Trump Administration Puts Immediate Pause On FDA, CDC, & HHS Reports And Posts

Authored by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

The Trump administration has placed a freeze on many federal health agency communications with the public until at least the end of the month.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters in Atlanta on April 23, 2020. (Tami Chappell/AFP via Getty Images

In a Jan. 21 memo, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Acting Secretary Dorothy Fink told agency staff officials that an “immediate pause” had been ordered on announcements, press releases, social media posts, regulations, and guidance until those communications were approved by an appointee.

Agencies that are affected include HHS-supervised agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and many others. The pause is in effect through Feb. 1, according to the memo.

The pause announced by Fink includes anything that may be published in the Federal Register, as well as in the CDC’s publication, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, which offers studies and alerts on a range of health-related subject matter. Nothing has been published in the CDC publication since Jan. 16, or four days before President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Fink said in the memo that some exceptions would be made for communications that affect “critical health, safety, environmental, financial or nation security functions.” However, such statements would have to be reviewed beforehand, she said.

On Jan. 21, the FDA posted notices about warning letters sent to companies. The CDC posted several statements, announcements, and research papers on its website on Jan. 21 and Jan. 22.

Fink, an endocrinologist and career civil servant who had led the HHS Office on Women’s Health, was selected by Trump as his interim HHS secretary on the afternoon of Jan. 20, according to a notice published by the White House. She will remain in that position until Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the president’s choice to lead the agency, is confirmed by the Senate.

Hearings for Kennedy, formerly an independent presidential candidate before dropping out and endorsing Trump last year, will start in the Senate as soon as the paperwork is sent to the upper chamber, a senator from Louisiana confirmed to local media outlets.

“I’m told the paperwork might come today, at which point we can schedule the hearings,” Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) told the Shreveport Times on Jan. 21.

Long a critic of certain vaccines, Kennedy has endorsed a Trump-related slogan, “Make America Healthy Again,” while Trump said at a pre-election rally in New York City that he would have Kennedy “go wild” on U.S. health agencies. During a conference last year, Kennedy said he wanted to fire 600 people working at the NIH, which oversees vaccine research, and replace them with 600 new hires.

“We need to act fast, and we want to have those people in place on Jan. 20, so that on Jan. 21, 600 people are going to walk into offices at NIH and 600 people are going to leave,” Kennedy said.

To lead the CDC, Trump has chosen former Florida Republican Rep. Dave Weldon, a medical doctor. Trump also selected Johns Hopkins surgeon Marty Makary to lead the FDA.

The Epoch Times contacted the FDA, CDC, and HHS for additional comment on Jan. 22.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Tyler Durden Sun, 01/26/2025 - 09:55

Massachusetts Governor Says She Won't Obstruct ICE Efforts To Deport Criminals, But Cops Won't Help

Authored by Bill Pan via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said she supports the arrest of illegal immigrant criminals in her state, but reaffirmed an earlier promise that state police will not help in mass deportation efforts.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey speaks at the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago on Aug. 22, 2024. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The Trump administration has intensified immigration enforcement since taking office, including via a Department of Justice memo that directs federal prosecutors to investigate state and local officials who obstruct federal immigration efforts. The memo raises questions about whether the U.S. attorney for Massachusetts could prosecute local officials who refuse to comply with the president’s orders.

When asked at a Wednesday press conference if she was concerned about the DOJ memo, Healey said she “has no reason to be concerned.”

“We’re not a sanctuary state,” she said, adding that she’s not planning to get in the way of federal immigration agents doing their jobs.

Eight Massachusetts cities, including Boston and Cambridge, have proclaimed sanctuary status, which include local laws to limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement to shield illegal immigrants from deportation.

That said...

Immediately following Trump’s reelection, Healey pledged that Massachusetts State Police would “absolutely not” assist the administration with its promised mass deportation efforts. That pledge still stands, she said, noting there is a difference between “civil immigration enforcement” and addressing crimes committed by those in the country illegally.

“When it comes to criminal activity, alleged criminal activity, or the apprehension of those who have committed crimes—whether they are people from Massachusetts or people who come to Massachusetts, cooperation by my administration through the state police, by others in local law enforcement, will continue with our federal authorities,” she told the reporter.

“We want to make sure that we’re always supportive of law enforcement when it comes to investigating, prosecuting, pursuing, holding accountable, and—in the event you’re talking about a person who is undocumented—the removal, the deportation of that individual.”

On Thursday, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell issued a joint statement with her counterparts from 12 other states, condemning the DOJ directive as unconstitutional for trying to compel states to enforce federal laws.

The attorneys general said they will uphold laws of their own states and won’t be “distracted by the president’s mass deportation agenda.” They also said they will challenge any prosecutions of local officials.

“The President has made troubling threats to weaponize the U.S. Department of Justice’s prosecutorial authority and resources to attack public servants acting in compliance with their state laws, interfering with their ability to build trust with the communities they serve and protect,” the statement said.

Amid the legal debate, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been swift in executing the administration’s agenda, prioritizing illegal immigrants with criminal records. In a span of two days, the agency has arrested more than 1,000 illegal immigrants across the country, including in self-proclaimed “sanctuary cities” such as New York and Boston.

One high-profile arrest in Boston involved 25-year-old Wisteguens Jean Quely Charles, whom ICE identified as a member of a Haitian street gang with 17 criminal convictions.

According to ICE Boston, Charles entered the United States legally in 2013, but later “violated the terms of his lawful admission.” His convictions include multiple drug, weapons, and assault and battery crimes.

Tyler Durden Sun, 01/26/2025 - 09:20

US Army's Next-Gen Hybrid Tactical Vehicle To Replace Humvee Tested In Germany

The US Army's 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, recently tested General Motors Defense's Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV), built on the chassis of a Chevrolet Colorado truck, in the snowy Bavarian mountains of Germany. 

GM Defense's mobility solutions team designed the ISV with commercial off-the-shelf parts. ISV is based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 midsize truck platform, using a 2.8L Duramax turbo-diesel engine with an advanced 12-module battery pack. 

"The testing occurred during the annual Combined Resolve 25-1 exercise, where the Army's 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division, maneuvered the vehicle across various operational scenarios, demonstrating its adaptability and effectiveness in challenging terrains," Interesting Engineering wrote in a note, adding, "The trial emphasized ISV's capabilities in advanced reconnaissance missions, which are crucial for troops to collect and transmit vital battlefield intelligence, especially in adverse conditions." 

During #CombinedResolve, the U.S. Army is implementing its Transformation in Contact initiative, utilizing new technologies and systems designed to enhance its warfighting readiness and ability to respond to crisis or conflict.#ThisIsUSAREURAF #TiC #TransformationInContact pic.twitter.com/dI84f3g0tt

— U.S. Army Europe and Africa (@USArmyEURAF) January 22, 2025

In 2021, the Army selected the ISV to enhance its operational capabilities. The ISV incorporates 90% commercial off-the-shelf parts and is designed to carry nine infantrymen. The vehicle's adaptability for air transportability allows it to be deployed via military aircraft, including C-130 to UH-60 Blackhawk. 

By 2024, the ISV completed trials with the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, testing the vehicle's offroad capabilities in a 1,250-mile journey across highways, dunes, soft sand tracks, and rocky walls while carrying maximum payload capacities. 

The Army has replaced some of its aging Humvees with the newer Joint Light Tactical Vehicles. Still, the service aims for a smaller vehicle—larger than the Polaris MRZR but similar in size to the Humvee.

The ISV is the big brother to the ultra-light Polaris MRZR that Special Forces have used for years. MRZRs and aging Humvees are occasionally auctioned off on Gov Planet for civilians to purchase. 

A defense firm has recently introduced a complete armor package for the Tesla Cybertruck. 

We wonder what Tier 1 operators think of these new high-tech vehicles with massive lithium battery packs.

Tyler Durden Sun, 01/26/2025 - 08:45

Why Greenland Matters: US Strategy In The Changing Arctic

Authored by Mike Fredenburg via The Epoch Times,

To the shock of many, President Trump has declared his interest in acquiring Greenland, calling it vital to national security and critical to preempting any attempt by China to gain influence or control of Greenland. And he has wisely left all options on the table, no matter how unlikely, by declining to rule out economic coercion or force as to acquire it. And China’s great interest in Greenland must not be allowed to morph into what happened with the  Panama Canal. Interestingly, a new poll indicates that Greenlanders are very open to becoming part of the United States.

At a high level, President Trump’s focus on Greenland is about its increasing importance to U.S. national security and the energy dominance that he has promised to deliver. The increased importance of Greenland in these two areas, versus its importance during the height of the Cold War, come from changes in polar ice coverage making once impassible sea lanes and impenetrable territories far less so. This increased accessibility to the Arctic Sea and land masses, coupled with powerful icebreakers, has opened new opportunities for vastly increased merchant shipping, much better access to the Arctic’s vast natural resources, and increased human habitation.

