Assuredly, the word of truth can be painful and uncomfortable. But it is the way to holiness, to peace, and to inner freedom. A pastoral approach which truly wants to help the people concerned must always be grounded in the truth. In the end, only the truth can be pastoral.
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Site: Fr Hunwicke's Mutual EnrichmentS Paul loved his fellow Jews, his 'kinsmen' and believed "the gifts and call of God are irrevocable". He believed that at the End, those among them who had rejected Christ would be brought in to the chosen people. He believed that they were like olive branches which had been cut off so that the Gentiles, wild olive branches, could be grafted in. But, when the fulness of the Gentiles had entered Fr John Hunwickehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17766211573399409633noreply@blogger.com3
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Site: Fr Hunwicke's Mutual EnrichmentLex orandi lex credendi. I have been examining the Two Covenant Dogma: the fashionable error that God's First Covenant, with the Jews, is still fully and salvifically valid, so that the call to saving faith in Christ Jesus is not made to them. The 'New' Covenant, it is claimed, is now only for Gentiles. I want to draw attention at this point to the witness of the post-Conciliar Magisterium of theFr John Hunwickehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17766211573399409633noreply@blogger.com13
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Site: Fr Hunwicke's Mutual EnrichmentWe have seen that the Two Covenant Theory, the idea that Jewry alone is guaranteed Salvation without any need to convert to Christ, is repugnant to Scripture, to the Fathers, even to the post-Conciliar liturgy of the Catholic Church. It is also subversive of the basic grammar of the relationship between the Old and the New Testaments. Throughout two millennia, in Scripture, in Liturgy, in her Fr John Hunwickehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17766211573399409633noreply@blogger.com7
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Site: Fr Hunwicke's Mutual EnrichmentThe sort of people who would violently reject the points I am making are the sort of people who would not be impressed by the the Council of Florence. So I am going to confine myself to the Magisterium from the time of Pius XII ... since it is increasingly coming to be realised that the continuum of processes which we associate with the Conciliar and post-Conciliar period was already in operationFr John Hunwickehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17766211573399409633noreply@blogger.com0
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Site: Fr Hunwicke's Mutual EnrichmentIn 1980, addressing a Jewish gathering in Germany, B John Paul II said (I extract this from a long sentence): " ... dialogue; that is, the meeting between the people of the Old Covenant (never revoked by God, cf Romans 11:29) and that of the New Covenant, is at the same time ..." In 2013, Pope Francis, in the course of his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium, also referred to the Old Fr John Hunwickehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17766211573399409633noreply@blogger.com10
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Site: Fr Hunwicke's Mutual EnrichmentSince the Council, an idea has been spreading that Judaism is not superseded by the New Covenant of Jesus Christ; that Jews still have available to them the Covenant of the old Law, by which they can be saved. It is therefore unnecessary for them to turn to Christ; unnecessary for anybody to convert them to faith in Christ. Indeed, attempting to do so is an act of aggression not dissimilar to theFr John Hunwickehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17766211573399409633noreply@blogger.com11
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Site: Henrymakow.com
During a trip to Hong Kong, the billionaire duo decided to grab lunch at McDonald's. To Gates' amusement, when Buffett offered to pay, he pulled out a handful of coupons.Warren Buffett is a billionaire. He gets his meaning from making or saving a dime. Most of the super-rich suffer from spiritual poverty.Whether we are poor or rich, money holds us prisoner. The rich feel poor because of GREED. No matter how much they have, their identity ("feeling good, important, secure") was forged by a society dedicated to making and spending more money.
Money is supposed to free us from material concerns. Paradoxically it does the opposite. We become its prisoners."Enough is a little more than one has." Samuel ButlerUpdated from May 4, 2022 and Oct. 6 2023by Henry Makow PhDFew people take a rational approach to money.This would involve calculating how much money they need in relation to how much money they have, and how much money they make.Rather, people tend to focus on their last 2%. Did their "net worth" increase or derease on a given day?Depending on their tax bracket, this may involve their last $100, $1000, $10,000, $10 million or $10 billion. They ignore their big bank balance or stock portfolio. They always feel poor.Money is supposed to free us from material concerns. Paradoxically it does the opposite. We become its prisoners.We are satanically possessed. This means we identify with money rather than our Divine soul. We are money rather than God's personal representative on earth. The more money we have, the bigger and better we feel. These values are inculcated by our satanist-controlled mass media.I am addressing the roughly 50% of my readers who, according to my Gab poll, have enough or more money than they need. I don't fault the other 50% who don't have enough or are broke for feeling oppressed.
Paradoxically the rich suffer from a spiritual impoverishment.The more they identify with their money, the smaller they are. The more money they have, the smaller they are.In the case of the Illuminati bankers, this inner poverty is toxic. They are a cancer that threatens to destroy mankind.They want to "absorb" (their word) all the world's wealth leaving nothing to support humanity. They want it all!We're indoctrinated to seek money. Within limits, money is a great motivator and measure.I know someone who doesn't have to work. He works because he has nothing else to do, and it makes him feel productive and rewarded.Another friend is independently wealthy from investments. He retired a couple of years ago but is returning to his old profession out of sheer boredom.PERSONALI am as satanically possessed as anyone. I have had a lifelong struggle with greed. At age 74, I am just starting to master this demon.Recently I did the calculation above and realized that I have more money than I'll ever spend.My spending habits were formed during eight years as a graduate student living on roughly $10,000 per year. I really don't need or care about material things.Paradoxically, this lack of concern for money did NOT stop me from developing a gambling addiction. When I didn't have much money, I didn't care about it. When I sold Scruples to Hasbro in 1986, I became a money manager and thought my game smarts would extend to the stock market. MISTAKE.Scruples had been a labor of love. I did it because It was a workshop on everyday morality.After my windfall, I became satanically possessed (i.e. GREED.) If someone asked how I was, I said, "I'll ask my broker."We have to be on guard constantly because the voice in our head often is the devil!Then another voice arises from our soul and says, "Cool it, you greedy moron."You gamble with money you'll never spend. More or Less. What is the point? You don't even know your balance.We have a Mexican cleaning woman who supports an extended family. I have never met a woman whose smile exudes such warmth.Surely, these human qualities represent our true riches.Money is the lowest common denominator. People today are consumed by money. They are charmless.YouTube is packed full of "how I got rich" stories.While the world descends into Communist tyranny or faces a nuclear catastrophe, they act like money will save them.For people who have enough, freedom lies in eschewing money. Just not caring about it.Can you do that? -
Site: LifeNews
Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL) today called on state legislators to vote down the proposed “Equal Rights Amendment” because it deceives voters. The House Rules Committee voted this morning to advance the measure (SF 37).
“This bill conceals abortion-up-to-birth in innocuous language and attempts to dupe Minnesota’s citizens, who overwhelmingly oppose unlimited abortion, into unknowingly voting for just that,” said MCCL Co-Executive Director Cathy Blaeser.
If the bill passes, voters would be asked on the ballot about protecting equal rights based on “pregnancy” (among other things), with no mention or implication of abortion. But the actual amendment that would be adopted would protect the right to abortion (the right to decide “whether to become or remain pregnant”) without limits.
Mohamed Amin Ahmed, from the Republican People of Color in Minnesota, testified: “Why would you trick us? To fool us? To ‘fool’ someone is to treat them like they are fools. We are not. Our people believe in American democracy. That’s why we came here. … If your bill would lie to our people and trick us into voting for something that would kill our children, why should we ever trust you about anything you ever say to us?”
Carrena Falls, a student from the Twin Cities, testified on behalf of others of her generation: “As a college student and a member of Gen Z, I can tell you wholeheartedly that this extreme, unlimited abortion agenda is not something my generation supports. I urge you to question the morality of the deception in this piece of legislation, both for the sake of your sworn truthfulness to your constituents, and to earn and maintain the trust of young Minnesotans like me.”
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Minnesota law already allows abortion without limits, but SF 37 would enshrine it into the Constitution and prevent future lawmakers from enacting even commonsense abortion policies. The proposal also excludes language safeguarding conscience and religious rights, removing protection for “creed” that was included in a previous version.
Only 30 percent of Minnesotans support the current no-limits abortion policy, according to both a Star Tribune/MPR News/KARE 11 poll and a KSTP/SurveyUSA poll.
The bill passed the Rules Committee by a vote of 9-5 and now goes to the full House for a floor vote that could come later this week. The 2024 session runs through Monday, May 20.
The post Minnesota Measure Would Allow Killing Babies in Abortions Up to Birth appeared first on LifeNews.com.
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Site: LifeNews
You might be forgiven if, in all the hubbub over March’s arguments at the Supreme Court over mifepristone in FDA v. AHM, you forgot that there were other cases regarding abortion pills still winding their way through the federal courts.
One of those other cases, Bryant v. Stein, was decided in federal district court in North Carolina at the end of April. It has the potential to impact state legislation on abortion pills going forward.
In addition, there was a decision in West Virginia challenging that state’s ability to ban sales of the abortion pill decided late last year that could be revisited on appeal.
Bryant v. Stein
In January of 2023, abortionist Amy Bryant filed suit in federal district court challenging North Carolina’s chemical (or “medication”) abortion law. Her argument was that the state regulations were more restrictive than those the federal government, through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had determined were necessary for safe use of the drugs.
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Bryant and her legal team argued that the FDA was the entity authorized to make such safety decisions and that it had explicitly already considered and rejected the safeguards the state wished to impose. Catherine C. Eagles, the federal judge for the Middle District of North Carolina appointed by Barack Obama in 2010, essentially agreed in her April 30, 2024, decision, but with a caveat.
Judge Eagles concluded that rules that were part of North Carolina’s informed consent or general abortion laws could stand, so long as they weren’t particularly connected to chemical abortion or based on safety claims that the FDA had already dismissed.
Historical Background
As most people are aware, mifepristone, or RU-486, was originally considered under a special provision of the federal drug code called “Subpart H.” This allowed for accelerated approval but also allowed the agency to impose certain restrictions on distribution and prescription of the drug.
When the FDA approved mifepristone in September of 2000, it limited prescription to physicians who could certify that they could appropriately assess gestational age and identify ectopic pregnancy. This was because the drug’s effectiveness dropped off after a certain number of weeks and did not work at all in circumstances of ectopic pregnancy, when the child implants outside the womb.
The doctor or his or her designated agent had to meet with the prospective patient in person to do these assessments, screen the patient for conditions that might make the drugs dangerous or deadly for her, to give her the pills, and follow up to determine if the abortion was complete or further intervention was necessary.
This was in addition to whatever paperwork the FDA wanted doctor and patient to sign indicating the process and its risks had been fully explained and promises made by doctors that they had equipment on hand for potential emergencies and could surgically handle complications or had plans in place for someone else to do so if needed.
It is critical to note that during Democrat administrations, the FDA, under pressure from the abortion industry, rolled back many of these restrictions in 2016, 2021, and 2023. Prescribers no longer had to be doctors after 2016 but could simply be a “certified health care provider.” The number of required in-person visits shrunk from three to one in 2016 and then to none in 2021. Mandatory reporting of all serious complications or “adverse events” to the FDA, was reduced in 2016 to just reporting of any deaths.
North Carolina’s Laws Being Challenged
When North Carolina updated its own abortion law in 2023, it added back in many of the FDA’s original restrictions. North Carolina limited prescription to physicians. It required that women be examined and receive their drugs in-person and return for a follow-up assessment. All significant adverse events, not simply deaths, were to be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch monitoring system.
These are general safety regulations Judge Eagles struck down. Note that these were indeed requirements the FDA itself had in place in the drug’s early years. The changes were ostensibly an indication that the FDA no longer considered them necessary to safe use of the drug. An objection that this was not a thorough or objective assessment was a key part of the challenge by pro-life doctors in FDA v. AHM. But the judge ruled that the agency had since reconsidered and jettisoned those original requirements. Judge Eagles said Congress had given the FDA the responsibility and authority to make such determinations made theirs the final word on the issue.
In her decision, Judge Eagles granted that states, rather than the federal government, generally have the primary responsibility for public health and safety and the corresponding authority to regulate the practice of medicine. However, she goes on to cite various case law and the Constitution’s “Supremacy Clause” to support her contention that federal law preempts state law whenever that state law poses an obstacle to the purpose or function of the federal law.
This could be a matter of dispute in possible future appeals, but it is the ruling for now.
Practical Consequences
This means North Carolina cannot require that abortion pill prescribers be physicians or require that patients pick up their pills in person. They can’t require follow-up visits for abortion pill patients and cannot mandate the reporting of all adverse events to the FDA’s national Medwatch system.
Yet at the same time, the judge allowed other regulations that the state imposed on abortion generally, or put in place for purposes of informed consent, to stand. Regulations related to drug safety were the purview of the FDA, whatever their experts thought best, but abortion policy, patients’ rights, particularly after Dobbs, remained the state’s prerogative.
So while North Carolina could not require that the patient pick up her pills in person, it could require that any patient seeking a chemical or surgical abortion, have an in-person consultation with the clinician at least 72 hours before her scheduled procedure or receipt of pills. It could require, as part of its state informed consent procedures, that the woman have an ultrasound to determine the gestational age of her child (to give data for state reports and presumably for the mother to be aware of her child’s development).
Blood tests could be required to determine whether or not the woman has Rh negative blood and thus might require immunoglobulin shots if she wishes to bear a healthy child in the future.
North Carolina generally requires that all complications, from either surgical or chemical abortions, be reported to the state. While the FDA no longer requires that data for its own federal safety profile of mifepristone, Judge Eagles said there is no problem with the state requiring and collecting this data for its own statistical purposes.
The consequence of all this seems to be that a woman in North Carolina can legally get abortion pills shipped through the mail. However, she will still have to visit the clinic at least three days before to have an ultrasound and blood testing and receive whatever counseling or information materials the state thinks she needs to be able to make an informed decision.
Prescribers are still responsible for tracking her and reporting any complications back to the state.
It’s up to the federal government–the FDA– to decide the rules that are needed to ensure the drug is used safely, the judge held. But it’s up to the state, North Carolina, to set the state’s abortion policy.
GenBioPro v. Sorsaia
A similar case from West Virginia was decided in much the same way. In GenBioPro v. Sorsaia, the generic manufacturer of mifepristone sued the state of West Virginia after that state passed a law generally protecting unborn children, allowing for exceptions in the case of ectopic pregnancy, a medically nonviable unborn child, or other medical emergency.
The state also allowed abortion for survivors of rape or incest up to 14 weeks gestation so long as they filed a police report or sought medical treatment for the assault.
GenBioPro sued West Virginia, asserting that the state could not ban the sale of a drug that had been approved for use for women throughout the whole country.
Like the judge in the North Carolina case, Judge Robert C. Chambers or the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Huntington Division offered somewhat of a split decision. He upheld West Viriginia’s right to limit abortion within its borders, chemical or surgical, but declared that when and where it allowed abortion (e.g., for those rape or incest survivors less than 14 weeks pregnant), it could not dictate which abortion method was used.
Mifepristone could be used, if doctor and patient decided, in those emergency or exceptional cases of sexual assault. But the state was within its rights prohibit its general use or sale in the state.
GenBioPro has appealed the case to the 4th Circuit, the next highest federal court. It is now identified as GenBioPro v. Raynes.
Future Prospects
Both Bryant v. Stein and GenBioPro v. Raynes may eventually be appealed and higher courts could come up with similar or different rationales and results.
But for now, the pattern post Dobbs seems to be that states can pass and enforce laws limiting abortion generally, but not laws singling out a particular form of abortion that the federal government has elsewhere officially declared “safe” and “effective.”
LifeNews.com Note: Randall O’Bannon, Ph.D., is the director of education and research for the National Right to Life Committee.
The post Important Court Cases Will Determine Whether Moms and Babies Can be Protected From Dangerous Abortion Pills appeared first on LifeNews.com.
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Site: Euthanasia Prevention CoalitionAlex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
Gabrielle PetersI was going through my emails and found this excellent article that was published on April 26 in Policy Options by Gabrielle Peters, a disabled writer, policy analyst and the co-founder of Disability Filibuster. X: @mssinenomine
Peters is writing from a disability perspective as to why we need MAiD free health care options in Canada. Peters explains:
Some health-care providers see MAiD-free spaces as working environments that allow them to respect their conscience and adhere to their professional understanding of doing no harm.
Disabled patients, however, have expressed different reasons for wanting MAiD-free health-care settings.
Peters continues:
To start with, we should have the right to receive medical care in places and from people who do not contemplate or participate in killing disabled people as part of a care plan.
Who wants to look up at a doctor from a hospital bed and wonder if they have just deliberately ended the life of someone with a similar condition? Or to overhear conversations in hallways, waiting rooms, nursing stations or on the other side of a curtain, about how a lethal injection preserved a relative’s dignity before she – gasp – became incontinent, like me.Peters explains that faith based facilities (for now) are the only MAiD-free spaces. She then comments on the reality of ableism:
Many disabled people can remember a time in their lives when they would or could have agreed to MAiD had it been suggested to them. The reason for this unfortunate common bond is ableism.
