot to be concerned about right now when it comes to a second Trump term.”
“The speeches are getting much more disturbing and much more unhinged, and we should all hear it that way,” she claimed.
“And the things he is saying right now are some of the most concerning things we have ever heard him say,” added Psaki, before playing a clip from Trump’s recent Univision interview where he argued in favor of prosecuting his political rivals.
During the interview, Trump said, “What they’ve done is they’ve released the genie out of the box.”
This isn’t the first time an MSNBC host voiced fears over Trump prosecuting political opponents.
In October, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow suffered a bizarre meltdown over the likely prospect of Trump being elected again in 2024, even going as far as claiming he will “execute us.”
Trump “wants to put MSNBC on trial for treason so that he can execute us,” Maddow said on “The View.”
Maddow responded to co-host Sara Haines, saying that Trump “wants to cancel the news, so they’re done.”
The Daily Fetched reported in September that Trump said he investigate Comcast, the parent company of NBC News and MSNBC for their Country Threatening Treason.”
In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote:
“They are almost all dishonest and corrupt, but Comcast, with its one-side and vicious coverage by NBC News, and in particular MSNBC, often and correctly referred to as MSDNC (Democrat National Committee!), should be investigated for its ‘Country Threatening Treason.'”
“I say up front, openly, and proudly that when I WIN the presidency of the United States, they and others of the LameStream Media will be thoroughly scrutinized for their knowingly dishonest and corrupt coverage of people, things, and events,” he said.
“Why should NBC, or any other of the corrupt & dishonest media companies, be entitled to use the very valuable Airwaves of the USA, FREE?”
“They are a true threat to Democracy and are, in fact, THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!”
“The Fake News Media should pay a big price for what they have done to our once great Country!”
Maddow became the face of the two-year investigation into the debunked collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.
The leftist host dedicated her news segments to pushing the Russian collusion narrative and whipping up division.
Throughout 2017 and 2018, Maddow spent most of her time suffering meltdowns about whether Trump colluded with Russia.
Video streaming site Rumble came under a DDOS attack on Monday. This after pledging to "go thermonuclear as well" along with Elon Musk following a Media Matters hit piece on X.
"UPDATE: We are currently experiencing a major DDOS attack. Our engineers are investigating and we will report back here with updates," Rumble said. A DDoS attack is "a cybercrime where the attacker floods a server with internet traffic to prevent users from accessing connected online services and sites." It disables the site that is attacked.
"When I said the cavalry is coming, I was not joking. In the coming days, we are going thermonuclear as well. Everyone is about to witness the greatest pushback against the censorship regime. The people’s support for all organizations in this mission is critical," Pavlovski said.
Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski has rejected attempts by activists, government officials, and censors to censor accounts on the platform. As for many free speech absolutists, the idea behind Rumble is that the answer to speech you don't like is simply more speech.
At 2:54, Rumble posted to X that services had been restored, with the post including a map where a large portion of the attacks came from.
"The world doesn’t like freedom of expression, but we will hold the line for as long as we need to."
Europe‘s largest nuclear reactor, Finland’s Olkiluoto 3 which entered into service in April, has been offline since Sunday evening because of a technical problem, operator TVO said.
“The electricity production of OL3 was interrupted on Sunday evening November 19 due to a fault detected in the turbine island,” TVO wrote on social media platform X.
“The cause is currently being investigated,” it said, adding that it did not know when production would resume.
The next-generation European pressurised water reactor (EPR), built by the French-led Areva-Siemens consortium, produces around 14 percent of Finland’s electricity.
It was put into regular service in April, some 18 years after construction began and 14 years after it was originally scheduled to go into commercial production.
Like several other EPR projects, it was plagued by repeated construction delays and billions of dollars in cost overruns.
With a capacity of generating 1,600 megawatts, Olkiluoto 3 is the single largest nuclear reactor in Europe, while Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia plant, with its six reactors, is the largest nuclear plant.
Nuclear technology has seen renewed popularity in recent years as a way to reduce carbon emissions.
The installation of one of the main elements of the second power unit at the El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in Egypt has started ahead of schedule, Russian state-owned energy giant Rosatom announced on Sunday.