The improved access to the Arctic has also increased the need for the United States to secure its northern borders as more Chinese and Russian naval vessels with missiles capable of striking the United States ply the waters around Greenland.

Elaborating a bit, Greenland is placed strategically along two potential shipping routes through the Arctic: The Northwest Passage bordering the North America’s northern coastline and the Transpolar Sea Route right through the center of the Arctic Ocean. With changes in ice coverage, these routes have seen big increases in ships transiting them, both military and commercial. This makes Greenland far more strategic than it was during the Cold War.

The town of Ilulissat in western Greenland. Alex Savu/Visit Greenland

Further enhancing the strategic value of Greenland is that roughly two-thirds of it is actually in the Arctic Circle. This makes it is an excellent hopping off point/staging area for accessing the Arctic region that is highly complementary to the 15 percent of Arctic territory the United States controls via Alaska. Because about one-half (53 percent) of  the Arctic is part of Russia, fully leveraging Greenland, as well as Alaska, is essential for the United States’ ability to compete for presence in and control of the Arctic region. But merely leveraging Greenland will not be enough. To be positioned to compete for Arctic influence and control, you need a very critical manmade resource that the United States is short on and Russia is rich in—icebreakers

As of 2025, Russia’s fleet of conventional and nuclear icebreakers dwarfs that of the United States, and Russia is in the process of building even more Project 22220 nuclear-powered icebreakers. These icebreakers, with a displacement of 32,000 tons and the ability to continuously break ice of up to 10.6 feet of thickness, dwarf the largest U.S. icebreaker, the USCGC Healy, which displaces 16,000 tons with the ability to continuously break ice of up to 4.5  feet in thickness.

Indeed, Russia’s fleet of nuclear and conventionally powered icebreakers enables it to support operations in the Arctic region at a level far beyond what the United States will be able to match given its lack of shipbuilding capacity, which also has the U.S. Navy struggling to avoid an ever-decreasing number of deployable ships.

Adding to U.S. woes when it comes to competing for Arctic control is that the Ukraine-Russia conflict has brought China and Russia much closer together than at any other time in modern history. This has resulted in China, the largest shipbuilder in the world by far,  and Russia partnering to dominate the Arctic.

Journalists attend the float-out of the Sibir (Siberia) nuclear-powered icebreaker at the Baltic Shipyard in Saint Petersburg on Sept. 22, 2017. AFP Photo/Olga Maltseva

Consequently, even with the United States being able to fully leverage Greenland, it faces a steep climb when it comes to securing a slice of the Arctic pie commensurate with its leading position in the Great Power competition. Of course, all that could change if Canada and the United States came to a mutually beneficial agreement to work together to take advantage of the natural resources contained in the 40 percent of the Arctic that is part of Canada.

However, as important as Greenland is in securing substantial deposits of rare earth elements and oil, its role in securing the United States’ northern flank is more important immediately. And Greenland, even with Denmark’s support, is not up to the task.

As things stand, Greenland, with a population of about 56,000, is an autonomous territory of Denmark. And despite some claims to the contrary, with Denmark exercising control over Greenland’s foreign affairs, security, and defense policy, Greenland is not recognized as a country, nor could it effectively operate effectively as a fully independent country. With its small economy revolving around subsidized fishing jobs and to a lesser extent agriculture, its 2024 GDP, including about $600 million in annual support from its colonial owner Denmark, is about $3.4 billion. The GDP also receives a significant boost from the United States’ Pituffik Space Base, formerly Thule Air Base, that is currently manned by 700 personnel.

It is clear that, even with support from Denmark, this is not a nation the United States can rely on to secure its northern flank and that is why President Trump is very interested in acquiring it. With this in mind, a recent poll found 57 percent of Greenlanders want to become a state of the United States, with only 37.4 percent opposing such a move. While statehood is not a real option at this time, like Hawaii once was, it could become a protectorate territory of the United States. However, regardless of what formal relationship is established, Greenland still needs a national security partner that can both protect it and help it responsibly leverage its natural resources. And for that, the most logical partner would be the region’s Great Power and fellow North American, the United States.

Finally, no way can the United States allow what happened with Panama and China to happen with Greenland.

Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times or ZeroHedge.

Tyler Durden Sun, 01/26/2025 - 08:10

EU Considers German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Proposal Of Europe-Wide EV Incentives

The European Union is drafting bloc-wide incentives for electric vehicle purchases to aid struggling automakers, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced at Davos. He emphasized that Europe must strengthen its economy, boost industry competitiveness, and reduce bureaucracy in response to global challenges, according to Bloomberg. 

Scholz said last week: “What we need are pragmatic solutions, not ideological ones. And that is why I am delighted that the president of the commission has now taken up my proposal for harmonized Europe-wide purchase premiums for e-cars.” 

Scholz criticized efforts to undermine EV adoption, emphasizing that "e-mobility is the future" and warning against harm to the auto industry. Ahead of next month's snap elections, his Social Democratic Party is proposing temporary tax deductions to boost German-made EV purchases.

But the road to EU-wide purchase incentives for EVs still has some bumps in it, according to follow up reporting by electrive. 

They wrote this week that the EU is exploring harmonized EV incentives, but their implementation and structure remain uncertain. Proposals range from unlimited purchase premiums to socially targeted incentives, while Germany’s Chancellor backs temporary tax cuts for German-made EVs, though their legality under EU law is unclear. The CSU party has suggested a €3,600 purchase premium.

In Davos, Scholz reaffirmed that electric mobility is the future, warning that doubters harm the industry. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed his view, emphasizing the importance of staying competitive in clean technologies.

Despite conservative pushback on the 2035 ban on new fossil-fuel car registrations, von der Leyen has stood firm, as alternatives to EVs are unlikely to mature in time.

As the report concludes, EU-wide incentives aim to bolster competitiveness against China and the US, but designing a WTO-compliant system that excludes subsidies for Chinese manufacturers remains a complex challenge.

Tyler Durden Sun, 01/26/2025 - 07:35

The Europeans Are Unlikely To Accede To Zelensky's Demand For 200,000 Peacekeepers

Authored by Andrew Korybko via substack,

Zelensky demanded a minimum of 200,000 European peacekeepers during the panel session that followed his speech at Davos, which itself saw him propose that France, Germany, Italy, and the UK combine their forces with Ukraine’s in order to counter Russia’s in nearly equal numbers. He also suggested that Trump will abandon Europe in order to cut a deal over Ukraine with Russia and China. The subtext is that they should organize a large-scale peacekeeping mission before that happens.

They’re unlikely to accede to his demand, however, for the same reason that the UK is unlikely to actually establish a military base in Ukraine like it agreed to explore doing in their new 100-year partnership pact. None of the Europeans want to risk a war with Russia where they’d be left fighting on their own without American support, not even the nuclear-armed UK and France, since Trump isn’t expected to extend Article 5 mutual defense guarantees to allies’ forces in third countries like Ukraine.

He, who loves having as much control over everything as possible, naturally wouldn’t feel comfortable knowing that others could provoke a war with Russia that might then drag in the US. Trump’s grand strategic goal is to wrap up the Ukrainian Conflict as soon as possible so as to prioritize his far-reaching domestic reform plans while “Pivoting (back) to Asia” to more muscularly contain China. Anything that could come in the way of that agenda, especially others provoking a war with Russia, is anathema.

That said, it can’t be ruled out the Europeans might assemble a large-scale force on Ukraine’s Polish and Romanian borders for rapid deployment in the event of future hostilities, regardless of whether this is coordinated through US-controlled NATO or outside of it. For that to happen, however, Polish-Ukrainian ties would have to improve (Zelensky ignored Poland in his speech despite it having NATO’s third-largest army) and Romania’s populist frontrunner would have to lose May’s presidential election rerun.

Moreover, Europe would need to make meaningful progress on building the “military Schengen” for facilitating the movement of troops and equipment through the bloc to its eastern borders, otherwise whatever it assembles on the Ukrainian frontier and then sends across it would be logistically vulnerable. Polish-Ukrainian ties haven’t yet improved, Romania’s presidential election rerun hasn’t yet happened, and the “military Schengen” remains mostly on paper, all of which work against Zelensky’s plans.

Consequently, the likelihood of the Europeans assembling a large-scale force on Ukraine’s Polish and Romanian borders anytime soon is low, let alone them unilaterally deploying peacekeepers – whether 200,000 or just 2,000 – to Ukraine without prior US approval. Nevertheless, Zelensky’s Davos speech and panel session might serve to plant the seed of “ambitious thinking” in European policymakers’ minds, which could lead to them initiating such discussions with the US.