A brief and widely adopted definition of ableism Fiona Kumari Campbell explains it as “a network of beliefs, processes and practices that produces a particular kind of self and body…that is projected as perfect and species-typical, and therefore essential and fully human.”
As a result, disability “is cast as a diminished state of being human.” It is a short journey from believing disability makes you less human to thinking that it is better to be dead than disabled.
Ableism in Canada is structural, codified, and acts as the rebar in our economy, politics, and culture. It defines and designs access to resources, services, public space, education, housing, health and health care, employment, and fundamental human rights.
Ableism affects how others perceive and treat us and how we perceive ourselves and our experiences. In this way ableism informs how our suffering is interpreted, making causal links that are not supported by evidence.Peters then quotes from Professor Heidi Janz who commented on medical ableism:
Medical ableism is often presented as “common sense” instead of bias, University of Alberta professor Heidi Janz says. Part of what allows it to remain unexamined is it exists within a larger contested framework referred to as the medical model of disability. In this model, disability is defined as deficiency, tragedy, and the opposite of health. Suffering is assumed and, because disability is understood entirely as a problem with an individual’s body, knowledge, power, and authority are placed within the medical field.
The result of this is our entire humanity is compressed into our diagnoses. There is no examination of the inherent political oppression or the bias in treatment because the medical model assumes the inequity disabled people experience is a logical result of being disabled.
This also incidentally is one of the many reasons MAiD assessors are ill-equipped to identify social suffering and solutions.Peters writes about how health-care professionals have power over people with disabilities since the doctor are often the gate-keeper to the services and that people need. Peters continues:
That signature is shaped by their perception of us, which is shaped by how well we align with their judgment of us as a “good patient.” In recent years, medicine has moved away from the use of the word compliant to describe whether patients follow medical advice. Now they talk about adherence. But whichever word they use, the power imbalance remains, and patients and family are hesitant to ask questions or raise concerns. As well, in most interactions, patients have just 11 seconds to speak before a physician interrupts them, research has shown.
Physicians conflate disability with suffering. Some bioethicists have likened disabled people to “happy slaves” for daring to suggest that disability is not a synonym for misery. Physicians consistently rate disabled people’s quality of life lower than disabled people themselves do. This is called the disability paradox.Peters then explains why the euthanasia lobby have had such influence:
The deluge of emotionally charged MAiD coverage is driven primarily by stories crafted or at least aided by the public relations and lobby efforts by proponents. As part of its recent campaign, Dying with Dignity, a national organization that campaigns for the expansion and liberalization of MAiD, emailed supporters urging them to submit opinion pieces to media organizations and offered the help of its communications team.
The CEO of Dying with Dignity has met with senators and members of Parliament in official lobbying capacity 41 times in the last 12 months. The charity also employs lobbyists at Blackbird Communications.
In a public-relations war, money can create even more imbalance than it does in a courtroom.Peters explains her concerns with suicide contagion.
But much of the media coverage of MAiD runs counter to the World Health Organization’s guidelines for responsible reporting on suicide. The WHO warns against spreading suicide contagion through prominent placement of stories about suicide, by normalizing it or presenting it as a constructive solution to problems, and by explicitly describing the method used.
Perhaps a lot of the coverage of MAiD ignores contagion protocols because MAiD is a euphemism for assisted suicide or euthanasia.Peters then comments on the concept of the "forced transfer":
A former executive director of Dying with Dignity said in a 2019 statement of claim that it was her “creative-thinking” that is responsible for the “ground-breaking” term. The statement was part of an Ontario lawsuit in which the public-relations value of the term was highlighted, noting it has been adopted “nationally and internationally by academics, clinicians, lawyers, and others in the right to die movement.”
Patients are transferred every day to access care, equipment or expertise that is not available where they are.
And it is striking that the term “forced transfer” is selectively applied to MAiD and not, for example, patients forced to move to long-term care facilities not of their choosing, on threat of being billed $400/day by the government if they refuse.Peters comments on the reality of her deterioration of care.
In 2009, before MAiD was legalized, I was living in North Vancouver. Since the onset of my rare neuromuscular disease several years prior I had been seen by an assortment of specialists at three different hospitals. Approximately two years of that time was spent in search of diagnosis for the multiple and worsening symptoms. At first, I thought I was just run down following a virus, but a turning point was when I had to be helped out of the community centre pool by a lifeguard because I couldn’t catch my breath a quarter of the way into my first lap. Over time, I transitioned from trail runner to using a cane, then walker and eventually a wheelchair. Simultaneously I transformed from being perceived as normal but sick to disabled and “unfixable” – and fat because of the corticosteroids.
No longer able to work and unable to access benefits due to eligibility criteria that declared me a dependent of the boyfriend I had been living with, my economic situation deteriorated.
Soon, my care changed, too. Nurses stopped complimenting me on my shoes, asking about my work, and telling me not to give up. The new answer to every question was a shrug and “you’re disabled.” It took three trips to two different hospitals and a tense standoff to finally be diagnosed and treated for deep-vein thrombosis and a pulmonary embolism following an intravenous immunoglobulin treatment (IVIG).
Meanwhile my condition created a smorgasbord of symptoms and managing one would sometimes worsen or create another. There were complications, “atypical presentations,” systemic infections, superbugs, and an ever-growing list of prescriptions sometimes accompanied by allergic reactions and serious side effects. I was a “high-cost health-care user.” The term is used to describe the five per cent of health-care users who are said to account for nearly two-thirds of health-care costs.
I sensed a growing defeatism among those providing me with care. But I was certain that the danger was at least partially a result of the health-care system’s siloed and almost exclusive focus on the latest acute crisis made worse by under-funding and embedded bias.Peters explains her experience with treatment and care at St Paul's hospital in Vancouver that led to her improved health. There was a hospital employee who pressured her to accept non-treatment as a "treatment" proposal but after dealing with that employee she did find good care at St. Paul's. She then writes:
Many, if not most, disabled people would prefer the additional option of secular MAiD-free spaces. But Catherine Frazee, whose quote starts this article, has articulated the view of a great many disabled people who fervently want safety from MAiD.
Affirming support for the belief of “better dead than disabled” in health care is dangerous and cruel. Canada has made disabled people a killable class, and hardly anyone has considered the impact this would have on us. This country must maintain MAiD-free health-care spaces.More articles concerning Gabrielle Peters:- Disability activists pushing back against euthanasia (Link).
- Canada is not as advertised. MAiD is eugenics (Link).
- Canada. How death care is pushing out healthcare (Link).
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Site: Henrymakow.com
Maybe the new Canadian army logo (left) will inspire them? The new Canadian Army rebranding logo has also been compared to an "8-bit bear humping a moose..."Please send links and comments to hmakow@gmail.comDo free tampons mean so little to these men?National Defence report finds 'very few' Canadians under 34 pursuing military careershttps://www.westernstandard.news/news/national-defence-report-finds-very-few-canadians-under-34-pursuing-military-careers/54176?Canadian Armed Forces weakened by resignations, low enlistmentMen used to go to war to defend their families. Men won't defend a country that doesn't know the difference between men and women.-Israel: Hamas 'Acceptance' Of Ceasefire Deal Is A RuseUpdate(1255ET): There are breaking reports from several Middle East outlets, including Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya that Hamas has accepted the ceasefire proposal of Egypt and Qatar.Egypt offered a new proposal for a truce between Israel and Hamas in which some Israeli hostages would be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and a three-week cease-fire, in a bid to stave off an Israeli military offensive in the southern Gazan city of Rafah.Israel, which helped create the proposal, according to Egyptian officials, would commit to entering longer-term discussions once Hamas releases a first group of 20 hostages over the truce period--a formulation designed to overcome the militant group's reluctance to release any hostages without any prospect of ending the war.----
The two lunatics leading Israel to destruction - War Minister Ben Gvir and Finance Minister SmotrichIsrael's Smotrich Calls for 'Total Annihilation' of Rafah, Other Cities in GazaThe Israeli finance minister wants Netanyahu to end negotiations with HamasIsraeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Monday called for the "total annihilation" of Rafah and other cities in the Gaza Strip."There are no half measures. Rafah, Deir al-Balah, Nuseirat - total annihilation. 'You will blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven' - there's no place under heaven," Smotrich said.--Construction has begun on a new national monument in the Canadian capital of Ottawa to honor the 2SLGTBQI+ community, which boasts to be the first in the world.The project will cost $13 million (CAD) entrusted the LGBT Purge Fund that approved the design of the monument, which is basically a large cylinder with a bung of holes taken out of it. It's called Thunderhead, and it's being built by the Ottawa River by Portage Bridge and Wellington Street.--
US Military Academy Introduces Woke Curriculum with Courses on Deconstructing Patriotism, Cross-Dressing in the Military, Gender Norms, and Representation in the RanksThe United States Military Academy at West Point is introducing a new curriculum that includes courses on "deconstructing patriotism," "cross-dressing in the military," and other topics related to gender norms and representation.Proof Organized Jewry is determined to destroy the USA--Will Covid-19 be followed by a tuberculosis pandemic.... - and will antibiotics no longer help?Heiko Schoening reveals the criminal planning of a new pandemic. It is conspicius how much the disease tuberculosis is currently being discussed. Are we being prepared for this by various incidents? In medical journals, specific professional groups are increasingly confronted with the topic of tuberculosis. BioNTech announced that it is already working strenuously on a new tuberculosis vaccine.-Nice overview but Hitler was false opposition (like Donald Trump)Europa: The Last Battle - All 10 Parts. Since the mid-20th century, the world has only ever heard one side of the most horrific war in human history. During the 75 years that have now passed, only a single narrative of the great conflict has been heard.-Updates about the Pandemic Treaty being negotiated between Health Canada and the WHO, full Reportby Dan Fournier, published Monday, May 6, 12:35 EDTAuthor Note: This is not an opinion piece, but rather a news article which provides the most factual up-to-date information surrounding the WHO's Pandemic Treaty and amendments to the International Health Regulations.-Women must boycott trans sportsWest Virginia girls stand up against trans sports madness -- they're braver than the president-From grad to worse Columbia cancels university-wide graduation ceremony after weeks of anti-Israel protests-
I agreeSix Reasons Why Tulsi Gabbard Is Donald Trump's Best Choice As A Running MateDespite the unprecedented and coordinated lawfare deployed against him, Donald Trump has emerged as the Republican presidential front-runner.Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democrat who is both a centrist and moderate (by today's definitions), has emerged as his most compelling and logical selection to be his running mate. I base my analysis on six compelling factors.--Western leaders are 'infantile morons' - MedvedevThe US and its allies need a reminder of the nuclear risk posed by the Ukraine conflict, Dmitry Medvedev believesWestern leaders are 'infantile morons' - MedvedevThe US, the UK, France and other Western nations should take a Russian nuclear drill as a reminder of where escalation of the Ukraine conflict could take them, former President Dmitry Medvedev has said.On Monday, the Russian Defense Ministry announced an imminent exercise to test the capability to deploy non-strategic nuclear weapons. It said the training was ordered by President Vladimir Putin after "provocative statements and threats" by Western officials.-- -
Site: LifeNews
A leading pro-life group tells LifeNews.com today that it refuses to follow a new Biden rule forcing employers to promote abortions.
In December 2022, Congress passed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), a pro-life bill that aimed to make the workplace more accessible to pregnant women by requiring employers to provide accommodations to pregnant workers under The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This bill was implemented at the end of June 2023.
However, the Biden administration is manipulating the bill’s language to require that employers provide accommodations for abortion.
The PWFA requires employers to provide “reasonable accommodations to a worker’s known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless the accommodation will cause the employer an undue hardship.” However, the bill does not define what is considered a “reasonable accommodation,” or what is considered a “related medical condition.”
Although the measure was meant to help and support pregnant women, Biden officials are manipulating it to promote abortion.
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As a result, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced a new rule that would warp and twist the federal law to impose pro-abortion regulations on virtually every employer in the country, even those whose religious beliefs dictate that life begins at conception.
But Priests for Life refuses to comply.
Pursuant to this rule, Priests for Life is required to provide an “accommodation” for an employee who might seek an abortion similar to any “accommodation” it would provide for an employee who may need time off, for example, related to pregnancy or childbirth, the group informed LifeNews today.
National Director Frank Pavone commented, “Obviously, such a rule runs afoul of Priests for Life’s total dedication to protecting children in the womb from abortion. Similarly, it directly violates Priests for Life’s fundamental right to religious freedom protected by the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.”
“Priests for Life will not comply with this rule as it would compel the organization to violate its core religious beliefs. If the Department of Justice or any other governmental entity seeks to enforce this rule against us, Priests for Life will immediately resist by filing a federal civil rights lawsuit challenging the enforcement action,” Pavone told LifeNews.
He added: “Make no mistake, Priests for Life will not comply with, and will strenuously resist, this latest effort by the Biden administration to force private citizens to accept abortion. The rule reflects a diabolical disregard for human life, as well as the tendency of Democrat leaders to use every vehicle of government to impose their immorality on American citizens.”
A leading pro-life legal group is fighting the measure in court.
“This rule is just the latest example of the Biden administration abusing its power to advance abortion,” Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Julie Marie Blake told LifeNews.com.
She said, “The new rule seeks to punish the speech of pro-life employers and restrict their hiring practices. The Biden administration and the EEOC don’t have the legal authority to smuggle this illegitimate rule into a law that was created to protect and support women and that had nothing to do with abortion.”
Here’s more on what the Biden administration is doing:
In the case of the PWFA, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was given rulemaking authority. In July, the rules were released, and they directly contradicted the intent of Congress. Not only was “reasonable accommodation” interpreted to include additional paid leave, but the EEOC included abortion in the definition of “related medical conditions.” The PWFA would now essentially require employers to provide medical leave for women to end the life of their child through an abortion.
Such rulemaking directly contradicts the intent of Congress and the pro-life advocacy groups who hoped the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act would help mothers choose life.
The bill’s primary Democratic sponsor, Sen. Casey, assured pro-life organizations that the bill was “straightforward … [and would] allow pregnant workers to request reasonable accommodations so that they can continue working safely during pregnancy and upon returning to work after childbirth.”
The bill’s primary Republican sponsor, Sen. Cassidy, echoed those assurances and strongly opposed the EEOC’s actions saying, “These regulations completely disregard legislative intent and attempt to rewrite the law by regulation…The decision to disregard the legislative process to inject a political abortion agenda is illegal and deeply concerning.”
These statements alone should unequivocally eliminate abortion from being considered a pregnancy related medical condition.
It is clear that the intent of Congress in passing the PWFA was to help pregnant mothers have healthy pregnancies and babies, not to expand access to abortion.
Some 17 states have already taken legal action to protect employers in their states and stop the Biden pro-abortion rule.
The post Pro-Life Group Refuses to Comply With New Biden Rule Forcing It to Promote Abortions appeared first on LifeNews.com.
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Site: LifeNews
The April 30 outreach at CVS near Baylor University is the 4th location for Pharmacy Outreach in Waco, Texas. Pro-Life Waco launched Pharmacy Outreach soon after CVS and Walgreens announced their intentions to enter the abortion industry in January of 2023. Regrettably, these corporations began filling chemical abortion prescriptions in March of 2024 in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California, Illinois, and Rhode Island.
The dreadful CVS and Walgreens decisions created thousands of potential venues for ongoing public square outreach. From pharmacy public rights-of-way we can simultaneously engage the pro-life faithful, the pro-abortion hostile, and, most importantly, the undecided of the “mushy middle”. Both chains operate in all 50 states with a combined 18,000 pharmacy locations.
Each CVS and Walgreens location has its pluses and minuses. We expected this CVS near Baylor to offer many opportunities to distribute our Chemical Abortion flyers, along with holding signs. The heavy stop-and-go traffic from 11:30 to 1 p.m. did not disappoint. During each stop-light cycle, five to ten cars were stationary next to “our” sidewalk.
The always energetic Lisa Muller Muñoz offered a smile and an abortion pill flyer to each of these drivers. Over 100 accepted, some with a brief (mostly friendly) chat. Lisa summed up her engagement time, “It’s an amazing experience doing the Lord’s work by sharing truth. It’s a joy when a person accepts a flyer and agrees to learn the details of chemical abortion. I am encouraged when a traveler thanks us for being out there. It’s a brief koinonia of sorts.”
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We hoped to interact with Baylor students. This happened as well. At lunchtime, many students drive to nearby fast-food restaurants. One was Anna Bjorklund. Our outgoing Melissa Manning recalls, “As Anna walked toward us wearing a Baylor t-shirt we wondered if she was with us or not. She spotted us while driving, was curious, and supported pro-life all the way. She promised to join us this summer and work for more pro-life support with Baylor student organizations in the fall. Making ourselves visible to the public is instant networking!”