According to Andrey Petrov, Rosatom’s deputy director general for nuclear energy, Russian specialists have begun installing a melt localization device, the ‘melt trap’, one of the vital pieces for the passive safety system, at the second power unit of the plant which is being built by the company.
The executive noted that work on installing the trap was carried out ahead of schedule, as setting up the equipment was initially planned for 2024.
“It is worth noting that less than two months ago, in October, we installed a ‘melt trap’ at the first power unit. This indicates almost parallel construction of the first and second units,” Petrov said, adding that Rosatom is planning to complete the preparatory period and move on to the main stage of work this year.
He also said that the corporation intends to pour the “first concrete” into the base of the foundation slab of the fourth power unit by the end of the year.
The four-reactor El-Dabaa plant is located around 300km northwest of Cairo on the Mediterranean coast. Approved in 2015, the project was launched in 2017, and construction works started in 2022.
The four planned nuclear reactors for the plant are expected to operate at a full capacity of 4.8 GW by 2030. In May 2023, Rosatom began construction of the third power unit.
El-Dabaa will be Egypt’s first NPP and the first such facility on the African continent built with Russian technology. It is also the largest joint Russian-Egyptian project since the construction of the Aswan Dam.
Under the contract between Moscow and Cairo, which have financed the project jointly, Rosatom will supply nuclear fuel to the facility throughout its entire life cycle. For the first ten years, Russia is expected to provide Egypt with assistance in training personnel and operating the plant.
A new movie detailing the tragic stories of young Americans who died after receiving the experimental COVID-19 shots was released earlier this month on the anniversary of the death of an 18-year-old whose story is featured in the film.
“Shot Dead” premiered November 9 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the home of a young woman named Trista, who died on November 9, 2022, just months after receiving a shot to “protect” her against COVID-19 infection.
“This is the movie we wish we didn’t have to make,” the film’s official website reads. “But this is a movie everyone needs to see. For the first time ever, hear the stories of covid shot deaths as told by the parents who lost their children.”
The movie seeks to share untold stories of young Americans who had their lives tragically cut short after taking any of the COVID shots, which were promoted by the U.S. government as “safe” and “effective.”
On the contrary, evidence has shown that those who take the experimental treatments — which were granted emergency approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at a wildly accelerated speed compared with typical vaccine development protocols — have greater risk of myocarditis, vision problems, miscarriages and still births as well as various disabilities like paralysis.
“Shot Dead” takes the reality that many families of victims have refrained from sharing their testimonies for various reasons, but the film gives a platform for those who will not keep “from speaking truth in honor of their children.” It emphasizes that the parents’ who are speaking out “so this doesn’t happen to one more child.”
“This is the first film that focuses on the deeply personal aspect of the devastation unleashed by the shot and the mandates, as told by the families who lost loved ones,” the website description of the movie continues. “This film will make you cry. This film will make you think. And this film will prompt you to take action for children everywhere.”
The movie interviews the parents of three young Americans who died as a result of the COVID shots. Allen and Taylor Martin, 18-year-old Trista’s parents, were interviewed along with Ernest Ramirez, father of 17-year-old Ernesto Ramirez Jr.
The third victim — a newborn baby named Naomi who died 11 hours after birth due to lack of lung development — was represented by her mother, Victoria. Her grandparents, Jeff and Rhonda White, are also featured in the film as well as her toddler sister, Piper.
Both Trista and Ernesto received the shots themselves while Naomi suffered the adverse events of the one her mother received during her first trimester.
In addition to the victims’ families, the film also interviews several medical professionals who provide greater context regarding the link between the shots and the sudden deaths of the children.
Registered nurse working in postpartum Michelle Gershman, cardiologist Dr. Peter McCullough and certified obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. James Thorp are featured in the movie. They are interviewed about their experience in the medical field and share their expert opinion on the role of COVID shots in the deaths of young Americans.
“Shot Dead” is a project of the nonprofit organization We the Patriots USA that, according to its mission statement, exists to “preserve and reclaim our God-given inalienable rights — including but not limited to the rights recorded in the United States Constitution — through education, advocacy and litigation.”
