Month: August 2024

Authored by David Bell via the Brownstone Institute,

Public health responses are most effective when they are grounded in reality. This is particularly important if the response is intended to address an ‘emergency,’ and involves the transfer of large amounts of public money. When we reallocate resources, there is a cost, as the funds are taken from some other program. If the response involves buying lots of products from a manufacturer, there will also be a gain for the company and its investors.

So, clearly, there are three obvious requirements here to ensure good practice:

1. Accurate information is required, in context.

2. Those gaining financially can have no role at all in decision-making.

3. The organization tasked with coordinating any response would have to act with transparency, publicly weighing costs and benefits.

The World Health Organization (WHO), tasked by countries to help coordinate international public health, has just proclaimed Mpox (monkeypox) an international emergency. They considered an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and nearby Central African countries to be a global threat, requiring an urgent global response. In declaring its emergency, WHO stated there were 537 deaths among 15,600 suspected cases this year. In its 19th August Emergency Meeting on Mpox, WHO clarified its figures:

…during the first six months of 2024, the 1854 confirmed cases of Mpox reported by States Parties in the WHO African Region account for 36% (1854/5199) of the cases observed worldwide.

The WHO reiterated that there had been 15,000 “clinically compatible” cases, and about 500 suspected deaths. The implications of these 500 unconfirmed deaths, equaling just 1.5% of the malaria deaths in DRC over the same period, are discussed in a previous article.

Journals such as the Lancet have dutifully towed the WHO’s ‘emergency’ line, though intriguingly noting that the mortality could be far lower if “adequate care” had been provided. Africa CDC agrees, with more than 17,000 cases (2,863 confirmed) and 517 (presumably suspected) deaths of Mpox have been reported across the continent.

Mpox is endemic to central and west Africa, being present in species of squirrels, rats, and other rodents. While it was identified in monkeys in a Danish lab in 1958 (hence the misnomer ‘monkeypox’), it has probably been around for thousands of years, causing intermittent infections in humans between whom it is spread by close physical contact.

Small outbreaks in Africa mostly went unnoticed by the rest of the world, mainly because they were (as now) small and confined. Mass Smallpox vaccination may also have suppressed numbers still further a few decades ago, as Smallpox is in the same Orthopoxvirus genus of viruses. So, we may be seeing an upward trend of this generally milder illness (fever, chills, and a vesicular rash) over recent decades since Smallpox vaccination ceased. The Smithsonian magazine put an informative summary together in 2022, after the first out-of-Africa outbreak which was spread by sexual contacts within a limited demographic group. 

So, here we are in 2024, on the tail of a massively profit-driving (and impoverishing) outbreak called Covid-19 that enabled the largest transfer of wealth from the many to the few in human history. The WHO’s announcement that 5,000 (or less) suspected Mpox cases is a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) allows it to fast-track vaccines through its Emergency Use Listing (EUL) program, bypassing the normal rigor required to approve such pharmaceuticals, and is suggesting Pharma start lining up.

At least one drugmaker is already discussing a supply of 10 million doses before year-end. The business case for this approach, from the corporate viewpoint, is well-proven. So are the harms in countries like DRC, as a mass vaccination program of this nature requires redirection of millions of dollars and thousands of health workers who would otherwise be addressing diseases of far larger burden.

The WHO is a large organization, and while some there have been on the hustings asking for money, others have been working hard to accurately inform the public (a core responsibility of the WHO, which retains some dedicated people). Like much of the WHO’s work in the past, this is thorough and commendable. Some of this information is summarized in the following graphics:

These charts provide data on confirmed cases, where someone with somewhat non-specific symptoms has been tested and shown to have evidence of Mpox virus in blood or secretions. Clearly, not everyone suspected can be tested, as Mpox is a very small issue for people facing civil wars, mass poverty, and vastly more dangerous diseases. 

However, the WHO has absorbed a lot of money for outbreak investigation, and so have partner organizations, so we can assume there is a fairly good effort going on to detect and confirm numbers (or where has this money gone?).

In the past 2.5 years, the WHO has confirmed 223 deaths in the whole world, with just six in July 2024 (the time when the WHO Director-General warned the world of a rapidly increasing threat). Note here that 223 deaths are just 0.2% of the 102,997 confirmed cases. In Africa, just 26 deaths have been confirmed in 2024 among 3,562 cases (0.7%), spread across 5 countries (and 12 countries with cases). They are influenza-like mortality rates, not Ebola-like. 

As severe cases are more likely to be tested than mild cases, the infection fatality rate may be far lower. We also don’t know (though someone does and should tell us) what the characteristics of those dying are. Most in Africa are reported to be children, so it is likely they are malnourished, otherwise immunocompromised (e.g. HIV), and have susceptibilities that could be addressed.

As is obvious from the third graphic below, nearly all the global deaths listed above were from the previous outbreak in 2022. This was a different clade (variant) and mostly occurred outside of Africa.

It is important to note a few things here. It is difficult to confirm all cases in areas with poor infrastructure and security. Mpox symptoms and signs are also frequently mild and overlap other diseases (e.g. chickenpox or even flu) so many cases may go unnoticed. Notification of results can also lag. However, the 19 confirmed DRC Mpox deaths amongst roughly 40,000 DRC malaria deaths so far this year is about 1 versus 2000. Whichever way you count it, it is not going to become much more significant. That is what the new international emergency looks like in actual data, or if you are the population of DRC at Mpox ground zero. It is likely you would not notice anything at all.