CVS near Baylor will become Pro-Life Waco’s second monthly Pharmacy Outreach. This event will be on the last Wednesday of each month from 11:30 to 1 p.m. After our spirited initiative, PLW will provide lunch and fellowship at the nearby Panera Bread. See more about the past and the future of Pharmacy Outreach in Waco.
Pro-Life Waco is taking its commitment to Pharmacy Outreach nationwide. We will provide a free “start-up kit” to any individual or group willing to join the national collaboration (12 cities at this point) with pharmacy outreach on at least four occasions.
The Pharmacy Outreach kit features six large, corrugated plastic signs. The protest signs are 2’x2’ and 2’x4’, printed two-sided on corrugated plastic. You will also receive 100 copies and a PDF file of our Chemical Abortion flyer. Pharmacy Outreach is a powerful educational tool to challenge chemical abortion lies whether the source of the pills is pharmacies, mail orders, or abortion centers. See the details of the PLW Pharmacy Outreach offer that can bring a fast launch at CVS or Walgreens in your hometown.
LifeNews Note: John Pisciotta is the director of Pro-Life Waco.
The post Pro-Life Advocates Protest CVS for Selling Abortion Pills That Kill Babies appeared first on LifeNews.com.
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Site: LifeNews
Leftists love to believe that churches should be run like clubs — the majority rules. So they’ll make a big deal out of polls, like the Pew Research Center finding six of ten Catholics disagree with the church’s opposition to abortion. They do not ask self-identified Catholics whether they actually go to church on Sundays, or if they stopped the minute they became an adult. You would get a more conservative result.
On Tuesday, NPR’s newscast All Things Considered brought on reporter Katia Riddle to channel the views of pro-abortion Catholics, but what made it more shocking is touting a pro-abortion nun — someone who is financially supported by the Church, and who should be accepting of all the Church teachings.
KATIA RIDDLE: Today, Missouri is replete with Catholic churches, iconography and people like Sister Barbara.
SISTER BARBARA: I certainly did not intend to, you know, become a sister or a nun.
RIDDLE: She’s standing outside her modest apartment, wearing jeans and a sweatshirt. She grew up Catholic but wasn’t all that religious. In her 20s, she describes a kind of love affair she fell into with Catholicism.
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SISTER BARBARA: An emphasis on serving the poor and getting involved in just, you know, the social justice issues of the day. And that was a whole new idea for me about what religious life was really about.
Church officials might want to know who this nun is, and why she would publicly — well, not all the way — bite the hand that’s feeding her.
RIDDLE: NPR is not using Sister Barbara’s last name. She fears retribution from her local archdiocese for publicly expressing her beliefs on reproductive rights. She doesn’t agree with the church’s position that abortion is a sin and should be illegal.
SISTER BARBARA: I just don’t see it in just real absolute terms.
RIDDLE: She says she wouldn’t personally choose to end a pregnancy.
SISTER BARBARA: However, I have not been in the situation of a person who has – had suffered from incest or rape or all of those things.
RIDDLE: The Bible, she points out, does not say anything explicit about abortion. She fell in love with Catholicism for its practice around compassion and service, not politics.
SISTER BARBARA: I want to put a sticker on the car that says, don’t like abortion? Don’t have one.
RIDDLE: That’s why she’s supporting an effort in Missouri to enshrine abortion rights in the state’s Constitution. Several other nuns interviewed for this story said they feel the same. One was even collecting signatures to put the measure on the November ballot, though she didn’t want to talk about it on the record.
Over seven minutes, Riddle lined up the Catholic abortion advocates: ex-nun Alice Kitchen, retired reproductive endocrinologist Marilyn Richardson, Democrat state representative Ingrid Burnett, and college student Mary Helen Schaefer. The only surprise is a brief nod to Matt Lee, who runs a pro-life group called Missouri Stands with Women. He’s a deacon in the church.
RIDDLE: Lee says he’s not surprised that many Catholics support abortion access. Some reproductive rights advocates say church leadership is scared of this diversity of opinion among its followers, but Lee disagrees.
LEE: Could you say the Catholic Church is under attack or the church’s beliefs are under attack or their institutions are? Sure, but that doesn’t mean that the Catholic Church is scared. I mean, scared people tend to run away. The Catholic Church is not running away from this fight.
Try not to laugh at NPR saying some other organization is scared of having a diversity of opinion inside its walls.
Riddle concluded with the unsubtle hint that the Catholic hierarchy should be tethered to polls instead of their view of God’s will:
SISTER BARBARA: I think that the Catholic Church would not be here today if they didn’t have a remarkable ability to turn corners when it’s necessary – when things are about to collapse for it.
RIDDLE: After all, she points out, Catholicism has been around for centuries. She’s hoping this abortion debate is a relatively brief distraction from what she sees as the faith’s fundamental aspirations.
SISTER BARBARA: Reaching for some kind of ideals in the way we love and live with each other, with one another.
RIDDLE: For Sister Barbara, one of those ideals would be for church leadership to value what a majority of Catholics believe.
LifeNews.com Note: Tim Graham is the director of media analysis for the Media Research Center, a media watchdog group. He was a White House correspondent for World magazine in 2001 and 2002.
The post NPR Praises Catholic Nun Who is Pushing Abortions Up to Birth appeared first on LifeNews.com.
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Site: Ron Paul Institute - Featured Articles
Shocking news over the weekend that the “Justice” department had “altered or manipulated” key evidence in former President Trump’s classified documents trial casts a shadow on the case against him. Was it incompetence…or something more? Also: As Israel prepares to invade Rafah, will Biden finally stand up for civilians in Gaza? A report in the Israeli media reveals that the US supplies 50 percent of all Israel’s ammunition.
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Site: Zero HedgeRussia Warns It Can Hit UK's Military "Beyond" Ukraine Amid Nuclear Saber-RattlingTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 12:45
We reported earlier Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his armed forces to conduct tactical nuclear weapons drills in order for the country to be fully 'ready' to deter threats against it.
A specific date for these nuclear drills has yet to be publicized, but importantly the Kremlin has made it clear that the order is directly in response to recent threatening comments by Western powers. For example both the US and UK have lately pledged to continue arming Ukraine "for as long as it takes" - and further British officials have openly stated that Ukraine may use UK-supplied weaponry to attack inside Russia if need be. There's also the example of France's Macron continually talking about being open to Western boots on the ground in defense of Ukraine.
British Foreign Secretary David Cameron was in Ukraine late last week, his second trip there since the war began, where he stated provocatively, "Ukraine has that right. Just as Russia is striking inside Ukraine, you can quite understand why Ukraine feels the need to make sure it's defending itself."
Russian strategic bomber, via Ministry of Defense (MoD)
Russia's foreign ministry in response promptly summoned UK Ambassador to Moscow Nigel Casey over the remarks. "Casey was warned that the response to Ukrainian strikes using British weapons on Russian territory could be any British military facilities and equipment on the territory of Ukraine and beyond," the ministry stated after the meeting.
Importantly, the Kremlin laid out that Cameron's words mean he "de facto recognized his country as a party to the conflict." This marks possibly the first time that the Russian government specifically threatened to attack British military installations and equipment within Ukraine and beyond.
The foreign ministry statement further said this constitutes "evidence of a serious escalation and confirmation of London’s increasing involvement in military operations on the side of Kiev."
Ambassador Casey has been urged to "think about the inevitable catastrophic consequences of such hostile steps from London and to immediately refute in the most decisive and unequivocal manner the bellicose provocative statements of the head of the Foreign Office."
French Ambassador Pierre Levy has also been summoned to the Russian foreign ministry on Monday, and the French government likely was also issued similar warnings. Again this comes as Macron is still pushing the idea of NATO troops in Ukraine, which a number of allies have rejected.
A timeline for the drills has yet to be revealed, but the Kremlin has confirmed the exercise will take place "in the near future"...
Russia will test its ability to deploy tactical nuclear weapons, the Defense Ministry announced. The drills will be conducted ‘in the near future’ and were ordered by President Vladimir Putin. pic.twitter.com/QgAza5jDib
— RT (@RT_com) May 6, 2024Moscow in a follow-up statement said the drills will "cool down the ‘hot heads’ in Western capitals and help them understand the possible catastrophic consequences of the strategic risks they generate."
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Site: LifeNews
If there’s been a recurring theme of Republican strategists heading into November, it’s this: flip the script. From the Senate and House fundraising arms to consultants and the RNC, the experts agree — silence on abortion is a political death sentence.
“If you’re just hiding under your desk, hoping the shrapnel won’t hit you,” GOP pollster and former Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway said recently, “you’re not listening to [reason]. … If it took 50 years to overturn Roe v. Wade,” she insisted, “it’s going to take more than 50 minutes, 50 hours or 50 weeks to explain to people what that means — and, more importantly, what it doesn’t mean — and to move hearts and minds.”
If she’s counseling a client, Conway is frank. “I just believe these candidates should be forward-facing, tell you what they believe, why they believe that, and stick with it.” Just as important, she and other prominent Republicans say, is making sure conservatives tell voters what Democrats believe. Accuse them of extremism, she urges, because they’re actually guilty of it. “They don’t seem to have any exceptions,” Conway argued, in a country where most Americans would draw the line for abortion somewhere early in the second trimester.
Joe Biden’s party is shockingly vulnerable here, and they know it. Asked if the president supported any restrictions on abortion last month, his campaign staff deflected. Does he have a preferred “cutoff” like 24 weeks, the reporter asked? “The president believes that we should restore the protections of Roe,” the spokesman replied, which allowed abortion through all nine months of pregnancy. “He’s been pretty clear, pretty consistent on that,” the official insisted. “So we aren’t going to fall on any traps that Republicans may want to lay ….”
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It’s only a trap because most Americans won’t like the answer — which is no, Democrats and their president don’t believe in abortion limits. Dr. Ben Carson, another part of former President Trump’s inner circle, agreed that it’s time to play offense on the Left’s extremism. “I think it’s very important in this argument to be vocal and to ask questions of those on the other side, like, ‘Well, what is unacceptable to you in terms of abortion?’” he told Family Research Council President Tony Perkins on “Washington Watch.” “They have a hard time answering that question because they’re actually willing to kill babies that are viable outside of the womb — from six months on of gestation.”
Right now, that puts them wildly out of step with most of the country, 73% of whom would outlaw abortion after 15 weeks. Only 10% agree with Biden and his party that abortion should be allowed for all nine months.
On Sunday’s “Meet the Press,” Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) leaned into the view that Democrats — not Republicans — are the fanatical ones. “The fact of the matter is that every single Democrat in the Senate and in the House have voted for abortion up until the day of birth,” Scott pointed out. “The former governor of Virginia [Ralph Northam] has said — he was a pediatrician — even infanticide [is okay].”
NBC’s Kristen Welker pushed back, “Democrats don’t support — that’s false, senator. Democrats don’t support infanticide.” “Kristen, they’ve already voted for it,” Scott reiterated.
After another back and forth, Scott pressed in. “Kristen, you cannot deny the fact that the Democrats have voted — not talked about, but voted — for abortions until the day of birth. That is a fact,” Scott said. “You can look that up in the records of Congress. So, I’m not talking about hypotheticals. You continue to bring me hypotheticals. The truth is, and I got to say, this is kind of — kind of interesting, the truth is simple. The Democrats are radical. Ninety percent of Americans don’t agree with them.”
As Dr. Carson explained, we’re advanced enough with technology these days that “if [a] baby could be living outside of the womb, [the question is]: why do you have the right to kill the baby?” “Because it’s inside the womb? … As I frequently say in our laws, if you murder a woman who’s pregnant, you get charged with two counts of homicide. Why is that? Obviously, our legal system recognizes that life.”
The soft-spoken doctor who spent most of his professional career as a pediatric neurosurgeon operated on plenty of unborn babies, “trying to save lives frequently.” “They were premature babies, 26-, 27-, 28-weeks gestation, sometimes [I was] operating all night, sometimes even operating on babies before they were born. I can assure you that they’re very much alive. Just because they’re in the uterus, that does not mean that they’re not a living human being. And they can feel pain, [so] we have to advocate for them.”
And yes, Carson acknowledged, Republicans are “in a little bit of a tough situation politically, if we don’t navigate it the right way. You know,” he pointed out, “there are those, like myself, who believe that life begins at conception. There are those who say six weeks, there are those who say 15 weeks. What we need to do is stop fighting amongst ourselves, recognize we’re all under the [pro-life] umbrella, and we need to continue the fight.”
But to put Democrats on the defensive, Perkins insisted, “you’ve got to be willing to talk about it.” Like Carson, he believes “we should be protecting life from the moment of conception on. That’s when life begins. But I also know that in a republic we have to build consensus. So we just take a page out of the book in terms of how we got to a point where Roe was overturned: We educate, we teach, we show the humanity of the unborn, and we move the public to the right spot. And we keep moving, as we’re seeing across the country today. But you have to be willing to engage in the conversation, defend your position, and not be in retreat.” And unfortunately, Perkins lamented, “many Republicans have lost their footing on this issue. I still believe that if we’re willing to talk about it, we are where the majority of the American people are at.”
Another piece of the fight, Carson urged, is making sure people are aware of the barbarity of the abortion process. “You know, when you allow people to find out what an abortion actually is, particularly in the second and third trimester, where you actually put the forceps into the uterus, grab whatever it can grab, twist and pull, and out comes an arm or a leg. … Most people are kind of put off by that, and we need to let them know what’s going on. You can’t just sugarcoat this. This is murder of a human being who has feelings. And as we make that more apparent to people, I think we will move more toward a culture of life.”
The facts are Republicans’ friends, Carson pointed out. “You know, for me, as a neuroscientist, I look at that baby from the moment of conception, that brain starts to develop. I mean, we’re talking millions of neurons every day within a very short period of time. That baby is much more neurologically sophisticated than a snail darter. And yet, look, of all these environmentalists running around saying, ‘We’ve got to save the snail darter!’ How come they’re not concerned about the baby?”
Part of that, Perkins insisted, is because conservatives and the church have lacked courage. “We’ve got to be bold as believers,” he urged. “We’ve got to know what we believe and be bold enough to speak it. … There is hope, but we have to realize we are a part of the answer. God has placed us here, entrusted us with this moment in time. We have to be faithful to our calling.”
LifeNews Note: Suzanne Bowdey serves as editorial director and senior writer at The Washington Stand, where this originally appeared.
The post 90% of Americans Disagree With Joe Biden’s Position Supporting Abortions Up to Birth appeared first on LifeNews.com.
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Site: AsiaNews.itThe organisation founded by Fr Sebastiano D'Ambra, a PIME missionary, celebrates its foundation in May 1984 in Zamboanga, a province where Christians are a minority. Its focus is young people, trained to become worthy leaders, dedicated to building peace. 'We are gathering stories of individuals who have experienced the spirituality of life,' said Fr D'Ambra.
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Site: Zero HedgeA Disbarred, Serial Perjurer Walks Into A Court And Asks To Take An Oath...Seriously, No JokeTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 12:25
A disbarred, serial perjurer walks into a courtroom and asks to take an oath . . . No, seriously, this is not a joke. Michael Cohen will soon appear in a Manhattan courtroom in what is sure to be one of the most bizarre moments in legal history.
Cohen nearly comprises the prosecution’s entire case against former President Donald Trump under a criminal theory that still has many of us baffled. It is not clear what crime Trump was supposedly trying to conceal by making “hush-money” payments to former porn actress Stormy Daniels.
What is clear is that none of the witnesses called in recent weeks has had any direct involvement with Trump on the payments.
The witnesses had a lot to say about Cohen, and most of it was not good. They described an unprofessional, self-proclaimed “fix-it man” who created a shell corporation to buy out Daniels with his own money. The money was later paid back by Trump after the election, with other legal expenses.
So Cohen will now make the pitch to the jury that they should put his former client in jail for following his own legal advice.
This would be difficult even for a competent and ethical lawyer. For Cohen, it is utter insanity. But Bragg is betting on a New York jury looking no further than the identity of the defendant to convict.
Cohen has an impressive history of lies and exaggerations that may be unparalleled. Just weeks ago, another judge denounced him as a serial perjurer who was still gaming the system.
This is not the defendant, mind you, but Alvin Bragg’s star witness.
I have been an outspoken critic of Cohen going back to when he was still representing Trump. His unethical acts were matched only by his unprofessional demeanor.
In 2015, after students on the Harvard Lampoon played a harmless prank on Trump, Cohen was quoted by a student on the Lampoon staff as threatening them with expulsion.
When a journalist pursued a story Cohen did not like, he told the reporter that he should “tread very f—ing lightly because what I’m going to do to you is going to be f—ing disgusting. Do you understand me?”
It is not hard to “understand” Cohen. He has long marketed his curious skill of voluntarily saying whatever the highest bidder wants him to say.
He is a convicted perjurer who seems to lie even when the truth would do. Each time he is caught lying, he claims to be the sinner who has finally seen the light, seeking redemption.