From Trump’s perspective, it’s important to “share the burden” in Ukraine and ideally offload as much of it as possible onto the Europeans’ shoulders, though without emboldening them to provoke a war with Russia afterwards. To that end, he might publicly flirt with some variation of Zelensky’s European peacekeeper proposal, but only as part of a negotiating tactic with Putin so that he can then rescind it as a faux concession in exchange for something more tangible and meaningful from his counterpart.

Trump might also ultimately authorize the US to take the lead in assembling the aforementioned large-scale force on Ukraine’s Polish and Romanian borders, but conditional on all NATO members agreeing to his demand that they spend 5% of GDP on defense. There might also be other strings attached too, such as trade-related ones, for “comforting” them in this way by making a show out of not “abandoning” Europe like Zelensky just fearmongered that he might be plotting.

One way to coerce them to do both, namely spend 5% of GDP on defense while agreeing to trade-related concessions for leading an unprecedented NATO buildup on Ukraine’s western borders to “deter Russia” after the conflict ends, is to demand drastic cuts to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Zelensky warned during his panel session that Putin might demand a five-fold reduction per the precedent from spring 2022’s draft treaty, and if Trump agrees, then this might spook Europe into doing what he demands.

Whatever he ends up doing, the odds of him allowing the Europeans to unilaterally dispatch any number of peacekeepers to Ukraine are close to nil due to the chance that they’d provoke a war with Russia that could risk dragging in the US, thus derailing his domestic and foreign policy agendas. All that he has to do to prevent this is make clear that Article 5 mutual defense guarantees won’t be extended to those of their forces in third countries no matter the circumstances of the attacks that they might come under.

The only scenario in which he might countenance this is if he’s tricked by the military-industrial complex, the Europeans (especially outgoing Polish President Andrzej Duda who’s one of his close friends), and misguided advisors into turning Ukraine into his Vietnam like Steven Bannon just warned. While there are causes for concern, most notably his remarks about Russia after the inauguration, it’s premature to conclude that he’ll go this route so the European peacekeeper scenario remains very unlikely.

Tyler Durden Sun, 01/26/2025 - 07:00

Avert your eyes! My Sunday morning look at risk, corruption and policy failures:

• High Interest Rates Are Hammering Investors. What Lies Ahead Could Be Worse. Rising rates would be bad news for bondholders and borrowers of all stripes, particularly the U.S. government. They cast a shadow over stocks, too. (Barron’s)

• First-Time Homeownership Became Less Affordable Across Most of the United States in Recent Years: New homeownership became less affordable across much of the United States over the last five years. Swiftly rising house prices and higher borrowing costs have not been fully offset by wage gains, making homeownership less affordable in both metropolitan and rural areas. Although new homeownership is less affordable than in years past, slower housing price gains and steadily rising wages may offer some reprieve for housing affordability in the coming year. (Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City)

• The US’s Worst Fears of Chinese Hacking Are on Display in Guam: Small-scale telecommunications networks and utilities on a remote Pacific island are up against what US intelligence agencies say is an unprecedented Chinese cyberwar plan. (Businessweek)

• Nate Anderson: Why we are disbanding Hindenburg Research, A Personal Note From Our Founder: Nearly 100 individuals have been charged civilly or criminally by regulators at least in part through our work, including billionaires and oligarchs. We shook some empires that we felt needed shaking. (Hindenburg Research)

• Your phone is destroying your social life: Technology and the cost of convenience, explained. There are clearly trade-offs with every technology. The only sensible question we can ever ask is: Are the trade-offs in each case truly worth it? What are they adding to our lives and, more importantly, what are they taking away? (Vox)

• Experts saw Samoa’s plunging vaccination rates as a crisis. RFK Jr. saw an opportunity. New details show how Robert F. Kennedy Jr., then chair of an anti-vaccine group and now Trump’s pick for health secretary, sought to exploit a deadly vaccine accident. Months after Kennedy’s visit, the question of what would happen to Samoa’s unvaccinated babies was answered. A measles outbreak swept the country, sickening thousands and killing 83, mostly small children. (NBC News)

• It’s Official: Cars Are the Worst Product Category We Have Ever Reviewed for Privacy: All 25 car brands we researched earned our *Privacy Not Included warning label — making cars the official worst category of products for privacy that we have ever reviewed. (Privacy Not Included)

• Trump Barely Won the Popular Vote. Why Doesn’t It Feel That Way? (Trump’s Cultural Victory Has Lapped His Political Victory): In 2024, Donald Trump won the popular vote by 1.5 points. This result was treated as an overwhelming repudiation of the left and a broad mandate for the MAGA movement. But by any historical measure, it was a squeaker. You have to go back to the 2000 election to find a margin smaller than Trump’s. (New York Times)

•  How 19th Century Scientists Predicted Global Warming: Today’s headlines make climate change seem like a recent discovery. But Eunice Newton Foote and others have been piecing it together for centuries. (JSTOR Daily) see also  Climate Whiplash and Fire Come to L.A.: Climate change has brought both fiercer rains and deeper droughts, leaving the city with brush-like kindling—and the phenomenon is on the rise worldwide. (New Yorker)

• Trump’s crypto coin is little more than a whizbang Ponzi scheme: It has become the easiest, most convenient way to curry favor with the president. (Washington Post)

Be sure to check out our Masters in Business interview this weekend with Mike Freno, Chairman and CEO at Barings. The firm is owned by Mass Mutual, and half of its $431 billion in invested assets are from the insurance giant, with the rest coming from institutional investors.

 

Damning 5 year study of Brexit, quantified

Source: @NicholasTyrone

 

 

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Rubio Tells Chinese Counterpart That US Interests Come First

Authored by Dorothy Li via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told his Chinese counterpart that the Trump administration will prioritize American interest in its relationship with communist China, according to the State Department.

Marco Rubio testifies before the Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 15, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Rubio conveyed this message during a phone call on Jan. 24 with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, marking his first publicly known formal exchange with Wang as the top U.S. diplomat.

Rubio emphasized that the Trump administration will pursue a relationship with China that “advances U.S. interests and puts the American people first,” according to the U.S. readout of the call.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said the secretary “stressed the United States’ commitment to our allies in the region and serious concern over China’s coercive actions against Taiwan and in the South China Sea.”

According to a summary of the call issued by China’s foreign ministry, Wang told Rubio that teams from both sides should implement the consensus reached during last week’s conversation between the two countries’ leaders, which had “pointed out the direction” and “established the tone” for Sino–U.S. relations.

Wang reiterated the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP’s) sovereignty claims over Taiwan, a self-ruled island that the regime has not ruled out using force to bring under its control.

Wang also issued a veiled warning to Rubio, who was placed on Beijing’s sanctions list twice in 2020 for his human rights advocacy, saying that he hoped Rubio would “act accordingly” and “play a constructive role for the future of the people of China and the United States,” according to a translation by the Chinese ministry.

Rubio characterized communist China as “the most potent and dangerous, near-peer adversary this nation has ever confronted” during his Senate confirmation hearing last week.

Trump: US–China Relationship Needs to Be ‘Fair’

The conversation between the two countries’ top diplomats comes less than a week after President Donald Trump was sworn in for a second term.

Trump had invited CCP leader Xi Jinping to his inauguration in the U.S. Capitol, but the regime chose to send deputy leader Han Zheng as its special envoy for the event.

Hours before his inauguration ceremony, Trump had a phone call with Xi that he later described as “very good” for both the United States and China.

The president told reporters later on the day that he had received an invitation to visit China and that a trip this year could be possible.

Earlier this week, Trump said that he believed under his administration, the United States will have “a very good relationship” with China.

“All we want is fairness. We just want a level playing field,” the president told the attendees of the World Economic Forum summit in Davos via a video link.

Highlighting the massive U.S. trade deficits with China, Trump said, “It’s just an unfair relationship, and we have to make it just fair.”

“We don’t have to make it phenomenal. We have to make it a fair relationship,” he said. “Right now. It’s not a fair relationship.”

The U.S. trade deficit with China reached $279.4 billion in 2023, according to the latest available data from the U.S. Commerce Department.

During his presidential campaign, Trump floated the idea of imposing tariffs as high as 60 percent on Chinese imports.

On Jan. 22, Trump said that an extra 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports could start as early as Feb. 1. The extra duties, according to the president, were based on the “fact that they’re sending fentanyl to Mexico and Canada.”

Tyler Durden Sat, 01/25/2025 - 23:20

How Consciousness Opens Doors To Higher Dimensions

Authored by Yuhong Dong M.D., Ph.D. & Makai Allbert via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Dr. Eben Alexander was at the height of his career as a neurosurgeon. With a doctorate in medicine from Duke University and a residency from Harvard, he believed he understood consciousness and the brain. However, on Nov. 10, 2008, a rare and severe bacterial infection attacked his brain, challenging everything he thought he knew.