Why has the WHO declared an international emergency? Some claim it helps mobilize resources, which is a bit pathetic. Firstly, grownups should be able to discuss a situation that has persisted for two years in a rational manner and decide what might be needed, without banging a drum. Secondly, an outbreak that is killing a tiny fraction of malaria (or tuberculosis, or HIV) deaths, and far less than those currently dying in war, may not be an international emergency.

And what should be done? Diverting resources from DRC’s major priorities would undoubtedly kill far more than are currently dying from Mpox. It is quite probable that direct adverse events from vaccination alone will kill more than the 19 DRC Mpox victims confirmed this year. We likely undercount Mpox deaths, but we also undercount pharmaceutical deaths.

Perhaps a useful response would be to improve immune competence through nutrition, providing very broad benefits (but completely failing in terms of Pharma profit). Gavi’s half-billion dollars would provide vast and broad-based benefits if applied to sanitation. Perhaps limited, well-targeted vaccination may also help some communities, but there is no business case for such approaches.

What is clear, as noted above, is the following: 

1. The data on Mpox, and other competing priorities, must continue to be shown in context, along with costs and opportunity costs of the response.

2. Those who will gain financially from vaccinating millions of people must not be part of the decision-making process (whether or not such a huge resource transfer can possibly be supported for such a small disease burden).

3. The WHO should continue to act with transparency, as the public has an absolute right to know what they are paying for, and the harm (and perhaps benefit) they can expect from it.

The number of Mpox deaths will rise as more are infected, and perhaps as some suspected cases are confirmed. However, we are facing a small problem in an area with far larger ones. It is posing low local risk and minimal global risk. It is not a global emergency, by any sane, rational, public health-based definition.

The rest of the world can respond by sending vaccines and lots of foreigners who need looking after, diverting local health and security personnel and almost certainly killing more DRC residents overall. Or, we can recognize a local problem, support local responses when local populations ask, and concentrate, as the WHO once did, on addressing the underlying causes of endemic disease and inequality. They are the things that make the lives of people in DRC so difficult.

David Bell, Senior Scholar at Brownstone Institute, is a public health physician and biotech consultant in global health. He is a former medical officer and scientist at the World Health Organization (WHO), Programme Head for malaria and febrile diseases at the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) in Geneva, Switzerland, and Director of Global Health Technologies at Intellectual Ventures Global Good Fund in Bellevue, WA, USA.

The theme of a consumer downturn (mainly for low/mid-tier) remains strong.

On Thursday morning, Dollar General missed Wall Street’s profit and sales expectations and cut its full-year forecast, citing that core customers “feel financially constrained.” With this persisting trend, it’s unsurprising that home goods retailer Big Lots may be teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. 

Bloomberg reports that Ohio-based Big Lots, with about 1,400 stores nationwide, has mulled over whether a potential bankruptcy filing is the right move in the near term given the slide in sales, which resulted in a multi-year crash of shares trading in New York. 

The company is also seeking investors in a bid to avoid Chapter 11, according to one person familiar. The people asked not to be named sharing information about confidential matters. The plans aren’t final and Big Lots’ path may change. -BBG

***

Big Lots received a loan earlier this year to help it navigate its liquidity crunch. It has been seeking additional financing in recent weeks.

With liquidity drying up, Big Lots has experienced a sharp decline in sales over the last two years as elevated inflation and high interest rates depress demand for big-ticket discretionary purchases. 

Bloomberg noted, “The chain on Aug. 12 approved one-time retention bonuses for its top executives totaling over $5 million. Such payments often precede corporate restructurings, especially in Chapter 11, and serve to keep key management from jumping ship during the effort.” 

Shares have crashed nearly 99% since peaking above the $70 handle in mid-2021. Paging ‘Roar Kitty’ – it’s time for stock pump. Maybe he’s too busy Ryan Cohen’s lap dog. 

Troubled retailers hurt by a consumer slowdown are yet more evidence that the economy is trending in the wrong direction. Hence, the Fed will likely initiate an interest rate-cutting cycle on Sept. 18. 

Authored by Sheramy Tsai via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Aluminum foil, a kitchen staple used by millions for baking, grilling, and storing food, is now at the center of a growing debate. Concerns about aluminum safety have led experts to question whether this common household item may pose hidden health risks.

As studies reveal the potential for aluminum to leach into food during cooking—especially when acidic or salty ingredients are involved—scientists are examining whether cooking with aluminum foil contributes to the body’s overall aluminum burden. With aluminum present in many everyday products, understanding its cumulative impact on health is becoming increasingly important, say some.

Aluminum Foil: A Kitchen Essential

More than 93 percent of U.S. households use aluminum foil. Its durability and malleability make it a versatile tool, easily molded and shaped for various tasks.

Often referred to as tin foil, aluminum foil is a go-to choice for various cooking tasks. Whether roasting vegetables to a caramelized finish or grilling meats to a crisp, aluminum foil helps achieve the desired texture and finish. Foil “conducts heat evenly and keeps it consistent, making cleanup easier by keeping baking sheets clean,” Abbie Gellman, registered dietitian and chef, told The Epoch Times.