When he was called before the House to testify against Trump soon after his plea agreement with the Justice Department (for lying), Cohen was again accused of perjury. House Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), warned Cohen repeatedly that he had better tell the truth this time. Cohen then testified that Trump wanted him to work in his administration and offered him multiple jobs, which he turned down. He also claimed, “I have never asked for, nor would I accept, a pardon from President Trump.”
Multiple sources have said that Cohen’s lawyer pressed the White House for a pardon, and that Cohen unsuccessfully sought a presidential pardon after FBI raids on his office and residences last year.
Even after being stripped of his law license and sentenced to three years in prison, Cohen continued the pattern. In 2019, Cohen failed to appear to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee, citing an inability to travel due to surgery. He was then seen partying before the hearing date with five friends.
Even while in jail, Cohen was accused of lying to a court, in violation of an order for early release due to medical problems. He was ordered back into custody after being spotted at a high-end restaurant.
But the most impressive moment came when Cohen was put back on the stand under oath and matter-of-factly claimed that he had lied in his prior hearing, when he pleaded guilty to lying.
In his 2018 guilty plea before U.S. District Judge William Henry Pauley III, Cohen admitted to this conduct under oath.
Then, when Cohen was asked by Trump’s counsel, “Did you lie to Judge Pauley when you said that you were guilty of the counts that you said under oath that you were guilty of? Did you lie to Judge Pauley?”
Cohen responded, “Yes.” He was then again asked “So you lied when you said that you evaded taxes to a judge under oath; is that correct?” He again responded, “Yes.”
Most of us expected the Justice Department to bring new perjury charges at that point. It is rare that a defendant will actually take the stand and confess to perjury. However, Cohen was now useful again. This time, he was willing to deliver Trump. The Justice Department and Manhattan prosecutors were clearly willing to tolerate a little perjury for that prize.
Cohen’s conduct has already loomed large in the Manhattan proceedings. When Keith Davidson took the stand — the attorney who represented both Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal — he recounted how Cohen was furious about not being offered a job in the White House. That directly contradicts Cohen’s congressional testimony. Davidson said that Cohen believed he might be named attorney general.
The account, if true, shows that Cohen is not only unethical, but also delusional. Cohen was found incapable of being an attorney, let alone an attorney general.
As prosecutors set the table for the grand arrival of their star witness, the testimony only got worse. David Pecker, the former owner of the National Enquirer, said charitably that Cohen was “prone to exaggeration.”
Davidson described Cohen’s profane and unprofessional conduct, stating that “the moral of the story is nobody wanted to talk to Cohen.” That may be the first time the word “moral” was used in the same line with Cohen.
Former Trump associate Hope Hicks mocked Cohen on the stand. She said that he constantly tried to insinuate himself into the campaign, without success, and that he “used to like to call himself Mister Fix It, but it was only because he first broke it.”
Mind you, these were his fellow prosecution witnesses, not the defense.
These witnesses also contradicted the basis for the prosecution. Pecker said that he killed stories for various celebrities for years, and that he did so for Trump for over a decade before he ran for office. Davidson testified that he did not consider the deal to be “hush money” but simply “consideration” to kill bad press.
Hicks testified that she believed Trump wanted to kill the stories in significant part to protect his family from embarrassment.
Cohen could not even maintain a consistent position during the trial. Many of us have denounced the gag order on Trump that prevents him from responding to Cohen’s unrelenting attacks in the media. Cohen then promised to stop any further comments. That promise may have set a record for Cohen. He kept it for roughly three days before being accused of trolling for dollars on social media by attacking Trump.
District Attorney Bragg will now call this disbarred, serial perjurer to make the case against a former president.
Under New York law, the oath administered by the court is supposed “to awaken the conscience and impress the mind of the witness in accordance with that witness’s religious or ethical beliefs.”
Before the bailiff administers the oath to Cohen, Judge Juan Merchan may have to warn spectators in the courtroom not to laugh. For anyone familiar with Cohen, it will sound like the ultimate punchline to a bad joke.
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Site: Zero HedgeBoeing Faces 10 More Whistleblowers After Mysterious DeathsTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 12:05
In the span of two months, two Boeing whistleblowers have died under mysterious circumstances.
John Barnett (L), Joshua Dean
The first, 62-year-old John Barnett, died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on March 9. He was found dead in his Dodge Ram truck holding a silver pistol in his hand in the parking lot of a South Carolina hotel after he failed to show up for the second half of his testimony for a lawsuit against the company. Barnett, who retired in 2017, warned that Boeing had cut corners to speed its 787 Dreamliners into service. He gave numerous interviews in which he described how he lodged internal complaints about serious security flaws.
The second, 45-year-old Joshua Dean, a former Spirit AeroSystems quality auditor, died last Tuesday from a fast-growing infection. In 2022 he raised the alarm over improperly drilled bulkhead holes for the 737 MAX, and was fired less than a year later.
"I think they were sending out a message to anybody else," Dean told NPR, adding "If you are too loud, we will silence you."
Now, Boeing faces 10 more whistleblowers - and attorneys for the deceased men are hoping that the deaths don't spook the rest away, the NY Post reports.
Boeing whistleblowers (from left) quality engineer Sam Salehpour; Ed Pierson, executive director of the Foundation for Aviation Safety and a former Boeing engineer; Joe Jacobsen, aerospace engineer and technical adviser to the Foundation for Aviation Safety and a former FAA engineer; and Shawn Pruchnicki, PhD, professional practice assistant professor for integrated systems engineering at the Ohio State University, are sworn in before they testify at a Senate hearing to examine Boeing’s broken safety culture (AP)
"These men were heroes. So are all the whistleblowers. They loved the company and wanted to help the company do better," attorney Brian Knowles - who represented both Barnett and Dean, told the Post. "They didn’t speak out to be aggravating or for fame. They’re raising concerns because people’s lives are at stake."
According to Knowles, "I knew John Barnett for seven years and never saw anything that would indicate he would take his own life," but added "Then again, I’ve never dealt with someone who did (commit suicide). So maybe you don’t see the signs. I don’t know."
Knowles pointed out that the Charleston, SC, police are still wrapping up their investigation of Barnett’s death — and that it may take some weeks for tests to reveal more about Dean’s passing.
“It’s a stunning loss,” Spirit AeroSystems spokesman Joe Buccino said of Dean. (The company is not to be confused with Spirit Airlines.) “Our focus here has been on his loved ones.”
Buccino insisted that Spirit “encourages” employees to come forth with their concerns and that they are then “cloaked under protection.” -NY Post
And while Boeing says they also "encourage" employees to speak up, that's news to other Boeing whistleblowers who say they've either face retaliation or been ignored.
For example, Ed Pierson, 61, a former senior manager at Boeing's Renton, Washington 737 factory, left Boeing six years ago and created the Foundation for Aviation Safety - after trying in vain to get Boeing execs to shut down production of the plane prior to two 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 which left 346 people dead.
"It’s an unstable company right now from the top to the bottom," Pierson told the Post. "Senior corporate leadership is so fixated on not admitting the truth that they can’t admit anything."
Last month, Pierson told Congress about what he characterized as a "criminal cover-up" by Boeing bosses.
"Boeing is an American icon," Pierson said. "This company is incredibly important to our country, both economically and in terms of national security with its commercial aviation side and its military defense work. But it doesn’t work when you have the wrong people driving the bus."
Following Barnett's death, Boeing employees told The Post that he had made "powerful enemies," and one said that they were skeptical that it was a suicide.
This guy is about to become Boeing’s highest-paid employee. https://t.co/QcUPFz0D1h pic.twitter.com/qoOEvndPHe
— Robert Sterling (@RobertMSterling) May 5, 2024 -
Site: Zero HedgeHungarian Foreign Minister Warns Macron Risks Sparking World War IIITyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 11:45
Authored by Paul Joseph Watson via Modernity.news,
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has warned that French President Emmanuel Macron’s threat to send NATO troops to Ukraine risks sparking World War III.
In an interview with The Economist last week, Macron said the question of sending western troops to Ukraine would “legitimately” arise if Russia broke through the Ukrainian front lines and Kyiv made such a request.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reacted by describing Macron’s statements as “very dangerous.”
Now Hungarian diplomat Peter Szijjarto warns that the French leader’s comments represent a stunning escalation.
“If a NATO member commits ground troops, it will be a direct NATO-Russia confrontation and it will then be World War Three,” said Szijjarto.
He also drew attention to the fact that such a conflict would likely escalate into nuclear confrontation.
“Let’s be clear: if there is a nuclear war, everything and everyone will be lost. If there is a nuclear war, everyone will die and everything will be destroyed, which no one with any common sense can wish for,” said Szijjarto.
Meanwhile, senior Italian government officials have joined the growing number of prominent voices condemning Macron over his comments.
“Sending Italian soldiers to fight outside the EU borders? Follow the obsessions of some dangerous and desperate European leader like Macron? No thanks, never in the name of the League,” remarked Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini.
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto also told the Corriere della Sera newspaper, “I don’t judge a president of a friendly country like France, but I don’t understand the purpose and usefulness of these declarations, which objectively raise tensions.”
As we previously highlighted, the former commander of the UK’s Joint Forces Command General Sir Richard Barrons said Ukraine is at “serious risk” of having to admit defeat to Russia this year.
Barrons said that pessimism is starting to set in amongst the population, generating a general malaise and a feeling that Ukraine “can’t win.”
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Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.
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Site: LifeNews
Thousands took part in the annual March for Life in Dublin earlier today. Speakers called on the Irish public to ‘think pro-life’ before they vote in the upcoming local and European elections and to only vote for candidates who are committed to finding ways to reduce “Ireland’s soaring abortion rate.”
Guest speakers at the march included Independent Carol Nolan TD and Oxford based Doctor and media commentator, Dr Calum Miller.
Another speaker, Eilís Mulroy of the Pro Life Campaign told the crowd gathered in Molesworth Street that “in the coming weeks the Pro Life Campaign will be publishing a comprehensive Voter Guide, featuring a list of all election candidates and where they stand on right to life issues.” She said it will serve as an invaluable guide to pro-life voters when deciding how to cast their vote in the upcoming elections.
Ms Mulroy said that based on recent answers to parliamentary questions regarding reimbursements made to abortion providers in 2023, it looks like “the number of abortions carried out in that one year period will exceed 10,000, representing a massive increase in abortions year on year since the new law took effect.” She described the increase in abortions as “devastating“ and said “the efforts made between now and election day to encourage people to ‘think pro-life’ before they vote will also impact on whether real progress is made over the next five years in shifting the focus away from the present government policy of promoting abortion at every turn, to a situation where basic information about alternatives is made available to women before an abortion takes place.”
In her address, Deputy Nolan said that “while it’s devastating to see abortion numbers increase rapidly under the new law and watch grotesque amounts of taxpayers’ money being spent on abortion provision, the veil at last is finally being lifted and more and more people are starting to ask questions about what our leaders in government are presiding over.”
Follow LifeNews.com on Instagram for pro-life pictures and videos.
This, she said, was shown “in a truly spectacular way with the results of the recent ‘Family’ and ‘Care’ referendums.”
Deputy Nolan also took issue with what she called the “unchecked power” of taxpayer funded NGOs like the National Women’s Council, saying: “It is a very healthy thing in a democracy when voters start to become engaged and start looking for honest answers – on things like questioning the enormous sums of money being given to NGOs like the National Women’s Council. The National Women’s Council were shown to be hopelessly out of touch with the views and concerns of women during the recent referendum campaign. Their stance on abortion is also way more radical than what the average voter supports, yet as a group the National Women’s Council wields an inordinate amount of power in determining government policy on issues like abortion.”
To cheers from the crowd, she said: “The unchecked power of the National Women’s Council needs to be brought to an end.”
Speaking about the need for freedom of conscience protections to be strengthened for healthcare workers who don’t wish to facilitate abortions, Dr Miller said: “Erode conscience, and you remove the healthcare professionals with the most integrity, who are willing to do what is right rather than what is convenient. You breed a generation of healthcare professionals who choose their career and their ambitions over the wellbeing of their patients. And that is not a safe healthcare system to have looking after you. This will affect all of you. If you lose the soul of medicine and make it a profession of killing, if you rob medicine of conscience by expelling those who listen to their conscience, everyone is in danger. Is that the sort of healthcare system you want looking after you when you are weak and vulnerable?”
Anna Buday, a voice for parents caring for children with complex medical needs and mother of a child who has Down Syndrome told March for Life: “If you are a parent of a child with special needs, you might meet with discrimination and misunderstanding. However, what truly frightens me, is a society that allows discriminatory actions to be directed towards babies like Esther. It saddens me deeply to witness the inequalities and biases that still plague those with genetic differences, particularly babies with Down Syndrome.
“As a parent, I wish everyone could see the beauty, sweetness, and courage that radiate from babies like our little Esther. She is a mighty warrior, facing challenges with resilience which inspires all who meet her.
“I have a message for any new or expecting parents who got a diagnosis of Down Syndrome: Don’t be afraid. There is hope. There is plenty of laughter and joy. There is learning. There is opportunity. There is kindness and capability. There is so much love!”
Lois McLatchie, senior communications officer with Alliance Defending Freedom International told attendees: “In 2018, Irish women were sold a deal that abandoned them to abortion. In the name of “women’s rights”, women would be wronged – their dignity eroded. But the lies that were sold are already losing their grip. When the government wanted to remove women from the constitution, and erase protection and support for the amazing mothers upon whom society depends – you said NO! Your message was heard around the world. Mothers, and their babies, matter. We need to create a society that once again cares, supports, and empowers both lives.”
Melissa Byrne, Outreach Officer of Students for Life also addressed the March. Journalist Wendy Grace and Peter Sands officiated as MCs at the event.
Today’s march was organised by the Pro Life Campaign.
The post Thousands of People Join Ireland March for Life to Protest Abortion appeared first on LifeNews.com.
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Site: Saint Louis Catholic
Thanks to Ann B, who posted a link to this. Saints in Heaven, pray for us!
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Site: Zero HedgeSaudi Arabia's Price Hike May Signal Oil BottomTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 11:25
One of the recent positives for bonds and non-energy stocks could have run its course after Saudi Arabia raised the price of its flagship crude to Asia for a third consecutive month, according to Bloomberg markets live reporter Garfield Reynolds
Over the weekend, state-owned Saudi Aramco raised the June official selling price of Arab Light crude for customers in Asia by 90 cents to $2.90 a barrel above the regional Oman-Dubai benchmark, Bloomberg reported. It compares with an increase of 60 cents forecast in a Bloomberg survey of six refiners. Prices for other lighter and heavier varieties were also increased from May.
The hike highlights Saudi Arabia’s efforts to keep the market tight amid fading war risk in the Middle East, which has helped drive oil prices in London lower. Most traders and analysts predict that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies will extend their output curbs, potentially to the end of the year.
Crude took a marked step lower last week thanks to a surge in US inventories and optimism that Middle East tensions can cool further, but there’s a decent chance it’s busy finding a new floor rather than settling in for sustained declines according to Reynolds who notes that if Israel and Hamas can agree on a truce — a substantial if with the status of talks unclear after the latest round in Cairo — that would likely set off a fresh, rapid drop in the short term for crude.
But even then it looks as though Saudi Arabia and the other producers would be likely to respond with further efforts to trim supply to prop up prices.
With two-year US inflation swaps sitting at ~2.5% that shows bonds remain vulnerable to sticky oil prices even with WTI under $80/barrel.
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Site: AsiaNews.itThe Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue releases a message for the feast marking the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha. Venerable Maha Ghosanda, a witness to the horrors of the Cambodian genocide, called for the removal of 'the landmines of hatred from our hearts.'
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Site: Zero HedgeDespite Powell's QTeasing, The Correction May Not Be Over YetTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 11:05
Authored by Lance Roberts via RealInvestmentAdvice.com,
The latest FOMC meeting caused a stock rally as Jerome Powell turned more “dovish” than expected. While Powell did note that progress on inflation has been lackluster, the announcement of the reversal of “Quantitative Tightening” (QT) excited the bulls.
Beginning in June, the Committee will slow the pace of decline of its securities holdings by reducing the monthly redemption cap on Treasury securities from $60 billion to $25 billion. The Committee will maintain the monthly redemption cap on agency debt and agency mortgage‑backed securities at $35 billion and will reinvest any principal payments in excess of this cap into Treasury securities”
Of course, the reversal of QT means a buyer of Treasury bonds is returning to the market, increasing overall market liquidity. It also means the Treasury will issue $105 billion less in gross in Q3. The bond market also got the memo, as the Fed’s return to the bond market suggests lower yields in the months ahead, easing financing pressure in the economy.
We have previously discussed the following chart of “liquidity,” which subtracts the Treasury General Account and Reverse Repo from the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet. The recent market decline coincided with a sharp drop in liquidity as the TGA account surged to almost $1 trillion from April tax receipts. Over the next few months, that liquidity in the TGA will get released into the economy. At the same time, the Federal Reserve will reduce its balance sheet runoff, which will further add to overall liquidity.