Illustration by The Epoch Times

He fell into a coma and, seven days later, awakened with a complete physical recovery. Yet, while asleep, his mind was not idle. He recalls that his consciousness had gone to another dimension—a place furnished with clouds, shimmering beings, and ethereal sceneries.

“I was in a place of clouds. Big, puffy, pink-white ones that showed up sharply against the deep blue-black sky. Higher than the clouds—immeasurably higher—flocks of transparent orbs, shimmering beings arced across the sky, leaving long, streamer-like lines behind them,” Alexander wrote in his book, “A Proof of Heaven.”

“I witnessed all of that realm in all of its majesty,” Alexander recounted during an interview with The Epoch Times. “Though I didn’t know where I was or even what I was, I was absolutely sure of one thing: This place I’d suddenly found myself in was completely real,” he said.

Similarly, Dr. Sam Parnia, a medical doctor and research scientist, observed that seven percent of resuscitated patients recounted visits to an unearthly dimension during their near-death experience (NDE)—an experience people sometimes have on the precipice of death and may remember after recovery. Further, Dr. Pim van Lommel, a cardiologist from the Netherlands, reported that 29 percent of people with NDEs describe entering a vast, beautiful realm beyond our physical reality.

Illustration by The Epoch Times

These shared elements have prompted experts to discuss the origin of consciousness. Can our consciousness be linked and travel to a dimension imperceptible to human eyes? While people of faith say they’ve had answers all along, medical doctors are still probing, and physicists claim they are close to finding the answer.

Multiple Dimensions

Physicists recognize that there may be numerous dimensions. Modern physics embraces the concept of multidimensional space and parallel universes as a serious scientific idea.

Leading theories include string theory and M-theory. String theory posits that the fundamental building blocks of the universe are not just particles but tiny, vibrating filaments, or “strings.”

Imagine analyzing an apple. As you magnify it, you discover layers of structure down to cells, molecules, and atoms. Conventional theories usually stop at subatomic particles. String theory posits that the infinitesimally small subatomic particles are actually strands of energy vibrating in different patterns, much like the strings of a violin. Each distinct vibration produces unique particles, creating a cosmic symphony that constitutes all matter.

String theories are given credence because they provide a framework to unify the fundamental forces of nature—gravity, electromagnetic force, and nuclear force—into one consistent theory. However, string theory posits a universe with at least 10 dimensions, which is integral to its formulation and mathematical consistency.

On a related note, M-theory is a concept in physics that combines different theories about tiny strings, which are thought to make up the fabric of the universe. It suggests 11 dimensions instead of the four we experience (three spatial dimensions of space—width, height, and depth—and one of time). M-theory aims to explain how the forces of nature, including gravity, work together in a single framework, making it a potential “theory of everything.”

While the string and M-theories are mathematically rich and elegant frameworks that help explain certain aspects of particle physics and gravity, they do not have empirically verifiable predictions.

Nevertheless, in the aggregate, these phenomena open the door to ideas about multi-dimensions. Other dimensions, though invisible, may exist simultaneously among us.

Out of the ‘Painting’

John Burke, who has a degree in engineering and authored multiple books on NDEs, offered an analogy: Imagine we lived inside a flat, two-dimensional black-and-white painting. In such a scenario, we would experience only length and width—up and down and side to side—but not depth.

“We couldn’t even conceive of it,” he told The Epoch Times in an interview.

Burke suggested that NDEs might be like our two-dimensional consciousness peeling away from that flat painting and entering a three-dimensional world—a realm that has always existed beyond our perception. From this new viewpoint, we could look back at our flat world and understand it as part of a greater dimensional reality.

When our consciousness leaves the body, it’s likely to enter these wider, multi-dimensional spaces, Michael Pravica, who holds a doctorate in condensed matter physics from Harvard University and is a professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, told The Epoch Times.

The Tunnel

Individuals with NDEs often describe passing through a tunnel-like expanse with a light at the end before entering the other dimension.

Ned Dougherty, a former director of the International Association for Near-Death Studies, wrote about his personal tunnel experience in his book, “Fast Lane to Heaven.” In it, he explains that after losing physical consciousness, he was drawn to an immense tunnel. At the distant opening of the tunnel, he saw another universe.

“I pondered the purpose of the tunnel. It seemed to stretch from Earth into the universe for a distance measured in light years,” Dougherty wrote.

Interestingly, the tunnels described by people who have had NDEs bear a striking resemblance to a concept explored in string theory, where wormholes connect different dimensions.

Additionally, as discussed in Part 1 of this series, physicist Roger Penrose and anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff proposed that microtubules in the brain may serve as quantum receivers of consciousness. These microtubules also have a unique structure akin to tunnel-like objects.

Illustration by The Epoch Times

In a 2022 study published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Sam Parnia and a team of medical experts from prominent universities provided the first comprehensive medical consensus documenting the existence of NDEs.

Notably, the team identified tunnel experiences as one of the main characteristics of NDEs.

The tunnel, according to the study, appears to be a connection to another dimension, where people report seeing magnificent, luminous beings and relive their entire lives in a way unconstrained by time—a phenomenon called the “life review.”

Timeless ‘Whole Life’

Of 617 near-death experiences collected by the Near-Death Experience Research Foundation published in a 2014 study, 14 percent of the near-death experiencers experienced a life review. This experience felt like watching a stereoscopic movie of their life.

Overall, 50 percent of near-death experience survivors in the 1976 Tangshan earthquake were reported to have experienced a life review.

According to Bernard Carr, emeritus professor of mathematics and astronomy at Queen Mary University of London, many elements of NDEs, such as the tunnel phenomenon, intense light, and life reviews, align with the idea of transitioning through or interacting with higher dimensions. He interprets these experiences not as hallucinations or brain-generated phenomena but as glimpses into the true multidimensional nature of reality.

In his book, “Evidence of the Afterlife” Dr. Jeffery Long, a practicing radiation oncologist, and researcher who has studied NDEs for more than 25 years, recorded a case of a man named Roger who was returning from Quebec City when he had an out-of-body experience during a car crash.

“I then began to see my whole life unfolding before me like a film projected on a screen, from babyhood to adult life. It was so real!” Roger recalled.

He said the experience was more realistic than a 3D movie, as he could sense the feelings of the people he interacted with over the years and the good or bad emotions he made them feel.

Those who experience a life review during a near-death experience often recount it with a deep sense of realism. This includes re-experiencing long-forgotten events often confirmed to have occurred, as well as a deep understanding of the thoughts and feelings of others during past interactions.

According to a study published in Missouri Medicine, these life reviews are consistently accurate. 

Life reviews appear to access a dimension where all events are recorded in their entirety, and time flows differently—allowing the person to review their entire life instantly.

The book “Lessons From the Light,” co-authored by Kenneth Ring, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Connecticut, who published nearly 100 papers on NDEs, recorded a case of a man who reported re-experiencing every event in 22 years of his life.

“The brightness showed me every second of all those years, in exquisite detail, in what seemed only an instant of time,” he said.

“It’s a reliving of events, not just a remembering of events,” said Alexander. He explains that during the life review, if you had acted selfishly toward others during your lifetime, you would experience those events again, but now from the viewpoint of the people who experienced the suffering.

He believes this is where the concept of “hell” originates—those who inflicted pain and suffering during their lives would have to confront and experience that same pain during the life review. This should nudge people to realize that “We’re really all in this together and need to take care of each other and get along,” he said.

Read the rest here...

Tyler Durden Sat, 01/25/2025 - 22:45

59% Of Americans Don't Have Enough Savings For A $1,000 Emergency: Report

Authored by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Most Americans cannot afford a $1,000 emergency expense, with inflation and high interest rates affecting their ability to save adequately, according to a recent survey by consumer services company Bankrate.

Organic produce for sale at a Ralph's Supermarket in Irvine, Calif., on Nov. 28, 2016. Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images

A full 59 percent of Americans aren’t in a position to use their savings “to pay for a major unexpected expense, such as $1,000 for an emergency room visit or car repair,” said a Jan. 23 report from the company.

This is up from 56 percent a year back.

“We are essentially a paycheck-to-paycheck nation,” said Mark Hamrick, senior economic analyst at Bankrate. “Fewer Americans have the equivalent of a financial safety net to cover inevitable unexpected expenses, despite low unemployment and steady growth.”

To help alleviate the financial crunch, President Donald Trump issued an executive order for delivering “emergency price relief” for families and tackling the cost of living crisis facing America on his first day in office. The 12-month inflation rate, which has remained below 3 percent since July, has risen for the past three months.

Bankrate said Americans have been struggling against a “number of economic headwinds” over the past several years, including a slowing job market and high inflation.

In the survey, 73 percent of respondents blamed inflation, high interest rates, or a change in income or employment status as reasons why they were saving less to meet unforeseen expenses. This is up from 68 percent last year.