Aluminum foil is also used in packaging and catering, providing a reliable barrier against light, air, and harmful microbes that could lead to food spoilage. “For years, aluminum foil has been a reliable and trusted way of storing and cooking food,” a spokesperson from Reynolds Consumer Products, the maker of Reynolds Wrap, wrote in an email to The Epoch Times.

Latest Research on Cooking With Aluminum Foil

Studies show that aluminum foil is a major source of aluminum exposure and can contribute to aluminum buildup in our bodies, Christopher Exley, a chemist with more than 35 years of experience studying aluminum exposure, told The Epoch Times. “Leaching of aluminum into cooked food occurs wherever there is water, essentially juices from the food,” he added.

The amount of aluminum released depends on acidity, salt content, cooking temperature, and exposure time.

A 2020 study found that when acidic ingredients like lemon juice or salt are used, aluminum levels in fish and chicken can spike, reaching as high as 42 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg). Acidic or salty foods, particularly when cooked at high temperatures or for extended periods, are more likely to absorb aluminum. Regular consumption of such foods could push aluminum intake beyond the safe weekly limit set by authorities, according to the authors.

“The phenomenon of aluminum leaching from aluminum foil to the food occurs and should arouse attention and concern,” the authors wrote, recommending that aluminum foil be avoided for baking to minimize health risks.

A Food Science & Nutrition study showed that marinated foods like fish and duck could have aluminum levels spike to as much as 117 mg/kg. The researchers stated that their study “also confirmed that consumers are not enough informed about [the] hazardous side of aluminum foil usage.”

Baking in aluminum foil can also increase aluminum content in food. Research published in 2018 found that cakes baked in aluminum foil had significantly higher aluminum levels, which increased further with prolonged storage.

While these findings are concerning, not all studies paint a grim picture. A 2023 study funded by the European Aluminum Foil Association found that any increase in aluminum levels from a high-exposure diet was small and reversible. The additional aluminum was excreted or reduced to baseline levels within 10 days after ceasing exposure, assuming no other significant aluminum sources were consumed during that period. Still, experts recommend caution, particularly when using aluminum foil with acidic or salty foods, to minimize unnecessary aluminum intake.

In response to these concerns, the International Aluminum Institute told The Epoch Times in an email that most studies show only minimal amounts of aluminum from cookware and foil entering food, with the majority being eliminated by the body. “Very little of the aluminum that we ingest from foods and food contact materials is absorbed by the body,” according to the Institute.

Using aluminum pans, bowls, and foils with acidic or salty foods can increase aluminum concentrations in the food, but exact amounts are hard to pin down because it’s challenging to determine the exact source of aluminum in food, according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). This is due to the complexity of dietary studies, which may not be able to determine whether the aluminum comes from additives, natural presence, or leaching during cooking.

Aluminum Everywhere

Aluminum foil isn’t the only source of our exposure. Aluminum is one of the most abundant metals in the Earth’s crust, accounting for about 8 percent of its total mass. It permeates nearly every aspect of daily life, appearing not just in kitchens but also in food, water, cookware, personal care products, medications, vaccines, and even the air we breathe.

Many everyday foods, such as tea, leafy vegetables, and certain grains, contain trace amounts of aluminum. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the average American adult consumes between 7.1 and 8.2 milligrams of aluminum daily through food and water, which is between 50 and 60 milligrams a week.

A safe weekly intake of aluminum is 1 milligram per kilogram of body weight, according to current WHO and EFSA guidelines. For an average adult weighing 154 pounds, this translates to a maximum of 70 milligrams of aluminum per week to minimize any potential long-term health risks.

While aluminum is prevalent in our environment, it doesn’t have a necessary role in our bodies, unlike many other metals, including zinc, copper, and iron.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, states that the human body can usually handle small amounts of aluminum, primarily excreting it through the kidneys. While high levels of exposure can be harmful, particularly for those with kidney issues, typical dietary and environmental exposures are generally not considered a concern for most people.

However, many people are unaware of the extent of their daily aluminum exposure, Exley said. “Much as a bee forages for nectar apparently oblivious to its additional bounty of aluminum, we are also blind to the myriad ways that everyday life exposes us to aluminum,” he wrote in the journal, Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts.

Cumulative Exposure

The human body is generally efficient at preventing aluminum absorption through the gastrointestinal tract. However, accurately measuring aluminum absorption and excretion is a challenge, making it difficult to establish safe exposure levels. This adds to the uncertainty surrounding the effects of aluminum, Exley said.

Studies have shown that only about 0.1 to 0.4 percent of ingested aluminum is actually absorbed. But, according to Exley, the amount of ingested aluminum that enters the bloodstream may be up to 30 percent. Whatever amount is absorbed at any given time contributes to what researchers refer to as the “body burden” of aluminum, which can accumulate in tissues like the brain.

“Aluminum may persist for a very long time in various organs and tissues before it is excreted in the urine,” according to the EFSA. They also highlight that humans tend to retain aluminum longer than rodents.

“It’s not just aluminum foil we need to be concerned about—it’s the cumulative exposure to aluminum in our daily lives,” Exley said. “I’m not advocating complete avoidance, but I recommend using it judiciously.”