Priority issues for the nonprofit include religious, education and medical freedom, parental rights and First Amendment rights. More information about the work of We the Patriots USA can be found on its website. The full movie of “Shot Dead” can be seen here.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that his office is suing Pfizer, alleging the pharmaceutical giant defrauded the Texas Medicaid program by providing sub-quality drugs to Texas children. According to the lawsuit Pfizer and Tris Pharma continually manipulated the pediatric attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medication Quillivant XR during the period of 2012 to 2018, resulting in patients receiving drugs well below the quality alleged by the pharmaceutical companies.
“I am horrified by the dishonesty we uncovered in this investigation,” Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement. “Pfizer and Tris intentionally concealed and failed to disclose the issues with Quillivant to receive taxpayer funded benefits through Texas Medicaid, defrauding the state and endangering children. Our Civil Medicaid Fraud Division has done an outstanding job holding these pharmaceutical companies accountable.”
According to the Attonrey General, Pfizer misrepresented data to officials with the Texas Medicaid program, making it appear Quillivant was in compliance with federal and state law. In reality Pfizer concealed the fact Quillivant was an adulterated drug, its quality far lower than what had been attested to.
“At no point did Defendants warn Texas Medicaid providers or decision-makers that Quillivant had known manufacturing issues affecting its efficacy, thereby depriving the Medicaid program of the crucial information it relies on,” read the allegations in the lawsuit against Pfizer and Tris Pharma. “As a result, thousands of Texas children received an adulterated Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substance.”
After emerging victorious against a politically–motivated impeachment and removal attempt by a coalition of Democrats and moderate Texas Republicans, Attorney General Paxton promised he’d double down on his legal pursuit of the Biden White House and their political allies.
The Board of Representatives in Stamford, Connecticut, earlier this month voted to reject a model agreement that would have allowed AT&T and Verizon to install 5G equipment on city-owned utility poles.
In a bid to get 5G swiftly installed in his state, Gov. Ned Lamont’s office created a template contract between the nation’s top two telecommunication carriers and the state’s five major cities.
Commenting on the city’s decision, W. Scott McCollough, chief litigator for Children Health Defense’s (CHD) electromagnetic radiation (EMR) cases, told The Defender, “I applaud Stamford’s principled stand.”
Advocates for the contract said Stamford’s rejection might bring a lawsuit against the city, but McCollough disagreed.
“The wireless companies do not have a case yet. It is too early,” he said. “This was merely a decision to reject a model agreement. Federal and state law allow the city to instead negotiate individual terms, and that is what Stamford has chosen to do.”
The board’s land use committee voted to recommend rejecting the pact after hearing from the experts.
Davis, founder and president of Environmental Health Trust (EHT), told The Defender, “Confronted with overwhelming, independent scientific information about the real and present dangers of bringing electromagnetic fields closer to humans than ever before, Stamford voted to protect people and their environment.”
She added, “We should stop debating whether we have proof of human harm, and take steps now to prevent that harm from spreading.”
‘The city has an obligation to protect citizens’
Some representatives, like City Rep. Don Mays, worried that rejecting the pact would mean AT&T and Verizon would sue the city. He said at the Oct. 18 meeting, “Until that technology [that emits wireless radiation] changes in the marketplace, we are essentially going to have to accept it.”
A 2018 ruling by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) blocks states and municipalities from taking actions that would impede or delay the rollout of 5G technology.
Mays added, “If cities try to go against the FCC rules, the carriers will sue the cities … And I don’t think we want to subject this city to that.”
However, City Rep. James Grunberger disagreed, saying, “I don’t think we should back away from this because of the threat of a lawsuit … If we have to be a test case on this, we should be a test case.”
During a November meeting, Grunberger affirmed his position. “The federal government does not have guidelines for long-term exposure, so we need to protect our city ourselves, and not succumb to legal threats.”
Similarly, Rep. Sean Boeger said, “I’m just not willing to take a gamble with my four kids living in this city and my constituents’ children living in this city without some type of concrete consensus.”
Neil Sherman, a Stamford resident, said the contract would allow 5G equipment to go up “close to homes and schools without limitation to the number of antennas. They operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.”
“The city has an obligation to protect citizens from potentially dangerous modalities,” Sherman said.
Do cities and states have to accept the 5G rollout?
McCollough said challenges to the 2018 FCC ruling are still being worked out in the court system.