Notably, the market has weathered the reduction in liquidity to date. While higher rates and the reversal of “Quantitative Easing” led to a 20% market decline in 2022, investors began to “front run” the Fed in anticipation of rate cuts and a return to balance sheet expansion.
Given that “QE” programs increase bank reserves by crediting their reserve accounts for bonds bought, the introduction of the tapering of “QT” is the first step in increasing system liquidity.
This is why there was a vicious stock rally last week. For the markets, this rang “Pavlov’s Bell.”
The Correction May Not Be Over Just Yet
While the stock rally last week certainly surprised many, given the weaker-than-expected economic data, there are some reasons to suspect the correction may not be complete just yet.
In mid-March, we suggested that due to the “buyback blackout” window, a 5-10% correction was likely. To wit:
“As noted, the market remains in a bullish trend. The 20-DMA, the bottom of the trend channel, will likely serve as an initial warning sign to reduce risk when it is violated. That level has repeatedly seen ‘buying programs’ kick in and suggests that breaking that support will cause the algos to start selling. Such a switch in market dynamics would likely lead to a 5-10% correction over a few months.“
The following month, the market violated that 20-DMA, and selling commenced, leading to a 5.5% drawdown. However, buyers initially stepped back in at the 100-DMA, which has now acted as support over the last two weeks. With the rally last week, the stock rally is now testing crucial resistance at the 50-DMA.
The stock rally is at a critical juncture, and what happens next will determine whether the current market correction is over. Three possible scenarios over the next month or so exist.
Path A: The market breaks above the 50-DMA and retests previous highs. While this path is indeed possible, the markets are overbought on a very short-term basis, suggesting further price appreciation will become more challenging.
Path B: Many investors were surprised by the recent market decline. As such, these “trapped longs” will likely use the current stock rally as an opportunity to reduce risk. Another retest of the 100-DMA seems probable before the next leg of the current bull rally ensues.
Path C: With earnings season mostly behind us and stock buybacks set to resume, a reversion to the 200-DMA seems the least probable. However, as is always the case, it is a risk that we should not ignore. A sharp uptick in inflation or stronger-than-expected economic data could spark concerns about a “higher for longer” Fed policy. Such an event would likely lead to a further repricing of risk assets.
I am less concerned about “Path C” for three reasons.
Little Evidence Of Market Stress
While a more profound decline is certainly possible, there is little evidence of market stress. For example, even during the latest correction, volatility remained very subdued. Yes, volatility increased during the decline but failed to reach the levels witnessed during the 10% correction last summer.
Secondly, a substantially deeper market decline would likely widen credit spreads between junk bonds and treasuries. That was not evident during the latest market decline, as spreads remain well below the long-term average. Watching credit spreads is the best indicator for investors to determine market risks.
Third, the window for stock buybacks reopens this week, and with Apple and Google announcing $110 and $70 billion programs, respectively, those two companies alone will account for roughly 18% of this year’s slated activity.
Combining current sentiment, buybacks, and liquidity hopes makes the stock rally over the last two weeks logical. Furthermore, given that early summer months tend to be bullish for markets during election years, it is likely too soon to be overly bearish.
However, we are also not completely oblivious to the numerous risks that lie ahead. Weaker economic data, the lag effect from higher rates, and sticker inflation pose portfolio risks worth monitoring. Furthermore, in the two months before the election, investors tend to de-risk their portfolios. This year, we could see a larger-than-normal event, given the risks associated with the current matchup.
While Powell’s “dovish” twist fueled the current stock rally, continue to manage risk accordingly. There is a reasonable chance this correction is not over just yet.
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Site: Zero HedgeKey Events This Week: Things Finally Quiet DownTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 10:55
After a whirlwind two weeks which saw both the latest FOMC decision and the April jobs report, not to mention the peak of earnings season when all of the top tech companies reported, the calendar takes a quieter turn after the deluge of macro events last week, and the focus shifts on whether markets can continue to find a more solid footing. The latter half of last week saw strong gains for most asset classes thanks to an FOMC meeting that avoided hawkish surprises coupled with a softer payrolls report on Friday that reignited hopes of a soft landing for the US economy. 10yr Treasury yields saw their largest weekly decline of the year so far (-15.5bps) while the S&P 500 posted its best 2-day run in 10 weeks (+2.18%).
Looking forward, the health of the US economic cycle will remain in focus with today’s Senior Loan Officer Survey from the Fed. The SLOOS has seen a gradual improvement in the past few quarters after the sharp tightening following the regional banking stress last March. A key question is whether the rise in yields since the start of the year could derail the nascent improvement in bank credit conditions. Later in the week, the University of Michigan consumer survey will attract attention on Friday given the recent softening in US consumer confidence indicators.
The main macro event in Europe will be the latest BoE decision on Thursday. Our UK economist expects this week’s meeting to set the stage for the first rate cut in June and foresees dovish shifts in the MPC’s modal CPI projections and its forward guidance. You can see the full preview here. We will also have the RBA decision on Tuesday (see our economists' preview here), while on Wednesday the Riksbank could deliver the first rate cut of the cycle there. Finally, we’ll have the accounts of April ECB meeting due on Friday. These are unlikely to deliver major surprises, with April's clear if conditional signal of a June rate cut having solidified in recent ECB commentary. But we will watch for any hints on the ECB reaction function beyond June, including on what sort of data might justify consecutive ECB cuts.
The earnings season will begin to taper off this week, with almost 400 of S&P 500 members having already reported. Notable releases will include Walt Disney, Vertex, Uber and Airbnb in the US, Ferrari, Telefonica and Leonardo in Europe and Toyota and Nintendo in Japan.
Day-by-day calendar of events
Monday May 6
- Data : China April Caixin services PMI, Italy April services PMI, Eurozone March PPI
- Central banks : Fed's SLOOS, Barkin and Williams speak, ECB's Villeroy, Nagel and Panetta speak
- Earnings : Vertex, Palantir, Williams Cos, Simon Property Group, Realty Income
Tuesday May 7
- Data : US March consumer credit, UK April construction PMI, new car registrations, China April foreign reserves, Germany March trade balance, factory orders, April construction PMI, France Q1 wages, private sector payrolls, March trade balance, current account balance, Eurozone March retail sales, Switzerland April unemployment rate
- Central banks : Fed's Kashakari speaks, ECB's De Cos speaks, RBA decision
- Earnings : Walt Disney, BP, Arista Networks, Duke Energy, McKesson, Occidental Petroleum, Kenvue, Nintendo, Ferrari, Electronic Arts, Rockwell Automation, Leonardo, Reddit, Lyft
- Auctions : US 3-yr Notes ($58bn)
Wednesday May 8
- Data : US March wholesale trade sales, Italy March retail sales, Germany March industrial production
- Central banks : Fed's Cook, Jefferson and Collins speak, ECB's Wunsch speaks , Riksbank decision
- Earnings : Toyota, Arm, Uber, Airbnb, Emerson Electric, Teva, Shopify, Vistra, Affirm, Siemens Energy, AB InBev
- Auctions : US 10-yr Notes ($42bn)
Thursday May 9
- Data : US initial jobless claims, UK RICS house price balance, China April trade balance, Japan March leading and coincident index, labor cash earnings
- Central banks : BoE decision, April DMP survey, Pill speaks, BoJ summary of opinions April MPM, ECB's Cipollone and Guindos speak, BoC's financial system review
- Earnings : Constellation Energy, Roblox, Telefonica, Enel, Warner Bros Discovery, Warner Music Group
- Auctions : US 30-yr Bonds ($25bn)
Friday May 10
- Data : US May University of Michigan survey, April monthly budget statement, UK Q1 GDP, March monthly GDP, trade balance, industrial production, index of services, construction output, China Q1 current account balance, Japan March trade balance, current account, household spending, April Economy Watchers survey, bank lending, Italy March industrial production, February industrial sales, Canada April jobs report, Norway, Denmark April CPI
- Central banks : Fed's Goolsbee, Barr and Bowman speak, ECB's account of the April meeting, Cipollone speaks, BoE's Pill speaks
- Earnings : Tokyo Electron
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Finally, looking at just the US, Goldman notes that the key economic data release this week are the University of Michigan report on Friday. There are several speaking engagements by Fed officials this week, including remarks from Vice Chair Jefferson, Vice Chair for Supervision Barr, Governors Cook and Bowman, and Presidents Barkin, Williams, Kashkari, Collins, and Goolsbee.
Monday, May 6
- 12:50 PM Richmond Fed President Barkin (FOMC voter) speaks: Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin will deliver a speech on the economic outlook in Columbia, South Carolina. Audience and media Q&A are expected. On April 10, Barkin said “of course it’s conceivable that we’re going to get to a soft landing, the numbers in a big picture have been great… We need to be humble about how easy it is to get there.”
- 01:00 PM New York Fed President Williams (FOMC voter) speaks: New York Fed President John Williams will participate in a fireside chat conversation at the Milken Institute Global Conference. A Q&A is expected. On April 18, Williams said “I definitely don’t feel urgency to cut interest rates.” He went on to say, “I think interest rates will need to be lower at some point but the timing of that will be based on the economy.”
- 02:00 PM Senior Loan Officer Opinion Survey 2023Q4
Tuesday, May 7
- There are no major economic data releases scheduled.
- 11:30 AM Minneapolis Fed President Kashkari (FOMC non-voter) speaks: Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari will participate in a fireside chat at the Milken Institute Global Conference. A Q&A is expected. On April 4, Kashkari said “in March I jotted down 2 rate cuts this year. But if inflation continues moving sideways, that would make me question whether we need to do those rate cuts at all.”
Wednesday, May 8
- 10:00 AM Wholesale inventories, March final (consensus -0.4%, last -0.4%)
- 11:00 AM Fed Vice Chair Jefferson speaks: Vice Chair Philip Jefferson will participate in a moderated discussion on careers in economics. On April 16, Jefferson said “my baseline outlook continues to be that inflation will decline further, with the policy rate held steady at its current level, and that the labor market will remain strong, with labor demand and supply continuing to rebalance.” He went on to say that “the outlook is still quite uncertain, and if incoming data suggests that inflation is more persistent than I currently expect it to be, it will be appropriate to hold in place the current restrictive stance of policy for longer.”
- 11:45 AM Boston Fed President Collins (FOMC non-voter) speaks: Boston Fed President Susan Collins will provide remarks to MIT students followed by a fireside discussion. Speech text and a Q&A are expected. On April 11, Collins said “I expect to see further evidence that inflation is durably, if unevenly, returning toward 2 percent, and that the economy is coming into better balance, with demand and supply more closely aligned amid a healthy labor market.”
- 01:30 PM Fed Governor Cook speaks: Fed Governor Lisa Cook will discuss the Fed’s latest semi-annual Financial Stability Report at an event hosted by Brookings. Remarks will be followed by a panel discussion. A Q&A is expected. On March 25, Cook said “the path of disinflation, as expected, has been bumpy and uneven, but a careful approach to further policy adjustments can ensure that inflation will return sustainably to 2% while striving to maintain the strong labor market.”
Thursday, May 9
- 08:30 AM Initial jobless claims, week ended May 4 (GS 215k, consensus 212k, last 208k): Continuing jobless claims, week ended April 27 (consensus 1,785k, last 1,774k)
Friday, May 10
- 09:00 AM Fed Governor Bowman speaks: Fed Governor Michelle Bowman will speak on financial stability risks at the Texas Bankers Association Annual Convention. Speech text and a moderated Q&A are expected. On May 3, Bowman said “with annualized 3-month core PCE inflation jumping to 4.4 percent in March, well above average inflation in the second half of last year, I expect inflation to remain elevated for some time,” but went on to say “my baseline outlook continues to be that inflation will decline further with the policy rate held steady, but I still see a number of upside inflation risks that affect my outlook.”
- 10:00 AM Dallas Fed President Logan (FOMC non-voter) speaks: Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan will speak in a moderated Q&A to the Louisiana Bankers Association Annual Conference in New Orleans. On April 5, Logan said “I’m increasingly concerned about upside risks to the inflation outlook. To be clear, the key risk is not that inflation might rise – though monetary policymakers must always remain on guard against that outcome – but rather that inflation will stall out and fail to follow the forecast path all the way back to 2 percent in the timely way.”
- 10:00 AM University of Michigan consumer sentiment, May preliminary (GS 76.2, consensus 76.8, last 77.2); University of Michigan 5-10-year inflation expectations, May preliminary (GS 3.1%, consensus 3.0%, last 3.0%): We expect the University of Michigan consumer sentiment index decreased to 76.2 in the preliminary May reading. We estimate the report's measure of long-term inflation expectations rose 0.1pp to 3.1%, reflecting higher gasoline prices and the higher-than-expected price data reported in 2024. The transition to web-based interviews could also exert upward pressure.
- 12:45 PM Chicago Fed President Goolsbee (FOMC non-voter) speaks: Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee will speak in a moderated Q&A at the Economic Club of Minnesota luncheon. On April 19, Goolsbee said “so far in 2024, that progress on inflation [we saw in 2023] has stalled. You never want to make too much of any one month’s data, especially inflation, which is a noisy series, but after three months of this, it can’t be dismissed."
- 01:30 PM Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Barr speaks: Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr will give a commencement speech for American University School of Public Affairs Graduation.
Source: DB, Goldman
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Site: Zero HedgeWhere Unsold EVs Go To Die: Belgium's Ports Drowning Under Glut Of Chinese ImportsTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 10:40
Ten years ago this week, we posted one of out most viral stories, highlighting the over-capacity in the auto industry: "Where the World's Unsold Cars Go To Die," which highlighted the 'endgame' of automakers' 'channel stuffing' efforts to disguise the sudden lack of demand for all the exciting new models that they had forecast would boom to the moon...
And now, as MishTalk's Mike Shedlock reports, we are seeing similar pictures across Europe...
"Some are parked here for a year, sometimes more."
Le Monde reports Belgium’s ports drowning under glut of Chinese electric cars: ‘Some are parked here for a year, sometimes more’
Due to China’s overcapacity in production – as it aims to capture a quarter of the European electric vehicle market – the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge are inundated.
You probably need to see it to appreciate the challenges the automobile industry faces in transitioning to electricity. You also need to come here to understand how the Chinese industry’s overcapacity has flooded the European market. That morning, as the sun unexpectedly lit up the maze of highways leading to this remote arm of the port of Antwerp, Belgium, a huge cargo ship from the Norwegian company Höegh Autoliners unloaded thousands of cars at one of the terminals of International Car Operators (ICO), a subsidiary of the Japanese group Nippon Yusen Kaisha.
Alongside Swedish-Norwegian Wallenius Wilhelmsen, it is one of the main operators of the now merged port of Antwerp-Bruges, the world’s largest automotive terminal, through which the production of some 40 brands used to transit. But that was before the emergence of their Chinese competitors.
Car Parks
Quartz reports Cars are piling up at European ports at an alarming rate
Imported vehicles are seriously piling up at European ports, turning them into “car parks.” Automakers are distributors are struggling with a slowdown in car sales as well as logistical bottlenecks that make it hard to alleviate the buildup of new, unsold vehicles.
Some Chinese brand EVs had been sitting in European ports for up to 18 months, while some ports had asked importers to provide proof of onward transport, according to industry executives. One car logistics expert said many of the unloaded vehicles were simply staying in the ports until they were sold to distributors or end users.
“It’s chaos,” said another person who had been briefed on the situation.
This is another part of the escalating trade war between China and the rest of the world.
China Produces 55 Percent of All Steel, Biden and Trump Eye Tariffs
Yesterday, I commented China Produces 55 Percent of All Steel, Biden and Trump Eye Tariffs
On April 22, I cautioned A Big Deflationary Push From China But Will Biden or Trump Allow That?
China keeps returning to a well that has run dry, using exports as a means for growth. China is about to hit a brick wall, with global consequences.
My #1 issue looking ahead to 2025 is a global trade war with serious repercussions.
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Site: Zero HedgeWhere Unsold EVs Go To Die: Belgium's Ports Drowning Under Glut Of Chinese ImportsTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 10:40
Ten years ago this week, we posted one of out most viral stories, highlighting the over-capacity in the auto industry: "Where the World's Unsold Cars Go To Die," which highlighted the 'endgame' of automakers' 'channel stuffing' efforts to disguise the sudden lack of demand for all the exciting new models that they had forecast would boom to the moon...
And now, as MishTalk's Mike Shedlock reports, we are seeing similar pictures across Europe...
"Some are parked here for a year, sometimes more."
Le Monde reports Belgium’s ports drowning under glut of Chinese electric cars: ‘Some are parked here for a year, sometimes more’
Due to China’s overcapacity in production – as it aims to capture a quarter of the European electric vehicle market – the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge are inundated.