Potential Neurological Effects

One of the most discussed aspects of aluminum exposure is its potential impact on the brain. “Although we know for sure that aluminum accumulates in the brain, it is not fully understood how it reaches it,” according to a 2023 study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.

“It is widely accepted that Al [aluminum] is a recognized neurotoxin,” states another study in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences

Aluminum can cross the blood-brain barrier, potentially leading to neurotoxic effects. Studies have associated high levels of aluminum with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis.

In Alzheimer’s disease, aluminum has been found in the brains of patients at higher concentrations than in those without the disease. Some studies suggest that aluminum may contribute to the formation of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles—hallmarks of Alzheimer’s pathology.

The Alzheimer’s Association dismisses the idea that aluminum cookware or containers cause Alzheimer’s as a myth, stating, “Studies have failed to confirm any role for aluminum in causing Alzheimer’s. Almost all scientists today focus on other areas of research, and most experts believe aluminum does not pose any threat.”

Similarly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledges uncertainty, noting that while some studies link high aluminum exposure to Alzheimer’s, others do not. “We do not know for certain that aluminum causes Alzheimer’s disease,” they said.

Research has also linked occupational exposure to aluminum, such as in mining or welding, to an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, with aluminum potentially exacerbating the formation of toxic protein aggregates in the brain.

Other Health Impacts

A 2022 study published in Emergency Medicine International highlights other potential health risks associated with significant or prolonged exposure to aluminum. The findings suggest that while everyday contact with this metal is unlikely to cause serious harm, high levels of exposure can contribute to a range of health issues.

• Neurological damage: Aluminum exposure can lead to memory loss, tremors, diminished coordination, seizures, coma, and potentially death.
• Bone disorders: Accumulation of aluminum in bones can cause osteomalacia (softening of bones), osteoporosis, non-healing fractures, and other musculoskeletal issues.
• Kidney and liver damage: Aluminum poisoning can lead to kidney damage, changes in urea and creatinine levels, and liver conditions such as fatty liver and Type 2 diabetes.
• Respiratory issues: Prolonged exposure to aluminum dust can cause respiratory problems, including asthma, chronic bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and possibly lung cancer.
• Blood disorders: Aluminum exposure can alter red blood cells, leading to anemia characterized by abnormal cell shapes and sizes.
• Oxidative stress: Aluminum can increase oxidative stress in the body, leading to cellular damage, particularly in the brain, liver, and kidneys.
• Enzyme inhibition: Exposure to aluminum may disrupt enzyme activities, protein synthesis, and DNA repair, contributing to various health issues.

The study suggests that aluminum exposure may not directly cause these conditions, but it can be a contributing factor.

Reducing Aluminum Exposure

There are simple and practical steps you can take to minimize contact with aluminum in your daily life.

Alternatives to aluminum:

• Cooking food: Consider switching to glass or ceramic cookware instead of aluminum, and avoid using aluminum foil with acidic or salty foods.
• Storing food: Use glass containers to keep your food fresh and safe from aluminum.
• Baking: Opt for glass, ceramic, stainless steel, silicone, or unbleached parchment paper instead of aluminum pans.
• Grilling: Cook directly on the grill, use a grill basket, or try cedar grilling papers as a substitute for aluminum foil.

For those concerned about their aluminum levels, tests on blood, urine, or hair can provide some insight. However, it’s important to note that these tests mostly reflect recent exposure and may not fully capture long-term accumulation, as much of the body’s aluminum is stored in tissues and bones.

Although the body can naturally excrete aluminum, it’s important to minimize unnecessary exposure in vulnerable groups like children, older adults, and people with kidney issues.

As new findings emerge, the debate over aluminum foil’s safety remains unresolved. While it offers undeniable convenience, understanding and managing the potential risks is crucial for making informed choices in the kitchen.

In the United States, companies, unions, trade associations, and other organizations invest billions of dollars each year to lobby Congress and federal agencies.

In 2023, over 12,000 different lobbyists in the U.S. spent a a record $4.3 billion on lobbying activities, according to Open Secrets, a non-profit research group tracking money in U.S. politics. This was up from $4.1 billion in 2022—and the highest annual total so far.

Organizations either hire lobbying firms or employ in-house lobbyists to meet with government officials, seeking to influence government decision-making.

In the following chart, Visual Capitalist’s Kayla Zhu shows the total expenditures on lobbying activities by the top 10 industries that invested the most in lobbying the U.S. Congress and federal agencies in 2023, using data from Open Secrets.

Which Industries Spent the Most On Lobbying?

The Pharmaceuticals and Health Products industry was the biggest industry spender in the U.S. in 2023, investing a total of $382.6 million towards lobbying.

The two biggest spenders in the pharmaceuticals industry were the industry’s leading lobby group, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, and pharmacy benefit managers association Pharmaceutical Care Management Association.

In 2023, multiple bills were introduced that would mandate pharmacy benefit managers (PBM), the intermediaries who negotiate prescription drug prices with manufacturers on behalf of clients, to disclose their business practices, including the fees they earn from transactions.

These bills were introduced in response to investigations that PBMs play a significant role in driving up prescription drug costs.

Other big spenders in the industry include major pharmaceutical companies Pfizer, Amgen, and Roche Holdings, who all spent over $11 million on lobbying last year.