According to data tracked by the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the average city price of a dozen Grade A large eggs has risen by more than 182 percent between January 2021 and December 2024. The price of ground beef per pound is up by 41 percent, fresh whole chicken by nearly 30 percent, whole fortified fresh milk per gallon by 18 percent, and white pan bread per pound by almost 24 percent.

A quarter of respondents said they would have to fund $1,000 in emergency expenses by financing it with a credit card and paying off the debt over time. This is up from 21 percent in 2024.

Hamrick said the increase in cost of living is “prompting more individuals and households to turn to credit cards when in a bind.”

“They are a terrific tool when used wisely and effectively. But with interest rates still high, we need to avoid a deepening debt burden which could make it more challenging to save.”

High Cost of Living

The Trump executive order blamed the prior administration’s vast government spending, overregulation, and “destructive” policies for pushing Americans into an inflation crisis.

“Hardworking families today are overwhelmed by the cost of fuel, food, housing, automobiles, medical care, utilities, and insurance,” said the order.

Trump directed the heads of all executives and agencies to look for ways to cut down housing costs and boost supply, eliminate practices that raise health care costs, eliminate any requirements that contribute to higher home appliance prices, and get rid of harmful climate policies that increase the costs of fuel and food.

The cost of living crisis among Americans developed while the savings rate has gone down. Since 2022, the personal saving rate of U.S. citizens has mostly remained below 5 percent. Prior to the pandemic, the rate largely was above the 5 percent level.

A recent survey from Marist Poll and Yahoo Finance showed that only one in 10 banked households were “completely satisfied” with their amount of savings.

The rising cost of living was cited as the biggest hurdle to saving more, with two in three households saying these expenses are “not very affordable or not affordable at all” in their area.

“Looking to 2025, banked households are cautiously optimistic about their savings. A plurality (44 percent) think they will be able to save more money, and 32 percent believe they will save about the same in the coming year. 24 percent think they will save less money,” said the survey.

“Six in ten banked households in America (60 percent) are more optimistic about their finances in the coming year with Donald Trump as President. There is cross-generational consensus on this question, with a majority in every generation saying they are more optimistic. Gen Z (70 percent) is the most optimistic.”

Tyler Durden Sat, 01/25/2025 - 22:10

US Passed Secret Intelligence To AQ-Linked Rulers Of Syria: WaPo

Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which rules Syria from Damascus under Jolani, is still a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization under US law. The only change which happened at the end of the Biden administration was that the US $10 million bounty on Jolani's head was removed, at a moment Western officials have engaged the new regime in Damascus on a diplomatic level.

But The Washington Post has just revealed that American intelligence officials met with HTS representatives and passed them classified intelligence information. This happened during the tail-end of the Biden White House.

The Washington Post report begins, "In the chaotic days after the fall of [Bashar] al-Assad, the Biden administration began to engage cautiously with HTS and its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Julani."

Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, via AFP.

"The intelligence exchange with HTS has occurred in direct encounters between US intelligence officials and representatives of HTS, rather than via third parties." The Post continues.

The report adds that this "has involved exchanges between the two sides, in Syria and a third country. It began roughly two weeks after HTS came to power on Dec. 8."

This is being presented by US officials as to combat threats being presented by a resurgent ISIS. For example, there have been recent reported plots against a key Shia religious pilgrimage site on the outskirts of Damascus, the Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque.

"In at least one case, the U.S. intelligence helped thwart an ISIS plot to attack a religious shrine outside Damascus earlier this month, according to the officials," the WaPo report says.

The serious contradiction in all of this is that American companies and citizens are still unable to do business or any interactions with Syrian entities under US counterterrorism laws and due to the long-existent sanctions. And yet, US intelligence is passing on classified information to Syrian leaders despite the terror designation and ongoing sanctions.

The other glaring contradiction is that the separation between HTS and ISIS ideology is thin and slim. Jolani himself was once the personal emissary of ISIS chief pf Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in the early days of the anti-Assad war for regime change.

AntiWar.com has written the following review:

HTS grew out of the al-Nusra Front, an organization that Julani formed in 2009 in coordination with al-Qaeda’s central leadership. Juliani is a veteran of the Iraq War, where he fought for al-Qaeda in Iraq against US forces.

Even with this background, the Biden administration elected to try to develop ties with Julani. “It’s the right, prudent and appropriate thing to do, given that there was credible, specific information [about ISIS threats], and coupled with our efforts to cultivate a relationship with these guys,” one former US official told The Post.

They destroyed Iraq under the pretext of chemical weapons and Al-Qaeda. Then they devastated Syria to empower Al-Qaeda. https://t.co/tuzjQ3a5z1

— Seyed Mohammad Marandi (@s_m_marandi) January 23, 2025

We've documented previously that in some cases ISIS fighters have simply changed out their black flag patch for a HTS logo: Watch: Syrian 'Moderate Rebel' Removes ISIS Patch At Prompting Of American Journalist.

Foreign fighters have also continued to thrive in post-Assad Syria, with reports of global jihadists terrorizing and pressuring Christians, Alawites, and Druze - most often in the countryside and far away from international media cameras. The US State Department in the early years of the Syrian war acknowledged that tens of thousands of foreign jihadists poured across the borders of Iraq, Jordan, and Iraq to fight Assad forces.

Tyler Durden Sat, 01/25/2025 - 21:00

Experts Warn Of China's Escalating Cyberattacks On Japan And US Defenses

Authored by Sean Tseng and Jon Sun via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Chinese cyberattacks on Japan’s defense, aerospace, and advanced technology sectors are increasing at an alarming rate, indicating what experts refer to as a broader strategy to undermine the technological and military strengths of democratic nations, particularly the United States.

A hooded man holds a laptop computer as cyber code is projected on him in this photo illustration on May 13, 2017. Kacper Pempel/Reuters

The Japanese National Police Agency (NPA) has reported 210 such incursions since 2019, fueling calls for tougher legal frameworks and closer international coordination to protect critical infrastructure.

The NPA identified the hacker group MirrorFace, which shares traits with Advanced Persistent Threat 10, or APT10, a group linked to China’s Ministry of State Security. The agency noted that the timing of the cyberattacks frequently coincided with standard working hours in China and excluded Chinese holidays, leading authorities to believe that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been supporting such attacks. 

The NPA has observed that these increasing cyberattacks have been carried out in three phases.

The first phase lasted from December 2019 to July 2023. Government entities, think tanks, and the media were primarily targeted, indicating an attempt to sway policy and public sentiment.

The second phase, from February to October 2023, marked a shift toward semiconductors, manufacturing, and academic institutions, focusing on Japan’s technological hub.

The third phase, starting in June 2024, has seen a resurgence in targeting academia, politicians, and the media, reflecting an ongoing effort to influence public discourse and shape policies.

Japan’s 2024 Defense White Paper found that the Chinese military’s cyber warfare unit had emerged from the former Strategic Support Force, which had around 175,000 personnel, including 30,000 dedicated to cyberattacks.

A high-profile target was the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Hackers exploited VPN vulnerabilities to break into its Microsoft 365 Cloud service, compromising around 200 employee accounts and exfiltrating over 10,000 files between 2023 and 2024, according to Japanese media.

Among the stolen data were details on JAXA’s Martian Moons Exploration (MMX) mission, part of the agency’s manned lunar program. This raises concerns about China using this information to advance its own Mars endeavors.

With the MMX program set to launch in 2026 and China’s Mars sample return missions slated for around 2028, both nations are racing to achieve historic breakthroughs.

In response to ongoing threats, Japan established a dedicated Cyber Defense Unit in March 2022 to monitor government networks around the clock. In the following year, Japan and the United States agreed to strengthen cybersecurity cooperation at the highest levels.

Su Tzu-yun, director of Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research, recently told the Chinese edition of The Epoch Times that such measures would only be effective if they are backed by stronger legal frameworks and closer international coordination.

He said that current laws hinder the prosecution of state-backed hackers and the confirmation of their true identities. Su emphasized that tougher regulations and improved intelligence-sharing among democratic nations are essential to combat digital propaganda, sabotage, and data theft while upholding freedom of speech.

Similar CCP-backed cyberattacks have occurred in the United States in recent years.

In 2024, the Salt Typhoon hacking group, backed by China’s Ministry of State Security, stood out as the most serious threat, among others. It has compromised at least eight major U.S. telecom companies.

The group also hacked the phones of then-presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump and then-vice presidential candidate JD Vance during the election. Vance confirmed the breach on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” though he noted only non-sensitive data was accessed due to his use of encrypted messaging apps.

Last March, the U.S. Department of Justice unsealed the indictment of seven Chinese nationals linked to a group called APT31 for cyber espionage targeting the defense, IT, and energy sectors, aiming to steal data and enable future attacks.