“Sometimes you have to stand your ground and here’s hoping Stamford does that. They do have some arguments and those need to be raised and evaluated by a court in Connecticut.”
McCollough pointed out that Stamford didn’t issue an “ordinance” or “even a regulation” that blocks telecom providers, so the telecom providers “would be fools to sue now claiming an effective prohibition.” He said:
“The board’s decision was simply to reject a model contract — or right-of-way agreement — that spelled out the terms of access that telecom companies could use for putting their 5G equipment on city infrastructure.
“All that it means is the city will now proceed to negotiate the terms and conditions for access, rather than using this model contract that the Governor’s office suggested cities use.
“The telecoms don’t have a cause of action until those negotiations break down or they submit a permit application that involves a site in right-of-way and it is denied.”
Four takeaways from experts’ presentation on wireless radiation risks
In addition to Davis, the experts who presented to the board’s land use committee included Dr. Rob Brown, an orthopedic radiology specialist, B. Blake Levitt, a science journalist, Theodora Scarato, EHT’s executive director, Kent Chamberlin, Ph.D., past chair and professor emeritus in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of New Hampshire, and Joseph Sandri, a telecom regulatory attorney and CEO of the tech lab Thought Delivery Systems Inc.
A black market Chinese biolab in Reedley, California, located about 25 miles southeast of Fresno, received more than $1.3 million in unexplained payments from banks in China while in operation, according to U.S. lawmakers.
The illegal biolab had thousands of vials and other containers, some labeled with potentially deadly infectious agents on site, including HIV and Ebola, according to officials.
On Nov. 15, Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R–Calif.) and Rep. Jim Costa (D–Calif.) discussed their concerns about the lab at a press conference with local officials and the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.
“We’re thinking about how COVID really came out of China and a lot of questions that are there in line, that we would allow a Chinese nationalist to come to this country and to set up a private lab,” Mr. Costa said during the press conference. “And what we found is that all it takes to set up a private lab in America is to get a business license.”
The committee also issued a 42-page report on the issue which criticizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other federal agencies for not fully investigating the site or helping dispose of the hazardous substances.
“Local officials spent months repeatedly trying to obtain assistance from the CDC,” the report stated, noting “the CDC refused to speak with them and, on a number of occasions, it was reported by local officials that the CDC hung up on them mid-conversation.”
Local officials received a similar response when they reached out to other federal agencies, according to the report.
The research lab came to light in December 2022 when Jesalyn Harper, a code enforcement officer for the city, noticed a green garden hose protruding from the back of a warehouse that was believed to be vacant.
According to the report, Ms. Harper initially referred the case to Fresno County and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
However, approximately two months later, the FBI informed her it had closed its investigation because “the Bureau believed that there were no weapons of mass destruction on the property,” the report stated.
Local officials obtained an inspection warrant in March, according to the report, and again searched the warehouse. They found what appeared to be blood and tissue samples, along with unlabeled vials and other biological material, raising concerns of possible pathogens.
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The warehouse space also housed nearly 1,000 lab mice, nearly 200 of which were found dead. Lab workers said that the mice were designed “to catch and carry the COVID-19 virus,” according to the report.
After repeated requests by local and state officials, the CDC ultimately responded to the site in May 2023 and found thousands of vials containing at least 20 “potentially infectious” agents, including SARS-CoV-2, chlamydia, E. coli, streptococcus pneumonia, HIV, hepatitis, herpes, rubella, and malaria, sparking serious concerns regarding biosecurity, according to the report. However, the CDC had identified the agents based only on the labels on the samples, said the report.
Despite offers from city officials to cover testing expenses, the CDC declined to conduct tests or examine the unlabeled vials and samples, said lawmakers.
The report stated, “Even though it had not tested any samples from the Reedley Lab, the CDC concluded that ‘[t]here was no evidence of select agents or toxins.’”
Meanwhile, local and county officials, along with a contracted hazardous waste removal firm, continued to investigate and clean up the site, which confirmed and expanded on their prior findings.
“Local officials and contractors reported that they found a freezer labeled ‘Ebola’ with silver sealed bags found inside consistent with how the Reedley Biolab operators stored sensitive biological and other materials,” the report stated.