Big Tech Companies Were Major Lobbyists

In the second-ranked Electronics and Manufacturing and Equipment industry, big tech companies like Oracle, Microsoft, Apple, Samsung, IBM, and Intel were among the top spenders in the industry, ranging from $5.5 to $13 million in lobbying expenditures.

In 2023, Apple spent nearly $9.9 million to lobby against several key legislative proposals, including the proposed antitrust bill, American Innovation and Choice Online Act, which would prohibit big tech platforms like Amazon, Apple, and Google from giving preferential treatment to their own services in marketplaces they operate.

Apple argued that this bill could undermine user security and privacy by limiting its ability to control the app ecosystem.

Via SchiffGold,

In the same week that Biden said he would not seek reelection, Russian and Chinese bombers were escorted out of the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). Russia and China acting so boldly near American soil is an unprecedented move that signals the rising tensions of recent years. As Russia and China’s aggression has grown, and America’s global presence has, for better or for worse, dwindled militarily, The most obvious geographical connection between them has become an almost undiscussed point of tension. Secondhand wars in Ukraine and Israel have become central cultural themes and present many more active events to discuss. While the tensions in the north have massive repercussions, they produce very little news or new material. All one must do to put this tension into context is look at a globe from a perspective that looks down towards the North Pole. Russia, China, And America are concerningly close, especially considering their outsized influence and uneasy relationships.

Russia and China are eager to control the Arctic so they can transport goods without fear of American intervention. LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) and other natural resource transportation has been the biggest motivation for Russian Arctic shipping. Shipping itself is still relatively primitive in the Arctic, as Russia lacks developed satellite infrastructure. The cost-cutting potential of the northern routes can powerfully benefit Russia and China, as they would no longer have to take the long journey through South America. The current lack of ownership makes the Arctic appealing to any country that has even a small claim. The American government hopes that it stays neutral, and will act with force to ensure that. 

A recent DoD report took an uncompromising stance that America would be ready for whatever shenanigans other countries chose to pull. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Arctic & Global Resilience Iris Ferguson said “This strategy is very action-oriented, which distinguishes it from previous Arctic Strategies.” The Arctic’s days on the back burner are coming to a close, and the US does not want to be playing catch up. The DOD will adopt a “monitor-and-respond” technique to make sure that nothing of significance happens in the Arctic without some American knowledge. They will begin more seriously looking into our strategic needs in the north and finding effective ways to secure them before Russia or China can finish their unrelenting march for northern domination. This recent activation of interest in the Arctic has arisen from a recognition of both Russia and China’s boldness, as well as the fact that the Arctic has less ice than it used to, allowing more human activity. 

Russia has shown that no matter how involved it is with wars in other parts of the world, the Arctic will remain a priority. It demonstrated this by ramping up activity in the Arctic even as it invaded Ukraine. To avoid sanctions, Russia created a shadow fleet to export oil through the north. Their ships are able to avoid Western influence by going far above the UK and entering the Atlantic. The North provides the promise of freedom and an unrestricted gateway to the rest of the world, so it is not surprising that its recent imperialist efforts have resulted in more activity. Russia was recently booted from the council of 8 nations that border the Arctic. While necessary, this move could empower Russia to act even more boldly, knowing it is not bound to act with respect towards other nations in the north. 

China has shown its interest by creating a new role for itself as a “Near-Arctic State.” This title is meaningfully ambiguous, so China can step into whatever capabilities it thinks the West will let it. The term comes from the fact that China’s ecosystem is greatly affected by the ecosystem of the Arctic, but China’s involvement has little to do with the environment. PRC has been using the North as more of an economic and military investment. They have used the term “Polar Silk Road” to try to leverage more legitimacy for their own use of the Arctic. China has encouraged non-polar nations to take advantage of the Arctic as a way of gaining legitimacy for its own future use. It has a fleet of icebreakers that it has not been afraid to use in recent years. China has also created much infrastructure, hoping to increase its northern operations. The Arctic seems to mirror China’s operations in the South China Sea just a few years ago. If the West is not prepared, Russia and China will style themselves as the sole rulers of the North. 

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It appears Israel has given into US and international pressure, including from global health organizations, to allow for a phased ‘pause’ it its military campaign in Gaza, in order to allow health workers to begin efforts to vaccinate over 600,000 of the Gaza Strip’s children.

Israel’s IDF military said it will start with a three-day pause in fighting only in central Gaza “as part of the routine humanitarian pauses that will allow the population to reach the medical centers where the vaccinations will be administered.”

But then the pause will move to southern Gaza, and after that the north, according to published statements. Depending on its initial success it will move from zone to zone, but practical implementation in an intense war zone remains to be seen.

The UN and World Health Organization (WHO) have over 2,000 health workers ready to conduct a mass vaccination campaign, and the WHO has especially stepped up the pressure of late for this to happen.

The initiative is expected to go into full swing by Sunday:

An Israeli official confirmed to CNN that polio vaccinations will begin in Gaza on September 1. Each phase of the vaccination campaign is expected to take around seven hours, and during those hours, the vaccines will be able enter the area on “pause” and be distributed.

Presumably this will be aided by local Gazan health workers as well, given the huge numbers of children who will have to get vaccinated. 