In 2023, Chinese hackers breached networks related to the U.S. military’s operational capabilities, including those in Guam, a strategic location for potential military operations in the Asia–Pacific region.

Meanwhile, Volt Typhoon has been compromising U.S. critical infrastructure, including U.S. water, gas, energy, rail, air, and ports since at least mid-2021, a threat first disclosed by Microsoft in May 2023.

The U.S. response has included sanctions on Chinese entities and a push for more aggressive cyber defense, led by agencies like the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency working alongside private industry.

Cyber analyst Lin Tsung-nan, a professor at National Taiwan University, told The Epoch Times earlier this month that these campaigns are part of the Chinese regime’s “unrestricted warfare,” where intelligence gathering, social media manipulation, and infrastructure sabotage converge.

He noted that cyber theft offers China a low-cost way to acquire advanced technology from Japan and the West and highlighted the extensive pool of state-sponsored hackers the Chinese regime has assembled for that purpose.

As governments and private sectors prepare for increasingly sophisticated hacking techniques—amplified by emerging technologies—the stakes keep rising, Su said.

The ultimate goal, he said, is to safeguard not only state secrets and intellectual property but also to maintain public trust and protect democratic institutions against growing cyber threats.

Xin Ning contributed to this report.

Tyler Durden Sat, 01/25/2025 - 19:50

Federal DEI Officials Try To Disguise To Keep Their Jobs, But There's Nowhere To Hide

The hunt begins.  On day one of his second term Donald Trump put the federal government’s weight behind the national push to end DEI programs by signing an executive order that would effectively dismantle them from all aspects of the federal government.

The executive action calls for the termination of DEI programs, mandates, policies, preferences and activities in the federal government along with the review and revision of existing federal employment practices, union contracts and training policies or programs. 

Agency, department and commission heads have 60 days to terminate to the maximum extent allowed by law all DEI, DEIA and “environmental justice” offices and positions, action plans, equity-related grants or contracts as well as end all DEI or DEIA performance requirements 

Perhaps not believing that this action would come so quickly or so aggressively, diversity offices seem to have been caught completely off guard and employees are now scrambling to figure out how they can still keep their government paycheck.  Federal DEI employees are reportedly "unclear" as to their status and do not know if they are being fired, or if they are being moved to a new position.

In all likelihood, they will be fired.

Some officials have decided to preempt their impending pink slip, choosing to rehire themselves under a new label in an attempt to hide the fact that they are DEI.  Others are trying to rename their entire department as something more innocuous, hoping to float under Trump's radar.  However, these efforts are all in vain. 

Minot Air Force Base is still doing DEI, but it is now called Organizational Culture Office to circumvent Trump pic.twitter.com/VRbLnjvaTe

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) January 24, 2025

A memo sent out by the Trump Administration to all federal offices warns that any attempt to hide or disguise DEI programs and employees as something else will be met with "adverse consequences".  The memo notes:

“We are aware of efforts by some in government to disguise these programs by using coded or imprecise language. If you are aware of a change in any contract description or personnel position description since November 5, 2024 to obscure the connection between the contract and DEIA or similar ideologies, please report all facts and circumstances..." 

“There will be no adverse consequences for timely reporting this information. However, failure to report this information within 10 days will result in adverse consequences.”

The memo also includes an email at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) where employees are directed to make such reports. 

Senator Ted Cruz took to X recently to post that he had also been alerted to DEI contractors attempting to obscure their programs in order to avoid potential cuts.  Cruz specifically noted that DEI values incorporated into government funded scientific research was unacceptable.

My office has been alerted about an agency contractor attempting to obscure its DEI offices and programming in direct violation of the Trump administration’s executive orders.

For the past four years, Democrats mandated that all taxpayer-funded scientific research and… pic.twitter.com/ccxDf2nPWh

— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) January 24, 2025

The message to woke activists within the federal government is clear:  You can run, but you can't hide.  Trump's memo underscores the administration’s take on diversity programs. 

“These programs divide Americans by race, waste taxpayer dollars, and result in shameful discrimination...”

  

Tyler Durden Sat, 01/25/2025 - 19:15

Supreme Court Allows Law Requiring Small Businesses To Report Ownership Information

Authored by Matthew Vadum via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

The U.S. Supreme Court voted 8–1 on Jan. 23 to allow the federal government to enforce an anti-money laundering law that a lower court blocked late last year.

The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington on Jan. 15, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented from the new ruling.

The statute at issue, the federal Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), required millions of business entities to file information returns about their owners by Jan. 1, 2025.

An estimated 33 million small businesses face fines of as much as $591 per day should they fail to comply with the new rule, according to.a Treasury website.

Businesses with upwards of 20 employees, $5 million in annual sales, and a U.S. office qualify for exemptions from CTA reporting requirements.

The law provides that affected corporate entities must file reports with the federal government about their beneficial owners, which means individuals with substantial control over the entity or who own or control 25 percent of the entity.

Entities are required to provide the government with the names of their beneficial owners, along with their birthdates, addresses, and identifying information such as passport or driver’s license numbers.

The CTA’s reporting requirement was put on hold on Dec. 5, 2024, when the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas sided with challengers, granting a nationwide preliminary injunction—also known as a universal injunction—against the CTA.

The court found that the challengers would likely succeed with their claim that the act was unconstitutional.

On Dec. 13, 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice, acting on behalf of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a federal agency, asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to stay the injunction.

The agency argued the law was constitutional and that the challenge to it would probably fail in the end.

The circuit court’s motions panel granted the government’s request on Dec. 23, 2024, and suspended the injunction pending appeal. FinCEN then extended the filing deadline for corporate entities to Jan. 13, 2025.

On Dec. 26, 2024, the circuit court performed an about-face and sent the case to its merits panel, which restored the injunction to “preserve the constitutional status quo while the merits panel considers the parties’ weighty substantive arguments.”

The new Supreme Court order states that the Fifth Circuit’s ruling upholding the injunction is “stayed pending the disposition of the appeal” in the circuit court.

The Fifth Circuit has scheduled oral argument in the case for March 25.

Jackson wrote in her dissenting opinion that there was “no need” for the nation’s highest court to lift the Fifth Circuit’s stay of the reporting requirement.

“However likely the government’s success on the merits may be, in my view, emergency relief is not appropriate because the applicant has failed to demonstrate sufficient exigency to justify our intervention,” the justice wrote.

She wrote that the circuit court agreed to expedite the government’s appeal, even though the government only moved to enforce the law almost four years after its passage by Congress.

The government’s argument that the law needs to be enforced immediately is undermined by “the fact that the harms it now says warrant our involvement were likely to occur during that period.”

The government has not shown if will suffer “injury of a more serious or significant nature … if the Act’s implementation is further delayed while the litigation proceeds in the lower courts.”

Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, a critic of universal injunctions, concurred with the court’s decision, but wrote that the Supreme Court should “go a step further and … take this case now to resolve definitively the question whether a district court may issue universal injunctive relief.”

In January 2020, Gorsuch criticized the growing practice of federal judges ruling beyond the scope of a particular case.

The Supreme Court should “confront” the “real problem” of nationwide injunctions, which raise “serious questions about the scope of courts’ equitable powers under Article III” of the Constitution, he wrote in a ruling.

That decision stayed a universal injunction that prevented the first Trump administration from enforcing its so-called public charge rule that blocked prospective immigrants from receiving permanent resident status if they were deemed likely to become dependent on government assistance.

The case is McHenry v. Texas Top Cop Shop.

The applicant, James R. McHenry, is a longtime U.S. Department of Justice employee who is serving as acting U.S. attorney general.

McHenry took over temporarily after then-Attorney General Merrick Garland resigned on Jan. 20, the day of President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Trump has nominated Pam Bondi, former Florida attorney general, as the next U.S. attorney general. The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on her nomination on Jan. 29.

The lead respondent, Texas Top Cop Shop, is a police supply store in Conroe, Texas.

Janita Kan contributed to this report.

Tyler Durden Sat, 01/25/2025 - 18:40

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There are several limitations on S i9000 Corporations such as quantity of shareholders they can have among other folks. The advantages of a partnership are that it will be an easy task to set way up, and the partners share in the particular profits and deficits of the business. The disadvantages of a partnership are of which the partners will be jointly liable with regard to the debts involving the business, plus disagreements between lovers can be tough to solve.

Find The Best Online Casino That Will Accepts Players Through Your State

As these people will be currently mindful of the ideal practices utilized in UX/UI to enhance customer engagement. This, once again, shows how significant you should closely follow the regulations plus updates within the on the internet casino industry of the country you prepare to get the license by. So, you may well be wondering, “How to start the online casino inside this current year? Market research in addition to identifying your targeted” “audience are half the solution to establishing the iGaming company.