You probably need to see it to appreciate the challenges the automobile industry faces in transitioning to electricity. You also need to come here to understand how the Chinese industry’s overcapacity has flooded the European market. That morning, as the sun unexpectedly lit up the maze of highways leading to this remote arm of the port of Antwerp, Belgium, a huge cargo ship from the Norwegian company Höegh Autoliners unloaded thousands of cars at one of the terminals of International Car Operators (ICO), a subsidiary of the Japanese group Nippon Yusen Kaisha.
Alongside Swedish-Norwegian Wallenius Wilhelmsen, it is one of the main operators of the now merged port of Antwerp-Bruges, the world’s largest automotive terminal, through which the production of some 40 brands used to transit. But that was before the emergence of their Chinese competitors.
Car Parks
Quartz reports Cars are piling up at European ports at an alarming rate
Imported vehicles are seriously piling up at European ports, turning them into “car parks.” Automakers are distributors are struggling with a slowdown in car sales as well as logistical bottlenecks that make it hard to alleviate the buildup of new, unsold vehicles.
Some Chinese brand EVs had been sitting in European ports for up to 18 months, while some ports had asked importers to provide proof of onward transport, according to industry executives. One car logistics expert said many of the unloaded vehicles were simply staying in the ports until they were sold to distributors or end users.
“It’s chaos,” said another person who had been briefed on the situation.
This is another part of the escalating trade war between China and the rest of the world.
China Produces 55 Percent of All Steel, Biden and Trump Eye Tariffs
Yesterday, I commented China Produces 55 Percent of All Steel, Biden and Trump Eye Tariffs
On April 22, I cautioned A Big Deflationary Push From China But Will Biden or Trump Allow That?
China keeps returning to a well that has run dry, using exports as a means for growth. China is about to hit a brick wall, with global consequences.
My #1 issue looking ahead to 2025 is a global trade war with serious repercussions.
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Site: LifeNews
The Biden administration’s persecution against pro-life Christians in America is getting worse.
Just days after LifeNews reported that federal prison officials put a pro-life woman in solitary confinement for 22 days for sharing food with fellow prisoners, a new report indicates that Biden officials are preventing a pro-life Christian from attending church.
Paulette Harlow is one of a dozen pro-life Americans the Biden administration has targeted with prosecution for protesting abortions while it ignores hundreds of pro-abortion crimes committed across America. Harlow, who is 73, could be sentenced to up to 11 years in prison for protesting abortion.
While Americans stage sit ins across the country to protest Israel or the use of oil, only pro-life Americans have a federal law targeting them for engaging in similar protests at abortion centers. Although the law has rarely been used to prosecute pro-life advocates, Joe Biden’s radical abortion agenda includes ramping up prosecutions and he’s already gotten several pro-life people convicted under the federal FACE law.
Harlow faces multiple medical issue, but now she’s potentially headed to prison for 11 years for participating in a rescue at an abortion center in Washington D.C. that kills babies in late-term abortions.
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Harlow after a bench trial of violating the law during the protest, which has seen multiple pro-life advocates be convicted. There is a possibility that Harlow, if she loses her case on appeal, may serve her prison term under house arrest because she has a significant medical condition.
Harlow is currently under house arrest and a new report indicates she “has been refused allowance to attend Mass at a Catholic church while under house arrest despite her express request to Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly while in court.”
Biden officials specifically requested that the juge deny her First Amendment religious freedom to attend church.
“After Harlow’s legal counsel requested the religious accommodation for his client, who is a devout practicing Catholic, DOJ lead prosecutor Sanjay Patel specifically motioned that the request be denied, a motion that Judge Kollar-Kotelly obligingly conceded,” the report adds. “In a move that appears to be vindictive and targeted, Patel, who wanted Harlow incarcerated immediately, settled for house arrest with restrictions placed on all movement outside the house with the minimal exception of visits to the doctor, expressly denying allowance to attend Mass.”
Patel had previously mocked Harlow’s health conditions in open court. Because of her poor health, which includes debilitating diabetes, Hashimoto’s disease, and severe back pain requiring the use of a wheelchair, Harlow was transported from Massachusetts to Washington, D.C., in a special-needs van equipped with a mattress for her to lie down. The elderly woman underwent a procedure to alleviate throat strictures from a hiatal hernia three days before her pre-trial hearing on October 20 and was prevented from standing trial in September because she was in the hospital. Her trial was interrupted periodically to allow her to rest or receive medical attention, and she was escorted around the courthouse in a wheelchair.
Patel mocked her medical accommodations as an attempt to “pull a stunt” in an effort to thwart the trial. His mockery shocked those present in court.
When other pro-life advocates were arrested, tried and convicted under the law after Biden’s DOJ pursued prison time for the pro-life protest, Harlow condemned the trials as political persecution and said she was “not surprised” by the verdicts.
Harlow criticized the Biden administration for selectively enforcing the FACE law, which is designed to protect not only abortion centers but pro-life pregnancy centers. She said Biden is targeting pro-life Americans while virtually ignoring almost 100 attacks on pregnancy centers.
“Because the trial was very, very biased,” she said. “And to try to label them [defendants] as violent, or any of the pro-life people as violent is very, very false, and it’s just meant to sway people away from what we’re trying to do. And what we’re trying to do is save lives.”
The FACE (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances) Act prohibits individuals from attempting to injure, intimidate, or interfere (by use of force, threat of force, or physical obstruction) with anyone obtaining or performing an abortion. The pro-life advocates who have been convicted say they were not engaging in any violence or attempting to injure or intimidate anyone, but merely engaging in their First Amendment rights to protest.
The pro-lifers on trial conducted a rescue at the Washington Surgi-Clinic operated by the notorious late-term abortionist Cesare Santangelo who was busted by a LiveAction undercover investigator for admitting that he would not help a child with life-saving efforts if he or she survived a late-term abortion. He emphatically stated that a nearby hospital’s efforts to save the life of a child he was trying to abort was “the stupidest thing they could have done.”
Lauren Handy and Herb Geraghty cited those videos as the reason for the rescue and protest at the abortion business because of the concern babies might be left to die. They chained themselves to the entrace of the abortion center in an attempt to stop abortions.
Last March, some of the rescuers currently on trial were given 115 aborted babies by the driver of a medical waste van outside Santangelo’s late-term abortion facility. The babies were well-developed – second and possibly third trimester. Their remains are still in a vault at the D.C. medical examiner’s office.
In October 2020, about two months after the remains were obtained, the nine pro-lifers blocked the entrance of the abortion facility and protesting abortion.
Responding t0 the verdicts, Thomas More Society, the pro-life legal group that defended Handy, called out the judge and Biden administration for their efforts “to chill pro-life speech and activism.”
“A federal court jury fraught with bias has delivered the Biden Department of Justice the conviction of several life advocates. The group of peaceful pro-life citizens were charged with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act along with a conspiracy against ‘rights’ that the United States Supreme Court has not found in the Constitution. The defendants were arrested in March 2022, a year and a half after their alleged actions outside of a Washington, DC abortion facility,” the legal group said.
“Handy and her Thomas More Society defense team will appeal this decision, handed down today in United States District Court for the District of Columbia,” it said.
Martin Cannon, TMS senior attorney, told LifeNews: “We are, of course, disappointed with the outcome. Ms. Handy has been condemned for her efforts to protect the lives of innocent preborn human beings. We are preparing an appeal and will continue to defend those who fight for life against a Biden Department of Justice that seems intent on prosecuting those who decry abortion and present it as it is—the intentional killing of children in utero.”
The post Biden Officials Block Pro-Life Advocate on House Arrest From Attending Church appeared first on LifeNews.com.
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Site: Zero HedgeShell Sold Millions In Carbon Credits That It Never EarnedTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 10:20
The carbon credit con band plays on...
The most recent chapter in the 'green' initiative has been supermajor Shell being found to have sold 'phantom' carbon credits that were twice the volume of emissions the company actually avoided, according to FT.
Shell has reportedly sold millions of carbon credits, tied to CO₂ removal, to Canada’s main oil sands companies, despite doubts arising over the validity of the claimed emissions reductions.
Keith Stewart with Greenpeace Canada commented: “Selling emissions credits for reductions that never happened . . . literally makes climate change worse.”
Under a subsidy initiative by Alberta's provincial government to support the industry, Shell was permitted to register and sell carbon credits double the amount of emissions purportedly avoided by its Quest carbon capture facility from 2015 to 2021. However, this subsidy was phased out by 2022.
Consequently, Shell managed to register 5.7 million credits which were then sold to leading oil sands producers including Chevron, Canadian Natural Resources, ConocoPhillips, Imperial Oil, and Suncor Energy.
Alberta's environment ministry stated that the crediting support scheme did not lead to "additional emissions" by industrial polluters.
Energy firms globally, including those in Canada, are advocating for increased government backing for carbon capture and storage initiatives. Alberta, known for its vast and carbon-intensive oil resources, has seen a surge in production, hindering Canada's efforts to meet emission reduction goals.
The Financial Times report noted that the Quest facility, operated by Shell Canada and co-owned by Canadian Natural Resources, Chevron, and Shell Canada, is integral to the Scotford processing and refining complex. At Quest, CO₂ is extracted during hydrogen gas production, crucial for converting bitumen from oil sands into synthetic crude oil.
Canada offers substantial incentives for CCS projects, yet the industry's profitability remains challenging. Quest's annual report revealed a total cost of $167.90 per tonne of carbon avoided in 2022, compared to Alberta's $50 carbon price for major industrial emitters.
Documents obtained by Greenpeace Canada, shared with the Financial Times, disclosed that Shell initially sought a three-for-one deal on carbon credits at Quest. Alberta introduced a two-for-one scheme in 2011, exclusively for plants operational by the end of 2015, such as Quest. The incentive decreased to three-quarters of a credit by 2022 and was eventually phased out with the rise in carbon prices.
“At the end of the day, the oil and gas sector and the oil sands firms in particular need to get going with respect to emissions reductions,” concluded Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s minister of energy and natural resources.
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Site: Zero HedgeShell Sold Millions In Carbon Credits That It Never EarnedTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 10:20
The carbon credit con band plays on...
The most recent chapter in the 'green' initiative has been supermajor Shell being found to have sold 'phantom' carbon credits that were twice the volume of emissions the company actually avoided, according to FT.
Shell has reportedly sold millions of carbon credits, tied to CO₂ removal, to Canada’s main oil sands companies, despite doubts arising over the validity of the claimed emissions reductions.
Keith Stewart with Greenpeace Canada commented: “Selling emissions credits for reductions that never happened . . . literally makes climate change worse.”
Under a subsidy initiative by Alberta's provincial government to support the industry, Shell was permitted to register and sell carbon credits double the amount of emissions purportedly avoided by its Quest carbon capture facility from 2015 to 2021. However, this subsidy was phased out by 2022.
Consequently, Shell managed to register 5.7 million credits which were then sold to leading oil sands producers including Chevron, Canadian Natural Resources, ConocoPhillips, Imperial Oil, and Suncor Energy.
Alberta's environment ministry stated that the crediting support scheme did not lead to "additional emissions" by industrial polluters.
Energy firms globally, including those in Canada, are advocating for increased government backing for carbon capture and storage initiatives. Alberta, known for its vast and carbon-intensive oil resources, has seen a surge in production, hindering Canada's efforts to meet emission reduction goals.
The Financial Times report noted that the Quest facility, operated by Shell Canada and co-owned by Canadian Natural Resources, Chevron, and Shell Canada, is integral to the Scotford processing and refining complex. At Quest, CO₂ is extracted during hydrogen gas production, crucial for converting bitumen from oil sands into synthetic crude oil.
Canada offers substantial incentives for CCS projects, yet the industry's profitability remains challenging. Quest's annual report revealed a total cost of $167.90 per tonne of carbon avoided in 2022, compared to Alberta's $50 carbon price for major industrial emitters.
Documents obtained by Greenpeace Canada, shared with the Financial Times, disclosed that Shell initially sought a three-for-one deal on carbon credits at Quest. Alberta introduced a two-for-one scheme in 2011, exclusively for plants operational by the end of 2015, such as Quest. The incentive decreased to three-quarters of a credit by 2022 and was eventually phased out with the rise in carbon prices.
“At the end of the day, the oil and gas sector and the oil sands firms in particular need to get going with respect to emissions reductions,” concluded Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada’s minister of energy and natural resources.
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Site: AsiaNews.itA group of university students had gathered to pray in the home of a Catholic family but were forced to stop by armed men. The man at the head of an Islamic extremist group said Christians should gather in church. The police have opened an investigation.
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Site: LifeNews
A group of conservative leaders is calling on the head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Kristen Clarke, to resign from her leadership position following an explosive report from The Daily Signal.
“The American people have lost trust in your ability to lead the Civil Rights Division,” reads a letter to Clarke, signed by Advancing American Freedom Executive Director Paul Teller, American Accountability Foundation President Tom Jones, Students for Life President Kristan Hawkins, and CatholicVote President Brian Burch. “We request that you resign immediately.”
The Daily Signal published a report on Tuesday highlighting evidence that Clarke had not disclosed a 2006 arrest and subsequent expungement during her 2021 nomination to the DOJ—and then explicitly denied ever having been arrested to Arkansas Republican Sen. Tom Cotton.
Clarke has not responded to requests for comment from The Daily Signal, though the DOJ acknowledged receipt of these requests. She did speak to CNN on Wednesday, however, confirming that she did not disclose the arrest and expungement and alleging that her ex-husband Reginald Avery domestically abused her. He denied this in a statement to The Daily Signal.
The letter to Clarke from conservative leaders, sent Friday to the DOJ official, repeatedly references The Daily Signal’s reporting and attaches a copy of the Tuesday report itself. The letter also points to Clarke’s enforcement of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act against pro-life activists.
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“The American people deserve a Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice led with honesty and integrity,” the letter says. “Since taking over the Civil Rights Division, you have weaponized the Department of Justice by wielding the FACE Act against pro-life Americans in an unprecedented manner—even while standing idly by as churches and pro-life pregnancy centers are vandalized, and Jewish students are unable to attend class on college campuses.”
Jones, one of the signers of the letter, began digging into Clarke’s background during her nomination process and spoke to Avery around the same time, as The Daily Signal previously reported. Avery told Jones at the time that Clarke attacked him with a knife, slicing his finger to the bone, during a domestic dispute in July 2006.
“The accusations against Kristen Clarke of lying to Congress and domestic violence are deeply troubling,” Jones told The Daily Signal on Friday. “Clearly she does not possess the character or integrity to be in any position of power. She must resign now.”
On Thursday evening, the New York Post Editorial Board similarly called on Clarke to step down in an editorial titled: “Kristen Clarke lied and must step down from the DOJ — NOW.”
“Clarke’s now arguing that because the arrest was expunged, she wasn’t required to disclose it to lawmakers,” the New York Post Editorial Board wrote. “That’s precisely the kind of razor-sharp logic that top Biden appointees are known for.”
“Then again,” the board continued. “Clarke’s the same dunderhead who muffed a major question about First Amendment litigation last year, claiming in a congressional hearing to be totally unaware of the lawsuit by the state of Missouri against the president over government efforts against ‘disinformation’ — a huge civil rights issue where Team Biden had lost and was appealing to the Supreme Court.”
The New York Post Editorial Board added: “Her defense now is beyond pathetic. She told an unambiguous lie to Congress. Was she thinking she’d never get caught, or that if she did, her political connections would protect her?”
CNN published Clarke’s allegations in a report headlined “DOJ civil rights leader says she was a victim of abuse in extraordinary statement.” That report is drawing accusations from conservative media that the outlet sought to curry favor with President Joe Biden’s DOJ through its framing.
“CNN propagandist Hannah Rabinowitz was asked by DOJ to spread this info op and she complied, hiding the explosive journalism which provoked it,” tweeted Federalist Editor-in-Chief Mollie Hemingway.
“Amazing,” noted The Washington Free Beacon’s Chuck Ross. “After @MaryMargOlohan reports that DOJ’s Kristen Clarke lied about being arrested, Clarke runs to CNN with a claim that she lied only because she was the victim of domestic abuse. And CNN spins it with the typical ‘conservatives pounce’ framing.”
Clarke did not respond to requests for comment for this story.
The Daily Signal previously reported that Clarke, who oversees investigations into violations of the FACE Act, has used FACE to charge dozens of pro-life individuals since the overturn of Roe v. Wade. This includes Mark Houck, a Catholic father of seven arrested at gunpoint by the FBI and charged with violating FACE in September 2022 (a jury found Houck was not guilty in January 2023, and the DOJ has not commented on this verdict publicly).
Enacted in 1994, the FACE Act prohibits threats of force, obstruction, and property damage intended to interfere with reproductive health care services. It applies not only to abortion clinics, but also to pro-life pregnancy centers and houses of worship.
Though Clarke is the helm of the DOJ’s FACE Act enforcements, she is a vocal abortion proponent who has denounced pro-life pregnancy centers, as The Washington Free Beacon’s Ross previously reported.
The DOJ has charged only five pro-abortion individuals with violating the FACE Act when they attacked pro-life pregnancy centers, even though hundreds of pregnancy centers and Catholic churches have been attacked since May 2022, when the Supreme Court’s draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization was leaked, indicating Roe v. Wade would soon be overturned.