Earlier this week, the Gaza Health Ministry  said that an 10-month-old infant in the central city of Deir al-Balah “who has not received any polio vaccine dose” tested positive for the virus. The baby has since reportedly been paralyzed by the type 2 polio virus, which can be fatal. The ministry has since indicated that “a number of children” have presented with symptoms consistent with polio.

But given that an active war is on, and many families have already been displaced, the UN and WHO fears that many Palestinians who need it won’t get the vaccine.

“If you listen to the Palestinians on the ground, … they’re saying they’re terrified of being displaced because time and time again – it’s been documented – Israel orders the Palestinians to go to a particular location. They declare it a safe zone, and then they bomb it,” an Al Jazeera correspondent explained.

“My guess is Palestinians will be scared to even go [to] vaccinate their children,” he added.

There are reports that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken appealed directly to the Netanyahu government to allow for the polio pause in fighting. However, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is already pushing an expanse in the IDF’s operations in Gaza.

Authored by Michael Snyder via The Most Important News,

Why are there suddenly so many stories about deadly diseases in the news?  We are just a little over two months away from November, and so this is a perfect time to deeply alarm the general public about a coming health crisis, right?  But this time around it isn’t just one major disease that is making news.  As you will see below, people are freaking out about 3 different very frightening diseases. 

Of course when people are afraid that they might die from some extremely deadly outbreak, they are far more likely to accept measures that they would usually not even consider during normal times.

In the Northeast, there is a tremendous amount of concern about the Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus right now.  People in Massachusetts have been instructed to “limit their time outdoors” due to a confirmed case in that state, and now confirmed cases have appeared in Vermont and New Hampshire…

Last week, it was reported that an 80-year-old man in Massachusetts tested positive for the rare virus, sparking public health concerns.

Officials then discovered the disease in mosquitoes across the state and warned residents to limit their time outdoors.

The virus then started appearing in neighboring states, with cases popping up in Vermont and New Hampshire, where the unidentified victim was pronounced dead.

It is being reported that this virus “has also been found in horses in eight New York counties”.

So this virus is already in at least four different states, and that is not good news at all, because it has a very high death rate in humans…

Approximately 30 percent of those infected with the virus die, and those who survive, are often left with neurologic problems. There are no vaccines or medicines to treat or prevent the disease.

Usually, cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis are quite rare.

But if hundreds of people start dying after catching this virus in the months ahead, we are going to see extreme panic.

Due to fears of Eastern Equine Encephalitis and an outbreak of West Nile virus, New York City is preparing “to spray pesticides to help prevent the spread of mosquitoes”…

New York City is planning to spray pesticides to help prevent the spread of mosquitoes, and potential diseases.

The announcement comes days after Dr Anthony Fauci, former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director and the government’s top infectious disease official during the pandemic, was hospitalized with West Nile virus.

Dr Fauci, 83, spent around a week in the hospital after developing fever, chills, and severe fatigue. He believes he contracted West Nile in the backyard of his Washington DC home, and is expected to make a full recovery, CBS News’ chief medical correspondent Dr. Jonathan LaPook tweeted on Saturday.

So now the entire Big Apple is going to be doused with dangerous chemicals in a desperate attempt to kill the mosquitoes that are carrying these diseases.

If you live in New York City, now may be a good time to take a vacation.

Meanwhile, scientists are warning that the new Monkeypox strain is mutating faster than they anticipated…

Scientists studying the new mpox strain that has spread out of Democratic Republic of Congo say the virus is changing faster than expected, and often in areas where experts lack the funding and equipment to properly track it.

That means there are numerous unknowns about the virus itself, its severity and how it is transmitting, complicating the response, half a dozen scientists in Africa, Europe and the United States told Reuters.

So far they have had no luck fighting the outbreak that is absolutely ravaging the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Sadly, the number of cases and the total death toll both continue to rise…

Congo has had more than 18,000 suspected mpox cases and 615 deaths this year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which declared an mpox health emergency this month after a new variant called clade Ib emerged.

There have now been confirmed cases in several neighboring countries, and travelers have brought it to Europe and Asia.

In 2022, a strain of Monkeypox that was being spread by sexual contact rapidly spread all over the globe.

Apparently this new strain often spreads without any sexual contact at all, and we are being told that children are being infected in very large numbers…

Children in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo are worst-affected by the current outbreak of mpox, which has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization. The country accounts for nearly all of this year’s recorded cases and more than 450 deaths.

“It began like a small, inflamed spot. The mother squeezed it and watery discharge came out. Then another developed, and after a short period, they were all over the body,” says Alain Matabaro, describing how mpox developed in his six-year-old son Amani.

At this point, the experts do not fully understand why so many children are being infected.

One theory that is being proposed is that it is because children have “less developed immune systems”…

Some 75% of the cases being seen by medics there are under the age of 10, according to Dr Pierre-Olivier Ngadjole who works for the charity Medair.

Young people seem to be particularly badly affected by the mpox outbreak because of their less developed immune systems.

If this new strain of monkeypox starts infecting children all over the western world, there will be widespread panic and we will likely see very harsh lockdowns.

Speaking of that, it is being reported that a school in Alabama and a school in Tennessee were just temporarily shut down because too many kids were catching COVID…

Schools in two states experiencing a rise in Covid cases announced they were closing facilities and switching to remote learning.