• If you would like to offer live games and considerable live customer support this specific will lead to be able to additional costs.
• This guide addresses the optimal strategy for completing the particular Diamond Casino Heist using The Huge Con approach.
• These are all optional objectives that give you more options when you’re infiltrating the casino.
• Some casino web sites also include a sports betting option letting them cater in order to players based on a personal preferences.
• The Heist replay panel only becomes available at the high-end residence after you have completed most five Heist finales as being a Leader or crew member.

Thus, if you wonder how to start a great online casino, your current game selection should be one of your own top priorities. It should be diverse but, at the same time, serve your target demographics. The country has got the Unlawful Internet Betting Enforcement Act of which regulates online casinos on the federal level. Yes, an individual can start your own personal online casino while long as an individual can cover the particular necessary licensing specifications, technical resources, and startup costs. When starting an enterprise regarding this nature, it’s important that you have the correct knowledge of the various area-specific legal aspects that you include to comply with. The online gambling and even sports betting sector are tricky in order to understand should you don’t have a significant knowledge of their regulations and legitimate requirements.

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” can seem daunting since comprehensive research, analysis, and even planning are required. Based for the collected data, you need to put together a detailed business plan that encapsulates your own strategy for good results. Many other well-liked games are furthermore commonly accessible to typically the players, like online poker, baccarat, bingo, and so on. Therefore, to contend with other casinos, you need to have a basic set of games like these.

• From this stage on, it won’t be a long time before you enter the casinos register of your chosen operator.
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• The casino and athletics betting industry is usually very sensitive to be able to security breaches and fraudulent situations.

You need to also ask typically the provider for some cases of their job so that a person can get an notion of their top quality. Once you include received all of the rates, you can evaluate them and pick the best one based about your needs and budget. Do you have the required experience and understanding to create the gambling website? We used word “platform” because gambling websites have become more as compared to just a location to gamble – and they are more compared to just websites by itself. This makes all of them a one-stop-shop intended for gambling needs, because they are multi-faceted and provide some sort of plethora of companies. Once you prevent playing, the leftover chips in the particular machine should go directly to your Sim.

How To Host And Even Join Heists Using Friends

It’s crucial with regard to operators to apply ongoing promotional techniques to ensure this kind of steady influx of new players. At Limeup, our seasoned specialists in design plus software development include vast experience aiding business owners start off an online casino that will adheres to the particular current standards. With our assistance within careful planning plus execution, you may be assured your own project is budget-friendly and successful regardless of the market’s geographical spot. A customer-centric technique and exceptional user support are key when starting an online casino. These approaches are important to the implementation of long-term company development strategies. However, providing exceptional consumer support and retention service will demand substantial resources along with a well-balanced approach.

• Learning how to begin an online gambling establishment from scratch is surely not for everybody.
• However, they selection between a number of thousand dollars for every month and up to $50, 000 or even more.
• This is another thing you will possess to pay money for, even so, just like the license obtainment, this is inevitable.

Online online casino owners all more than the world prefer the advantages of crypto casinos, such while increased player loyalty, fast payment processing, and many even more. For iGaming organization owners who already have a online casino licence can just make use of the software and even hardware infrastructure to launch their online business. Most application vendors charge about a per-hour base, with prices starting anywhere between $50 to $300+, centered on the knowledge level and typically the precise location of the specialists. First and foremost, typically the complexity of the particular website plus the opportunity of work which needs to be done to develop an online casino will be typically the prominent factor in the cost.

The Cayo Perico Heist

The total potential take in cash for one operate of the Diamond Gambling establishment Heist is $2, 115, 000. As using the others, presently there are six setup missions” “you have to do, with eight recommended ones. This is probably the most changeable approach, because you may find different entrance disguises plus your plan changes quite a bit structured on your access point.

• This is the first thing you need to consider, as a person must be physically positioned in a situation where online gambling is legal to generate a casino bank account.
• With proper planning, performance and hard work, you can enjoy great success.
• Launching a casino in 2024 will be a profitable effort with heightened possible.
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• With this in mind, you need to invest a lot of dedication and an enormous amount of work into your organization for it to achieve the expected success.

Heists are usually difficult missions which are a great approach to rack way up huge amounts of cash in Grand Robbery Auto Online. Completing a heist isn’t easy but the truth is will certainly be rewarded with a ton of funds you can blow on new cars, attributes, and even more. With of which, this guide will describe everything you need to understand about how to be able to do a heist within GTA Online.

How Much Does It Cost To Commence An Internet Casino?

This transform motivates operators to consider adapting their own brand and gives in order to regulated markets. Each licence has it is pros and cons – cost, program time, and standing. Usually, it usually takes from a couple of months to a yr to obtain a gaming license, by way of example, at minimum 6 months within Malta. Online gambling has always recently been one of typically the most lucrative in addition to desirable domains with regard to business owners irrespective of whether they have expertise in the discipline. Limeup is the UX design in addition to software development firm that works together with startups and companies worldwide. The second factor, licensing costs, is much a lot more straightforward regarding precisely how the pricing is created.

They’re also a large and growing business inside the U. T. and an chance for entrepreneurs who else want to find in around the action. It’s likely that more areas of the are heading to legalize internet casinos, so you may possibly be able in order to capitalize on that to be the first casino within a city that opens its doors. You may want to use industry-specific software, such as Ensico, or Agilysys, to control your ticketing, jackpots, player tracking, plus rewards.

What To Be Able To Consider Before Opening An Account” “With A Us Online Casino

These include mobile-friendly offers, crypto repayments, live dealer game titles, and, as pointed out before, advanced game playing technologies like VR and AR. For example, the biggest pre-launch stage expenses incorporate software purchase in addition to setup (25–35%), marketing spend (15–20%), and even licence acquisition (10–30%). This early period of development calls for more attention and even, as a end result, more investments. Integrating an entire sports gambling platform, like the SOFTSWISS Sportsbook, has many benefits. With this feature, players can place bets on numerous sports like soccer, basketball, tennis, dance shoes, and many even more. It also lets them watch reside sports broadcasts on your website, acquire a chance to receive special bonus deals, and make loyalty together with your brand.

• For occasion, a casino that will caters to large rollers will be more profitable compared to one that suits casual players.
• Before hosting a casino night, this is important to become acquainted with the guidelines and etiquette involving the games you intend to offer.
• We recommend that new business owners select LLC as that offers liability defense and pass-through taxation while being less difficult to form as compared to a corporation.
• However, this specific approach tends in order to be more costly and even time-consuming, since it needs significant investment throughout hiring, training, and maintaining a dedicated staff of experts.
• In basic, it can get through 6 weeks to 1–2 years to finish the task.

When starting a gambling website, it’s some sort of good idea to be able to discuss your concept with an specialist. Such a particular person can provide you with anything from obtaining typically the necessary licenses in order to designing and creating your internet site. Creating a great MVP is not really essential, but it’s something you should look at when you’re on a tight budget also. This is a good method to reduce threat and get suggestions through your target industry before investing a new lot of sources within your project. After you may have defined your own requirements and capabilities, it’s time to established some priorities plus budget.

Develop Your Casino Marketing Materials

For example, growing the list regarding quality games will be one of the particular most typical updates a person can implement when maintaining online internet casinos. The long-awaited release of an online casino is the 1st step toward” “creating a sustainable business and a successful gaming network. Achieving long-term accomplishment will require focusing on essential factors such as expansion and maintenance. Based around the documentation plus architecture of typically the project, our iGaming software providers routine tasks based on their particular priorities and trigger platform development. Meanwhile, our project administrator oversees the complete method at every phase and provides confirming to some customer.

• Such a man or woman can help you with anything from obtaining the particular necessary licenses in order to designing and creating your internet site.
• After registering, the web-site should also have a very profile page by where players can manage their records.
• Payment system providers that will you choose for your online casino should follow the mandatory data protection procedures and adhere” “to be able to anti-money laundering rules.
• Popular online casino games include online poker, blackjack, roulette, and slot machines.

There’s a total associated with six missions with regard to you to total as part regarding the Cluckin’ Bells Farm Raid. All Heists are available for replay right after completing each total strand as Heist leader. As stated earlier there is a short delay before you can replay the similar Heist again as Leader.

Safe Gambling Online

Platforms with a new massive amount customized functions and bespoke styles will require more period and resources in order to complete, consequently growing the working hrs in the specialists. To achieve success,” “your business needs to utilize targeted digital advertising and marketing campaigns and affiliate marketing programs. It would also be good to partner with other companies and influencers for cross-promotion, as well since visit targeted iGaming conferences. This is definitely why you require to have a major support team that may communicate with numerous customers at just about all times. Train your support team to be efficient, as well as calm and accumulated, as some wagering clients can end up being quite short-tempered. Starting an online online casino can be demanding when it comes to legal regulations – not most countries allow this sort of businesses inside their jurisdictions.