DOJ’s Civil Rights Division has charged zero individuals with FACE for attacking Catholic churches, though it has charged other individuals with hate crimes with defacing a synagogue with neo-Nazi symbols and attempting to burn down a church that planned to host drag show events.
LifeNews Note: Mary Margaret Olohan writes for Daily Signal, where this article originally appeared.
The post Pro-Life Leaders Tell Kristen Clarke to Resign After She Lied to Congress appeared first on LifeNews.com.
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Site: Ron Paul Institute - Featured Articles
The ink was barely dry on President Biden’s signature transferring another $61 billion to the black hole called Ukraine, when the mainstream media broke the news that this was not the parting shot in a failed US policy. The elites have no intention of shutting down this gravy train, which transports wealth from the middle and working class to the wealthy and connected class.
Reuters wrote right after the aid bill was passed that, “Ukraine’s $61 billion lifeline is not enough.” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell went on the Sunday shows after the bill was passed to say that $61 billion is “not a whole lot of money for us…” Well, that’s easy for him to say – after all it’s always easier to spend someone else’s money!
Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, was far from grateful for the $170 billion we have shipped thus far to his country. In an interview with Foreign Policy magazine as the aid package was passed, Kuleba had the nerve to criticize the US for not producing weapons fast enough. “If you cannot produce enough interceptors to help Ukraine win the war against the country that wants to destroy the world order, then how are you going to win in the war against perhaps an enemy who is stronger than Russia?”
How’s that for a “thank you”?
It may be understandable why the Ukrainians are frustrated. Most of this money is not going to help them fight Russia. US military aid to Ukraine has left our own stockpiles of weapons depleted, so the money is going to create new production lines to replace weapons already sent to Ukraine. It’s all about the US weapons industry. President Biden admitted as much when he said, “we are helping Ukraine while at the same time investing in our own industrial base.”
This is why Washington Is desperate to make sure that if Donald Trump returns to the White House, the “Ukraine” gravy train cannot be shut down by his – or future – administrations. Last week news broke that the Ukrainian government was in negotiations with the Biden Administration to sign a ten-year security agreement that would lock in US funding for Ukraine for the next two and a half US Administrations. That would unconstitutionally tie future presidents’ hands when it comes to foreign policy and would leave Americans on the hook for untold billions more dollars taken from them and sent to the weapons industry and to a corrupt foreign government.
The US weapons industry and its cheerleaders in Washington DC are determined to keep Ukraine money flowing…until they can figure out a way to gin up a war with China after losing the current war with Russia. That, of course, depends on whether there is anything left of us when the smoke clears.
When President Biden signed the $95 billion bill to keep wars going in Ukraine and Gaza and to provoke a future war with China, he called it “a good day for world peace.” Yes, and “War is peace.” Debt is good. Freedom is slavery. We are living in a post-truth society where billions spent on pointless wars are “not a whole lot of money.” But the piper will be paid and the debt will be cleared.
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Site: Mises InstituteRemember when inflation was “transitory”? Or when Paul Krugman claimed inflation was “under control”? The numbers keep telling us a different story.
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Site: Mises InstituteMany economists argue that the economy is growing, and that inflation is a secondary problem. Not for the average American. Citizens are poorer in absolute and relative terms.
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Site: Zero HedgeRussia's Tactical Nuclear Weapons Exercises Are Meant To Deter A NATO Intervention In UkraineTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 10:00
Authored by Andrew Korybko via Substack,
Sputnik reported on Monday that the Russian General Staff is preparing to carry out drills for practicing the use of tactical nuclear weapons, which follows Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zakharova warning over the weekend that NATO’s “Steadfast Defender” drills are possible preparations for war with Russia. Italy’s La Repubblica also reported over the weekend that NATO might conventionally intervene in Ukraine if Russia crosses into there from Belarus or carries out “provocations” against fellow members.
These developments follow GUR deputy chief Skibitsky telling The Economist last week that the front lines might soon collapse, which aligns with the Ukrainian Intelligence Committee’s worst-case scenario that they shared in late February. It’s also worth mentioning that Macron just reaffirmed his threat from that time to intervene in Ukraine (most likely around Odessa) in that event, that Poland is no longer ruling out doing the same, and the Ukrainian premier just said that he might request NATO troops.
It's little wonder then that Russia interpreted these signals as preconditioning the Western public to accept that possibility, ergo why its General Staff is now preparing to carry out drills for practicing the use of tactical nuclear weapons. La Repubblica’s report claimed that a whopping 100,000 NATO troops could flood into Ukraine if the decision is made, with the only realistic way to stop them from going beyond the Dnieper and directly clashing with Russian troops is to use tactical nukes in self-defense.
Everything is moving so fast that nobody can say with confidence exactly what will or won’t happen, but a reminder of each side’s interests as their policymakers conceive them to be can help obtain a better idea of how likely certain scenarios might be.
Russia wants to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine while NATO wants to stop them, with neither being able to achieve their maximum goals in this respect. The game-changing variable, however, will be what each does if/when the front lines collapse.
Russia will at least move to secure the full administrative borders of its four recently reunified regions, but it might go beyond that and potentially also open up more fronts in the north (whether from Belarus and/or around Sumy-Kharkov) in order to achieve as much of its aforesaid goals as possible. Should that happen, then NATO might panic depending on how far and fast Russia advances, thus serving to justify whatever pretext they concoct for commencing a conventional intervention in Ukraine.
The NATO-Russian security dilemma, which frames the abovementioned sequence of events, would unprecedentedly worsen since Russia might then panic depending on how far and fast NATO advances. The bloc might just occupy everything west of the Dnieper, but it could also cross the river and place its forces in position to attack Russia’s. Any perceived move in that direction, let alone actual ones, could prompt Russia to preempt that with tactical nukes. If they’re dropped, then the whole world will change.
The most effective way to defuse this apocalyptic security dilemma is for a neutral third party like India or the Pope to mediate between each side and discover their intentions to pass along to the other. If Russia doesn’t plan to march on Kiev once again and NATO doesn’t plan to cross the Dnieper, then neither might panic and overreact by inadvertently crossing the other’s red lines. A semi-orderly Ukrainian military withdrawal over the Dnieper to demilitarize the east as a buffer zone could then occur.
That would be the best-case scenario for de-escalating these dangerous dynamics, though it of course can’t be taken for granted since nobody is presently mediating between them, and one or the other might lie to whoever does in order to deceive their opponents. Nevertheless, hopefully someone steps up to try before the front collapses and their noble efforts are sincerely welcomed by both sides, since the reluctance to do so could doom the world to destruction in the worst-case scenario.
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Site: Zero HedgeRussia's Tactical Nuclear Weapons Exercises Are Meant To Deter A NATO Intervention In UkraineTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 10:00
Authored by Andrew Korybko via Substack,
Sputnik reported on Monday that the Russian General Staff is preparing to carry out drills for practicing the use of tactical nuclear weapons, which follows Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zakharova warning over the weekend that NATO’s “Steadfast Defender” drills are possible preparations for war with Russia. Italy’s La Repubblica also reported over the weekend that NATO might conventionally intervene in Ukraine if Russia crosses into there from Belarus or carries out “provocations” against fellow members.
These developments follow GUR deputy chief Skibitsky telling The Economist last week that the front lines might soon collapse, which aligns with the Ukrainian Intelligence Committee’s worst-case scenario that they shared in late February. It’s also worth mentioning that Macron just reaffirmed his threat from that time to intervene in Ukraine (most likely around Odessa) in that event, that Poland is no longer ruling out doing the same, and the Ukrainian premier just said that he might request NATO troops.
It's little wonder then that Russia interpreted these signals as preconditioning the Western public to accept that possibility, ergo why its General Staff is now preparing to carry out drills for practicing the use of tactical nuclear weapons. La Repubblica’s report claimed that a whopping 100,000 NATO troops could flood into Ukraine if the decision is made, with the only realistic way to stop them from going beyond the Dnieper and directly clashing with Russian troops is to use tactical nukes in self-defense.
Everything is moving so fast that nobody can say with confidence exactly what will or won’t happen, but a reminder of each side’s interests as their policymakers conceive them to be can help obtain a better idea of how likely certain scenarios might be.
Russia wants to demilitarize and denazify Ukraine while NATO wants to stop them, with neither being able to achieve their maximum goals in this respect. The game-changing variable, however, will be what each does if/when the front lines collapse.
Russia will at least move to secure the full administrative borders of its four recently reunified regions, but it might go beyond that and potentially also open up more fronts in the north (whether from Belarus and/or around Sumy-Kharkov) in order to achieve as much of its aforesaid goals as possible. Should that happen, then NATO might panic depending on how far and fast Russia advances, thus serving to justify whatever pretext they concoct for commencing a conventional intervention in Ukraine.
The NATO-Russian security dilemma, which frames the abovementioned sequence of events, would unprecedentedly worsen since Russia might then panic depending on how far and fast NATO advances. The bloc might just occupy everything west of the Dnieper, but it could also cross the river and place its forces in position to attack Russia’s. Any perceived move in that direction, let alone actual ones, could prompt Russia to preempt that with tactical nukes. If they’re dropped, then the whole world will change.
The most effective way to defuse this apocalyptic security dilemma is for a neutral third party like India or the Pope to mediate between each side and discover their intentions to pass along to the other. If Russia doesn’t plan to march on Kiev once again and NATO doesn’t plan to cross the Dnieper, then neither might panic and overreact by inadvertently crossing the other’s red lines. A semi-orderly Ukrainian military withdrawal over the Dnieper to demilitarize the east as a buffer zone could then occur.
That would be the best-case scenario for de-escalating these dangerous dynamics, though it of course can’t be taken for granted since nobody is presently mediating between them, and one or the other might lie to whoever does in order to deceive their opponents. Nevertheless, hopefully someone steps up to try before the front collapses and their noble efforts are sincerely welcomed by both sides, since the reluctance to do so could doom the world to destruction in the worst-case scenario.
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Site: LifeNews
South Carolina Senator Tim Scott says he expects Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to select his vice presidential running mate in 60 days.
The pro-life lawmaker and former presidential candidate is often named as a possible s3election for Trump to become the next Vice President.
“We had no conversations about the VP pick, to be honest with you, to be clear. But we had a lot of conversations about the failures of Joe Biden and the success of Donald Trump,” the South Carolina Republican said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” yesterday.
Scott said he hopes Mr. Trump will pick someone “who helps the country unite and heal,” and he said he expects the decision to be made in the next 60 days.
“l certainly expect to have a decision from President Trump in the next 60 days or so, but he did not bring it up. I certainly didn’t bring it up,” he said.
“I’m excited that in this nation a poor kid from South Carolina can rise to the level of being a United States senator,” he said. “It just tells me that all things are possible for kids growing up in poverty today. Listen to this show and know that all things are possible for your future.”
Click here to sign up for pro-life news alerts from LifeNews.com
Trump has reminded pro-life voters at recent rallies that there are important consequences on abortion for not voting for him for president over Joe Biden.
Trump says pro-life Americans need to vote for him because Joe Biden will push abortions up to birth if he is elected for another four year term.
Biden has repeatedly said he would sign measures to put Roe v. Wade back in place, overturn every pro-life law nationwide and appoint radically pro-abortion judges to the Supreme Court to overturn the Dobbs decision. In addition he’s already push abortion funding, turning VA clinics into abortion clinics and fought in court to force pro-life states to kill babies in abortions.
On the other hand, Trump crafted the most pro-life record of any president since Roe v. Wade.
But, as Trump reminds voters, he can’t stop Biden’s abortion agenda if he’s not elected.
Trump said at one point during a recent speech that “getting elected is also important … a lot of bad things will happen beyond abortion if you don’t win.”
Trump also told supporters that abortion is a risky issue for Republican candidates, and “you have to get elected” in order to get anything done about protecting more babies from abortions.
The Biden administration has employed a whole-of-government approach to promoting abortion, using every lever of power at its disposal to make abortions more available and more common, with no thought of the innocent unborn children who will die or the mothers who could be harmed.
“This administration has done more to bring harm to mothers and their unborn babies through abortion than any other administration,” said Carol Tobias of National Right to Life.
The post Senator Tim Scott Says Donald Trump Will Announce His VP Running Mate in 60 days appeared first on LifeNews.com.
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Site: Zero HedgeTrump Found In Contempt Again, Judge Threatens "Jail Sanction" NextTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 09:39
Former President Donald Trump has been found in contempt of court for a second time by a New York judge overseeing his hush-money trial.
On Monday, judge Juan Merchan said that Trump had violated a gag order with additional social media posts about witnesses in the case, and will consider jail if there are additional violations.
Merchan:
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) May 6, 2024
"The last thing that I want to do is to put you in jail," calling it a last resort.
The judge notes that Trump is a former president and possibly a future one."It appears that the $1,000 fines are not serving as a deterrent," said Merchan. "Mr. Trump, I want you to understand the last thing I want to do is put you in jail."
"The magnitude of such a decision is not lost on me, but at the end of the day, I have a job to do."
Last week, Merchan fined Trump $9,000 and held the former president in criminal contempt of court for violating the gag order nine times.
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Site: Zero HedgeTrump Found In Contempt Again, Judge Threatens "Jail Sanction" NextTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 09:39
Former President Donald Trump has been found in contempt of court for a second time by a New York judge overseeing his hush-money trial.
On Monday, judge Juan Merchan said that Trump had violated a gag order with additional social media posts about witnesses in the case, and will consider jail if there are additional violations.
Merchan:
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) May 6, 2024
"The last thing that I want to do is to put you in jail," calling it a last resort.
The judge notes that Trump is a former president and possibly a future one."It appears that the $1,000 fines are not serving as a deterrent," said Merchan. "Mr. Trump, I want you to understand the last thing I want to do is put you in jail."
"The magnitude of such a decision is not lost on me, but at the end of the day, I have a job to do."
Last week, Merchan fined Trump $9,000 and held the former president in criminal contempt of court for violating the gag order nine times.
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Site: Zero HedgeColumbia Cancels 2024 Commencement Amid Security ConcernsTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 09:35
Columbia University announced Monday that it's canceling its two main 2024 commencement ceremonies on May 15, and will instead hold "smaller-scale, school-based celebrations," according to officials.
Columbia University students participate in an ongoing pro-Palestinian encampment on their campus on April 26, 2024 in New York City.
(Photo: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)The move comes after weeks of pro-Palestinian protesters had to be forcibly removed and suspended after they refused to leave their encampment which sprouted on campus April 17, when around 50 tents were pitched by students demanding a ceasefire in Gaza. The students also insist that the university divest from companies they say could be profiting from war. Dozens of faculty members came out in support.
NOW: Columbia University faculty link arms and form a wall in front of the entrance to the ‘Gaza Solidarity Encampment’ as hundreds of students encircle the both lawns
— katie smith (@probablyreadit) April 29, 2024
Students remaining in the encampment were told they could face disciplinary action after 2PM pic.twitter.com/C1XRgHzs8bAccording to NBC News, the decision was made over security concerns, after administrators at Ivy League school met with student leaders following a NYPD raid on Hamilton Hall, after student protesters broke in, barricaded themselves inside, and wrecked the place.
Taking over Hamilton Hall as done in 1968, Columbia students unfurl a banner that reads "Hind's Hall," in reference to Hind Rajab, a six-year-old girl killed by Israeli forces.
— Prem Thakker (@prem_thakker) April 30, 2024
Hundreds of students cheer as the banner is revealed, erupting into chants to "Free Palestine." pic.twitter.com/Oi8WgdZmqfDestruction inside Hamilton Hall at Columbia University, after police cleared out protesters.
— Rob (@_ROB_29) May 2, 2024
They were all released and all charges dropped so nobody will be held accountable and the destruction will continue pic.twitter.com/UM5tM5gtsF"Our students emphasized that these smaller-scale, school-based celebrations are most meaningful to them and their families," the university said Monday. "They are eager to cross the stage to applause and family pride and hear from their school’s invited guest speakers. As a result, we will focus our resources on those school ceremonies and on keeping them safe, respectful, and running smoothly."
Now, students will be "honored individually alongside their peers" in the smaller ceremonies, called "Class Days."
The "Class Days" and other school ceremonies which were originally scheduled at the South Lawn of Morningside campus have also been relocated to the Columbia Baker Athletics Complex.
"These past few weeks have been incredibly difficult for our community. Just as we are focused on making our graduation experience truly special, we continue to solicit student feedback and are looking at the possibility of a festive event on May 15 to take the place of the large, formal ceremony," said school officials.
"We are eager to all come together for our graduates and celebrate our fellow Columbians as they, and we, look ahead to the future."
Now, on May 15, graduation ceremonies will take place at different times and different locations for the the journalism school, college of physicians and surgeons, Barnard College, and the school of arts. Other school-based ceremonies will occur throughout next week as well.