Alabama and Tennessee announced the closure of two schools — affecting more than a thousand children — just days into the new academic year, with officials saying the virus had forced them to shut and carry out a ‘deep clean.’

At one of the schools, children had to abandon their desks and revert to remote learning for two days — a move reminiscent of the early days of Covid.

Why is this happening?

I thought that we agreed that we weren’t going to do this anymore.

Right now there are lots of news stories about how COVID is making a major comeback, but most Americans are not buying it.

By now, just about everyone understands that it has an extremely low death rate.

However, it is just a matter of time before a horrifying worldwide pandemic that has a very high death rate comes along.

When that day arrives, the panic that we have seen during the past several years will pale in comparison to what we will witness.

Michael’s new book entitled “Chaos” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.

Authored by Chase Smith via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has been granted a new trial in her defamation case against The New York Times and its former opinion editor James Bennet, according to an Aug. 28 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

This ruling is the latest development in Palin’s years-long legal battle, which centers on a 2017 editorial published by The NY Times that linked her political action committee to a 2011 shooting that seriously injured then-Rep. Gabby Giffords (D-Ariz.).

The appellate court’s decision to vacate the previous jury verdict and order a new trial was based on several alleged significant errors during the original trial, including the exclusion of critical evidence, improper jury instructions, and a mid-deliberation ruling by the district court that allegedly undermined the jury’s role.

NY Times Managing Director for External Communications Charlie Stadtlander told The Epoch Times in an email that the court’s decision is “disappointing.”

“We’re confident we will prevail in a retrial,” he said.

Palin said in a post on social media platform X that the decision was “great news.”

The legal dispute began after The NY Times published an editorial titled “America’s Lethal Politics” on June 14, 2017, in the aftermath of a shooting at a congressional baseball practice that injured four people, including Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.).

The editorial alleged a “clear” and “direct” link between the 2011 Giffords shooting in Tucson, Arizona, and a map circulated by Palin’s political action committee.

The map in question depicted crosshairs over 20 congressional districts, including Giffords’s, in what the editorial implied was a form of political incitement.

Palin filed a defamation lawsuit against The NY Times shortly after the editorial’s publication, arguing that it falsely suggested she was directly responsible for the Tucson shooting.

The district court initially dismissed her claim in 2017, but the Second Circuit reinstated it in 2019, leading to a jury trial in 2022.

During the trial, despite that the jury eventually returned a verdict of “not liable” for The NY Times, the district judge had already made a ruling under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 50, effectively dismissing the case before the jury concluded its deliberations.

The ruling, combined with other alleged trial errors, led the Second Circuit to call for a new trial.

According to the opinion, the appellate court identified several critical issues that compromised the integrity of the original trial.

The exclusion of evidence that could have demonstrated Bennet’s potential bias or prior knowledge of inaccuracies in the editorial was deemed improper.

The court also highlighted an alleged inaccurate jury instruction regarding the actual malice standard that Palin was required to prove. The court also expressed concern that jurors had learned of the judge’s Rule 50 decision during their deliberations, which could have influenced their verdict.

At the time, Palin told The Epoch Times that she thought the judge’s decision was “very strange,” describing the move as “taking the verdict from the jury.” Her legal team also filed at the time for a new trial and requested that the judge in the first trial be disqualified.

In its ruling, the Second Circuit emphasized the importance of preserving the jury’s role in the judicial process.

“The jury is sacrosanct in our legal system, and we have a duty to protect its constitutional role, both by ensuring that the jury’s role is not usurped by judges and by making certain that juries are provided with relevant proffered evidence and properly instructed on the law,” the court stated.

The case is expected to return to the Southern District of New York for a retrial.

Via The Libertarian Institute

The White House is upping its support for the Kenyan operations in Haiti by sending an additional two dozen armored vehicles. The US is backing Nairobi’s armed force in Port-au-Prince. 

On Friday, US Southern Command issued a statement on boosting military aid for the Kenyan forces in Haiti. “As part of the US government’s ongoing support to Haitian-led security efforts in the country, 24 additional MRAPS will be delivered and transferred to Kenyan personnel deployed to Haiti as part of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission.”

It continues, “The MSS will add the vehicles to its existing fleet of 10 US-provided MRAPS.”

Earlier this year, Nairobi sent hundreds of armed troops to the Caribbean nation on what it dubs a “policing” operation. The US orchestrated the deployment of Kenyan soldiers to Haiti. 

Washington believed the troops could aid Haitian police in restoring power in Port-au-Prince to a government set up by the White House. Following the assassination of President Jovenal Moise in 2021, Haiti dissented into chaos under US-backed governments. 

The White House got authorization to finance, train, and arm a Kenyan-led military force to take control of Haiti from paramilitary groups and gangs. Responsible Statecraft previously detailed when the troops touched down in May:

Washington pledged its financial and logistical support for the mission in a defense agreement with Kenya signed in September 2023. It was then that Kenya committed to deploying 1,000 troops to Port-au-Prince. The mission is also expected to include about 1,500 soldiers and police officers from other countries, bringing the total size of the prospective intervention force to 2,500.

However, the troops are said to be in a policing role and are not operating as UN Peacekeepers. Peacekeepers have a dark legacy in Haiti including causing a cholera outbreak and rampant sexual abuse. 

Recent footage from this summer showing the chaotic streets of Port-au-Prince…

another camera angle of yesterday dramatic skirmish during interim Haitian prime minister visit to an abandoned hospital in Port-au-Prince pic.twitter.com/qkDDPqb6Mb

— alex (@africaken1) July 31, 2024

Prime Minister Garry Conille said Wednesday the Kenyan forces will begin operations in one of Port au Prince’s roughest neighborhoods. “It’s not going to be quick,” he added, “we must be patient.”

Authored by Michael Snyder via The Economic Collapse blog,

When we were young, most of us believed that we would achieve “the American Dream” someday. 

Today, two-thirds of us believe that the American Dream is unattainable.  That is a searing indictment of a system that is coming apart at the seams right in front of our eyes.  As a child, it seemed like just about everyone was part of the middle class.  In those days, people just took for granted that you could have a nice home, a beautiful family, a couple of vehicles and a comfortable retirement.  But now that kind of middle class lifestyle is out of reach for most of the country.  In fact, a brand new Wall Street Journal/NORC poll discovered that only about one-third of the population thinks that the American Dream “is still alive”…

Only about a third of U.S. adults believe the American dream is still alive, a Wall Street Journal/NORC poll published Wednesday found.

A survey of 2,501 people conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute twelve years ago found more than half of respondents believed the American dream “still holds true,” but now only a third feel that way, according to a recent WSJ/NORC poll of 1,502 adults. The study also found an increasingly large gap between people’s economic goals and what they think is actually attainable — a trend that was consistent across gender and party lines, but was especially common amongst younger generations.

Those numbers are yet more evidence that the middle class is dying.

Once upon a time, we had the largest and most prosperous middle class in the entire history of the planet.

But now most of the country is deeply struggling.

So please don’t try to convince me that the U.S. economy is in good shape.

Our standard of living has been steadily going downhill for a long time, and things have been getting worse for almost everyone.

The same Wall Street Journal/NORC poll also found that only 10 percent of Americans believe that becoming a homeowner is “easy or somewhat easy”…

The decline in faith in the American Dream coincides with a decline in the share of Americans who believe homeownership and financial security are attainable, the poll shows. Only 10% of respondents to the WSJ poll believed becoming a homeowner is “easy or somewhat easy,” despite 89% of respondents viewing homeownership as “essential or important to their vision of the future.”

The same was true of financial security, with only 9% of respondents claiming achieving financial security is “easy or somewhat easy,” despite 96% believing financial security is “essential or important,” according to the WSJ.

These days, you can’t get about 90 percent of Americans to agree on just about anything.

But when it comes to this, there is an overwhelming consensus.

Everyone can see that housing has become incredibly unaffordable.

In fact, we just learned that home prices just set another brand new all-time record high…

Even as mortgage interest rates were rising, home prices reached the highest level ever on the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index.

On a three-month running average ended in June, prices nationally were 5.4% higher than they were in June 2023, according to data released Tuesday.

Overall, U.S. home prices are up more than 1,000 percent since 1974.

Those that bought homes in the 1970s are in great shape today.

But I feel so sorry for those that are currently trying to buy homes.

A big part of the problem is that much of our housing inventory has become financialized.

Millions of homes are being purchased as investments, and this even includes large numbers of low-priced homes…

Real estate investors bought 26.1% of low-priced U.S. homes that sold in the fourth quarter. That’s the highest share on record and is up from 24% a year earlier.

Today, we have an absolutely massive housing crisis in this country.

This is one of the reasons why millions of people are now living in their vehicles.

Our middle class is being systematically eradicated and we are just standing aside and letting it happen.

Today, vast numbers of Americans are living as paupers in the nation that their forefathers conquered.

Throughout our history, most young people could safely assume that they would do better than their parents did.

But that started to change several decades ago.  According to a couple of very well known economists, “only around half of children in 1980 ended up wealthier than their parents”…

For many young people, the issue stems from feeling that they are worse off and face a tougher economic future than their parents dealt with at their age.

According to MIT economics professor Nathaniel Hendren and Harvard University economist Raj Chetty, only around half of children in 1980 ended up wealthier than their parents.

In 1940, this figure stood at around 90 percent – with the gradual decline only increasing since the 1980s.

Needless to say, those that are being born now are facing a future that is very dismal.

But this is what we voted for as a society.

We just kept sending the big spenders back to Washington.  As a result, it now takes a boatload of money for the average family to live the American Dream…

The GoBankingRates analysis determined the American Dream now costs more than $150,000 a year for a family of four, but that figure differs widely depending on where you live.

If you live in Hawaii, it takes an annual income of $260,734 for a family of four to live the American Dream.

If you live in Mississippi, it takes an annual income of $109,516 for a family of four to live the American Dream.

Of course making over $100,000 a year is out of reach for most of the country at this point.

Now we have reached a stage where many people have simply given up, and the economic outlook for the future is not good at all.

Previous generations handed us the keys to the greatest economic machine that the world had ever seen, but we allowed our leaders to wreck it.

We have debased our currency, we are drowning in debt, and a big chunk of the population is no longer capable of supporting themselves.

We thought that we could defy the laws of economics, but we were wrong.

So now we are headed into a period of severe economic pain, and that will certainly not be pleasant.

*  *  *

Michael’s new book entitled “Chaos” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.