The University Of Southern California was the first known major university to cancel a graduation ceremony over the nationwide demonstrations.
So all that hard work for this, kids... and on the heels of the pandemic. Normal life eludes once again.
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Site: Zero HedgeColumbia Cancels 2024 Commencement Amid Security ConcernsTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 09:35
Columbia University announced Monday that it's canceling its two main 2024 commencement ceremonies on May 15, and will instead hold "smaller-scale, school-based celebrations," according to officials.
Columbia University students participate in an ongoing pro-Palestinian encampment on their campus on April 26, 2024 in New York City.
(Photo: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)The move comes after weeks of pro-Palestinian protesters had to be forcibly removed and suspended after they refused to leave their encampment which sprouted on campus April 17, when around 50 tents were pitched by students demanding a ceasefire in Gaza. The students also insist that the university divest from companies they say could be profiting from war. Dozens of faculty members came out in support.
NOW: Columbia University faculty link arms and form a wall in front of the entrance to the ‘Gaza Solidarity Encampment’ as hundreds of students encircle the both lawns
— katie smith (@probablyreadit) April 29, 2024
Students remaining in the encampment were told they could face disciplinary action after 2PM pic.twitter.com/C1XRgHzs8bAccording to NBC News, the decision was made over security concerns, after administrators at Ivy League school met with student leaders following a NYPD raid on Hamilton Hall, after student protesters broke in, barricaded themselves inside, and wrecked the place.
Taking over Hamilton Hall as done in 1968, Columbia students unfurl a banner that reads "Hind's Hall," in reference to Hind Rajab, a six-year-old girl killed by Israeli forces.
— Prem Thakker (@prem_thakker) April 30, 2024
Hundreds of students cheer as the banner is revealed, erupting into chants to "Free Palestine." pic.twitter.com/Oi8WgdZmqfDestruction inside Hamilton Hall at Columbia University, after police cleared out protesters.
— Rob (@_ROB_29) May 2, 2024
They were all released and all charges dropped so nobody will be held accountable and the destruction will continue pic.twitter.com/UM5tM5gtsF"Our students emphasized that these smaller-scale, school-based celebrations are most meaningful to them and their families," the university said Monday. "They are eager to cross the stage to applause and family pride and hear from their school’s invited guest speakers. As a result, we will focus our resources on those school ceremonies and on keeping them safe, respectful, and running smoothly."
Now, students will be "honored individually alongside their peers" in the smaller ceremonies, called "Class Days."
The "Class Days" and other school ceremonies which were originally scheduled at the South Lawn of Morningside campus have also been relocated to the Columbia Baker Athletics Complex.
"These past few weeks have been incredibly difficult for our community. Just as we are focused on making our graduation experience truly special, we continue to solicit student feedback and are looking at the possibility of a festive event on May 15 to take the place of the large, formal ceremony," said school officials.
"We are eager to all come together for our graduates and celebrate our fellow Columbians as they, and we, look ahead to the future."
Now, on May 15, graduation ceremonies will take place at different times and different locations for the the journalism school, college of physicians and surgeons, Barnard College, and the school of arts. Other school-based ceremonies will occur throughout next week as well.
The University Of Southern California was the first known major university to cancel a graduation ceremony over the nationwide demonstrations.
So all that hard work for this, kids... and on the heels of the pandemic. Normal life eludes once again.
-
Site: Ron Paul Institute - Featured Articles
As we all know, as part of the U.S. government’s much-vaunted war-on-terrorism racket, some big technology firms have chosen to partner with the government in an effort to win the war on terrorism. In the process, they have aided the government, sometimes illegally, in the destruction of people’s privacy. The firms engage in such wrongdoing either because of some warped interpretation of “patriotism” or for money or both.
When I was a kid growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, the same thing was going on with respect to the Cold War racket. Back then, the big scary thing was communists rather than terrorists. The federal government’s Cold War propaganda convinced most everyone that the Reds were coming to get us, either from Russia, China, Cuba, North Korea, North Vietnam, East Germany, Eastern Europe, and even from here in the United States in Hollywood or the civil-rights movement.
And just like today, there were private companies that bought into the Cold War propaganda by partnering with the U.S. government to prevent a communist takeover of the United States.
One of favorite comic books when I was a kid was Superman. Every week, I would use my allowance money to purchase the newest Superman comic book at a newsstand in my hometown of Laredo, Texas. I felt like Lois Lane, Jimmy Olson, and Clark Kent were my best friends. I also loved watching the Superman television series that starred George Reeves.
I recently came across one of the televised Superman episodes named “Stamp Day for Superman.” You can watch it here. It’s a classic example of how the U.S. government was as successful in garnering the support from private entities for its Cold War racket as it is today in garnering support for its war-on-terrorism racket. It also provides a good example of how the federal government uses propaganda and indoctrination to infect the minds of the young.
The segment starts out with a stunning introduction: “The United States Treasury Department presents the Adventures of Superman.” Appearing on the screen is the logo of the Treasury Department.
The U.S. Treasury Department? Why in the world was the U.S. Treasury Department hosting a television episode of the Adventures of Superman? According to Wikipedia, the episode “was produced by Superman Inc. for the United States Department of the Treasury to promote the purchase of U.S. Savings Bonds.” (Links included in the Wikipedia entry.)
There are actually two themes within this particular episode. One theme revolves around a classic Superman type of situation. A pair of burglars breaks into a building and one of them later takes Lois Lane hostage. Superman saves the day by breaking through the thick wall in the building in which Lois is being held, saves Lois, and takes the burglar/kidnapper captive by bending and wrapping a steel rod around him.
The other theme revolves around inducing elementary school students to use their allowances and savings to purchase U.S. government stamps that can later be converted into U.S. savings bonds. I will guarantee that you will break out laughing when you see the group of over-excited kids listening to Superman deliver his pitch for buying the government’s stamps.
The episode was filmed in 1954, when the Cold War was in full swing. The notion, of course, was that everyone, including children, needed to do his part to prevent a communist takeover of the United States.
In fact, I myself fell victim to this Cold War nonsense. When I was in elementary school, I bought those stamps, just as many of my classmates did. I don’t recall what ever happened to them. I know I never converted them into bonds. So, the feds effectively got a free gift of a major portion of my allowance.
One day, my cousins from San Antonio introduced me to Marvel Comics. They immediately became my favorite comics. In fact, I pretty much gave up reading Superman and began using my money to purchase Spiderman and Fantastic Four comics. I can’t help but think that the big reason for my switch was that I subconsciously knew that the Marvel superheroes — and their creators Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Steve Ditko — would never cooperate with the federal government’s Cold War racket. In fact, whenever I read Marvel comics, I felt like I was engaging in something subversive. I felt like I was in a world that parents and schoolteachers simply could never understand.
Reprinted with permission from Future of Freedom Foundation.
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Site: AsiaNews.itNepal has decided to print on its 100 rupee banknotes a map of the country that includes disputed territories with India. The Indian Foreign Minister immediately expressed his disapproval. A working group had been set up in 2024 to resolve the border dispute, but the meetings were suspended from 2019.
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Site: Zero HedgeCryptos Dump After Robinhood Reveals SEC Wells Notice Related To Its Crypto ListingsTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 09:19
For all its positives, bitcoin is perhaps the only security that prices in the same news over, and over, and over again (especially when the news is bad).
We saw this last month when bitcoin tumbled repeatedly after every single fake attack in the fake "Iran-Israel war", as if it was pricing nuclear Armageddon over and over instead of actually reading between the lines of the staged theater between the two middle-eastern states. It eventually rebounded and recouped most losses but not before finding something else to be just as shocked over, even though this too is not news at all.
Moments ago, bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies dumped sharply when Bloomberg reported that Ken Griffen's favorite retail frontrunning exchange, Robinhood, has received a Wells Notice, i.e., it has been formally warned by regulators that it may face an enforcement action tied to its cryptocurrency dealings.
The so-called Wells notice - which gives a company time to rebut the agency’s allegations and doesn’t necessarily indicate an enforcement action will follow - from the SEC concerns Robinhood Crypto and its cryptocurrency listings, custody of cryptocurrencies and platform operations, the company said in a regulatory filing Monday.
The agency’s staff told Robinhood that it made a “preliminary determination” to recommend that the SEC file an enforcement action.
The result could be an injunction, a cease-and-desist order, disgorgement and other penalties or limits on activities, according to the filing. The company was previously subpoenaed and has cooperated with the investigation, Robinhood said.
Dan Gallagher, chief legal, compliance, and corporate affairs officer at Robinhood Markets wrote in a May 6 blog post:
“After years of good faith attempts to work with the SEC for regulatory clarity including our well-known attempt to ‘come in and register,’ we are disappointed that the agency has decided to issue a Wells Notice related to our U.S. crypto business.”
Gallagher added that Robinhood doesn’t see any of its listed assets as securities:
“We firmly believe that the assets listed on our platform are not securities and we look forward to engaging with the SEC to make clear just how weak any case against Robinhood Crypto would be on both the facts and the law.”
Of course, anyone with a room-temperature IQ would have been able to anticipate this turn, which comes about a year after the SEC served Coinbase with an identical Wells Notice, and which comes just days before the SEC has to rule - negatively, at least until the courts force it to reverse its decision - on whether to greenlight an Ethereum ETF, something which Liz Warren's pocket fascist enforcer, Gary Gensler, has sworn he will not allow simply because it goes against the interests of Warren's biggest backers. To be sure, eventually the courts will greenlight an ETH ETF, just as Larry Fink requires in order to complete his vision of tokenization as "the next generation for markets" but not before some token resistance from the anti-crypto Democrats in Congress.
And while we wait, bitcoin and ETH both dumped on the news - as of course they always do because the algos that trade them have a 10 millisecond attention span and can't be bothered to even google that what they are reacting to has been widely priced in countless times in the past.
It goes without saying that the rebound is just a formality at this point as the algos that sold just minutes ago on the Wells Notice "news" forget why they sold, and being a momentum ignition program higher, but the bigger question is whether the end of the anti-cyrpto Biden admin in early November will be the biggest pro-bitcoin catalyst in recent history, far bigger even than the halving.
-
Site: Zero HedgeCryptos Dump After Robinhood Reveals SEC Wells Notice Related To Its Crypto ListingsTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 09:19
For all its positives, bitcoin is perhaps the only security that prices in the same news over, and over, and over again (especially when the news is bad).
We saw this last month when bitcoin tumbled repeatedly after every single fake attack in the fake "Iran-Israel war", as if it was pricing nuclear Armageddon over and over instead of actually reading between the lines of the staged theater between the two middle-eastern states. It eventually rebounded and recouped most losses but not before finding something else to be just as shocked over, even though this too is not news at all.
Moments ago, bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies dumped sharply when Bloomberg reported that Ken Griffen's favorite retail frontrunning exchange, Robinhood, has received a Wells Notice, i.e., it has been formally warned by regulators that it may face an enforcement action tied to its cryptocurrency dealings.
The so-called Wells notice - which gives a company time to rebut the agency’s allegations and doesn’t necessarily indicate an enforcement action will follow - from the SEC concerns Robinhood Crypto and its cryptocurrency listings, custody of cryptocurrencies and platform operations, the company said in a regulatory filing Monday.
The agency’s staff told Robinhood that it made a “preliminary determination” to recommend that the SEC file an enforcement action.
The result could be an injunction, a cease-and-desist order, disgorgement and other penalties or limits on activities, according to the filing. The company was previously subpoenaed and has cooperated with the investigation, Robinhood said.
Dan Gallagher, chief legal, compliance, and corporate affairs officer at Robinhood Markets wrote in a May 6 blog post:
“After years of good faith attempts to work with the SEC for regulatory clarity including our well-known attempt to ‘come in and register,’ we are disappointed that the agency has decided to issue a Wells Notice related to our U.S. crypto business.”
Gallagher added that Robinhood doesn’t see any of its listed assets as securities:
“We firmly believe that the assets listed on our platform are not securities and we look forward to engaging with the SEC to make clear just how weak any case against Robinhood Crypto would be on both the facts and the law.”
Of course, anyone with a room-temperature IQ would have been able to anticipate this turn, which comes about a year after the SEC served Coinbase with an identical Wells Notice, and which comes just days before the SEC has to rule - negatively, at least until the courts force it to reverse its decision - on whether to greenlight an Ethereum ETF, something which Liz Warren's pocket fascist enforcer, Gary Gensler, has sworn he will not allow simply because it goes against the interests of Warren's biggest backers. To be sure, eventually the courts will greenlight an ETH ETF, just as Larry Fink requires in order to complete his vision of tokenization as "the next generation for markets" but not before some token resistance from the anti-crypto Democrats in Congress.
And while we wait, bitcoin and ETH both dumped on the news - as of course they always do because the algos that trade them have a 10 millisecond attention span and can't be bothered to even google that what they are reacting to has been widely priced in countless times in the past.
It goes without saying that the rebound is just a formality at this point as the algos that sold just minutes ago on the Wells Notice "news" forget why they sold, and being a momentum ignition program higher, but the bigger question is whether the end of the anti-cyrpto Biden admin in early November will be the biggest pro-bitcoin catalyst in recent history, far bigger even than the halving.
-
Site: Zero HedgeBerkshire's Growing Cash Pile Has A Hidden Message On StocksTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 09:05
Authored by Ven Ram, Bloomberg cross-asset strategist,
US stocks are seeing no evil and certainly hearing none, but Berkshire Hathaway’s ever-growing cash pile should hold a tacit warning for those who are overexuberant.
Berkshire’s war chest surged to a record $189 billion at the end of the first quarter, and Chair Warren Buffett told shareholders over the weekend that he expects the pile will rise to $200 billion soon:
“We’d love to spend it, but we won’t spend it unless we think we’re doing something that has very little risk and can make us a lot of money.”
Wall Street, of course, equates higher return with higher risk, but here is one of the best investors of all time decrying the very notion that one needs to do something egregiously risky to earn the additional dollar of return over and above what is available to passive investors who buy the entire market.
Stocks rallied on Friday after the markets interpreted the April non-farm payrolls data as providing just the right backdrop for the Federal Reserve to cut rates eventually. Considering that since of the end of 2022 alone, the S&P 500 has surged about 33% and the Nasdaq almost 50%, one would think that all the good news out there and more is already reflected in their price tag.
Over the long term, stocks can’t yield returns in excess of corporate earnings and economic growth, but investors have been in no mood to listen — and they may yet stay complacent in the short term. The S&P 500 now promises an earnings yield of less than 5%, well below the historical average. The Nasdaq 100 is, of course, trading even loftier, offering a prospective earnings yield of less than 4%.
At the moment, investors are paying a lot for stocks on the premise of promise. That is what Buffett may characterize as too much risk.
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Site: Zero HedgeBerkshire's Growing Cash Pile Has A Hidden Message On StocksTyler Durden Mon, 05/06/2024 - 09:05
Authored by Ven Ram, Bloomberg cross-asset strategist,
US stocks are seeing no evil and certainly hearing none, but Berkshire Hathaway’s ever-growing cash pile should hold a tacit warning for those who are overexuberant.
Berkshire’s war chest surged to a record $189 billion at the end of the first quarter, and Chair Warren Buffett told shareholders over the weekend that he expects the pile will rise to $200 billion soon:
“We’d love to spend it, but we won’t spend it unless we think we’re doing something that has very little risk and can make us a lot of money.”
Wall Street, of course, equates higher return with higher risk, but here is one of the best investors of all time decrying the very notion that one needs to do something egregiously risky to earn the additional dollar of return over and above what is available to passive investors who buy the entire market.
Stocks rallied on Friday after the markets interpreted the April non-farm payrolls data as providing just the right backdrop for the Federal Reserve to cut rates eventually. Considering that since of the end of 2022 alone, the S&P 500 has surged about 33% and the Nasdaq almost 50%, one would think that all the good news out there and more is already reflected in their price tag.
Over the long term, stocks can’t yield returns in excess of corporate earnings and economic growth, but investors have been in no mood to listen — and they may yet stay complacent in the short term. The S&P 500 now promises an earnings yield of less than 5%, well below the historical average. The Nasdaq 100 is, of course, trading even loftier, offering a prospective earnings yield of less than 4%.
At the moment, investors are paying a lot for stocks on the premise of promise. That is what Buffett may characterize as too much risk.
Russian strategic bomber, via Ministry of Defense (MoD)
John Barnett (L), Joshua Dean
Boeing whistleblowers (from left) quality engineer Sam Salehpour; Ed Pierson, executive director of the Foundation for Aviation Safety and a former Boeing engineer; Joe Jacobsen, aerospace engineer and technical adviser to the Foundation for Aviation Safety and a former FAA engineer; and Shawn Pruchnicki, PhD, professional practice assistant professor for integrated systems engineering at the Ohio State University, are sworn in before they testify at a Senate hearing to examine Boeing’s broken safety culture (AP)
Columbia University students participate in an ongoing pro-Palestinian encampment on their campus on April 26, 2024 in New York City.
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