With this kind of in mind, you have to invest a whole lot of dedication plus an enormous work into your business for this to accomplish the expected achievement. The next action within our guide on how to open a slot machine business is deciding on the absolute best online casino software provider. Many of you are probably common with the top rated companies in typically the industry, including Playtech, Evolution, and and so on. Countless reliable online casinos throughout the US have put their believe in in these programmers. The” “associated with gambling is exciting and, most associated with the time, very rewarding for equally customers and workers.

Why Is Definitely It Worth To Generate An Online On Line Casino Website?

For added entertainment, look at finding a magician or even showgirls to conduct. Better support deck hands come at the larger cut in the total take, and several are more worth this than others. For instance, you’ll absolutely want as much time in the particular vault as achievable, so picking the expert hacker will be an easy selection.

• If deemed lawful, make sure to be able to secure all certification requirements to steer clear of operation shutdown and even other consequences.
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All the footwork is quietly associated with the casino, needing to check everything and ensure it is up to date with the law. Just like when you enter a casino in British Columbia, a person need to display a government-issued ID[3], also you require to do that will when you pay a visit to a virtual online casino. One thing about online ID checks that is certain would be that the casino’s team desires to be as thorough as possible. Assuming that you’ve successfully passed the previous steps, you will end up facing one final decision – to accept or decline the particular conditions and terms. These usually are lengthy pieces regarding text that describe the policy associated with the casino relating to important issues.

Make Your Fundraiser Wonderful With Casino Supply

For your own marketing efforts to be able to not go in order to waste, always assure you have the sporting activities betting licenses to control in your targeted areas. This contains a broad range of slot machines, table games, video clip poker, and various other less-known casino game titles. In addition, casinos earn revenue coming from hotel stays, cafe meals, and various other services which they provide. Most casinos are profitable if they present a variety of games, including video poker machines, scratch cards, and holdem poker. Expansion opportunities may possibly exist in terms of increasing the quantity of gaming options, increasing the facility, or even adding new facilities. A casino can also target new market segments by attracting visitors or hosting exhibitions and conferences.

• Once logged into the Discord Server, you should contact any member of the Help Team to gain access to the particular channel specifically produced for translators.
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• Some providers are far better suited for programs centered on table online games, while others are recognized for offering numerous topnoth slots.
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It’s essential to research and even understand the lawful requirements in the area. In most cases, in the event that you’re not assisting real money wagering, permits won’t become necessary. Talk carry out your casino local rental company to get specific guidance for your current local area. Being included with an on the internet casino register is definitely not an quick task from the legitimate standpoint.

House Passes Bill To Protect Babies Born Alive After Failed Abortions

Authored by Samantha Flom via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

A bill to establish standards of care for babies born alive after failed abortions passed along party lines in the House on Jan. 23.

The 217–204 vote followed a heated debate in the chamber, during which Republicans stressed that the bill was not about abortion but the babies who survive the procedure.

Pro-life activists march across the National Mall near the U.S. Capitol during the 50th annual National March for Life, in Washington on Jan. 20, 2023. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

“As a physician, it is beyond my comprehension that anyone would not intervene to save an innocent and defenseless human life,” Rep. Gregory Murphy (R-N.C.) said, defending the bill on the House floor.

“Neglect is harm. Neglect is immoral. Abortion is not the issue.”

The Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act requires medical professionals present at a newborn abortion survivor’s birth to provide the same level of life-saving care to that baby as would be offered to any other premature infant of the same gestational age.

The bill mandates the transfer of such infants to a hospital for additional treatment and also establishes reporting requirements for violations. Penalties for violating the law could include fines and up to five years in prison, though the child’s mother would be protected from prosecution.

Democrats, however, argued that infanticide is already illegal and that the bill is therefore unnecessary.

“This bill does not solve a problem,” Rep. Kelly Morrison (D-Minn.), an obstetrician, said before voting against the measure in the House.

“Doctors are already both honored and obligated to provide appropriate care for their patients. It is illegal to kill a newborn infant in all 50 states.”

From 2019 to 2021 in Morrison’s home state of Minnesota, there were at least eight reported cases in which newborn abortion survivors died post-birth, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. In five of those cases, no measures were reported to have been taken to save the babies’ lives. In the other three cases, “comfort care” was provided.

Other Democrats argued that the bill would allow for government interference in women’s reproductive health decisions and deprive parents of the opportunity to comfort their dying babies.

“Only 1 percent of all abortions happen at 21 weeks or later, and if they do, it is because of a serious fetal abnormality or the health of the mother,” Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) said. “And if you are the one getting that news, it is heartbreaking, it is earth-shattering. And the last thing families need is government to interfere with their access to care.”

The bill’s passage in the House comes a day after Democrats unanimously opposed its advance in the Senate. With a 60-vote majority needed to invoke cloture, or limit debate, on a bill, the procedural vote failed 52-47.

That result was no surprise to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.).

Thune had noted hours before that he fully expected Democrats to reject what he felt should be a noncontroversial bill.

“We should all be able to agree that a baby born alive after an attempted abortion must be protected,” the majority leader said on the Senate floor.

“But I think it is safe to say that what it all boils down to is this: Democrats will oppose legislation to provide appropriate medical care to newborn children who survive abortions because they are afraid.”

If Democrats recognized the humanity of a living baby, born in an abortion clinic after a botched abortion, they might be forced to acknowledge the humanity of the unborn baby in that same clinic, Thune said.

Republicans have tried numerous times in recent years to pass legislation protecting the lives of newborn abortion survivors. Those efforts have been blocked by Democrats.

Tens of thousands, or perhaps hundreds of thousands, of pro-life advocates are expected to flood Washington on Jan. 24 for the 52nd annual National March for Life.

Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to speak at the event on behalf of the Trump administration. President Donald Trump will address the March in a video message, a White House official confirmed on Thursday.

Tyler Durden Sat, 01/25/2025 - 17:30

"Closer To Disinformation": Ex-Politico Reporters Reveal How "Cowardly Editors" Helped Biden Win 2020 Election

Two former Politico reporters revealed how "cowardly editors" at their former publication carried water for Joe Biden in the 2020 election by actively working to suppress stories that were unflattering to Biden.

"Politico did that terrible, ill-fated headline: 51 intelligence agents, or former intelligence agents, say that the Hunter Biden laptop was disinformation, or bore the hallmarks of disinformation," said Marc Caputo, now the senior politics editor at Axios. "Turns out that story was closer to disinformation because the Hunter Biden laptop appeared to be true."

The other ex-Politico reporter, Tara Palmeri - who interviewed Caputo on her "Somebody's Gotta Win" podcast, recalled how social media giants colluded to censor the Hunter Biden laptop story, while Caputo noted that (pre-Musk) Twitter "punished" the New York Post for its accurate reporting - locking the outlet out of its account following a pressure campaign from the Biden DOJ.

"I was covering Biden at the time," Caputo told Palmeri, adding: "And I was told this came from on high at Politico: Don’t write about the laptop, don’t talk about the laptop, don’t tweet about the laptop."

Caputo added that he was working on a story about Hunter Biden's shady dealings with Ukrainian natural gas company Burisma, which Politico editors "killed" during the 2020 Democrat primaries.

"I wrote what would have been a classic story saying, you know, ‘The former vice president’s son was slapped with a big tax lien for the period of time that he worked for this controversial Ukrainian oil concern, or natural gas concern, which is haunting his father on the campaign trail,’" said Caputo, adding that the story was spiked without any explanation.

According to Caputo, readers "don’t understand the dumb decisions of cowardly editors that are made above us."

As Headline USA notes further, Palmeri told Caputo that she worked for three months on a report she co-wrote in March 2021 about the Secret Service trying to obtain a copy of Hunter Biden's gun-purchase form that he lied on, and eventually resulted in a criminal conviction.

"I spent three months on it, I went to the laptop shop, and I did all of the reporting in Delaware," she remembered. "But I do wonder if it could have, if it would have been published a little quicker if it was a different type of story."

"It was the beginning of his administration, it was a honeymoon period — you know what I mean?"

h/t Julianna Frieman via Headline USA

Tyler Durden Sat, 01/25/2025 - 16:55

Whistleblower: FBI's New Orleans Boss Stayed On Vacation after New Year's Terrorist Attack

Authored by Ken Silva via Headline USA,

Apparently the second-deadliest foreign-inspired terrorist attack in the U.S. since 9/11 wasn’t enough for the boss of the New Orleans FBI field office to end his vacation early.

Lyonel Myrthil, special agent in charge of the New Orleans field office, second from left, shows footage of Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the man who carried out an attack on New Orleans' Bourbon Street on New Year's Day, during a news conference in a secure garage at the FBI Headquarters in New Orleans. / PHOTO: The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP

Early on New Year’s Day, 42-year-old Army veteran Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar rammed a pickup truck into a crowd in New Orleans’s famed French Quarter—killing 14 people who were celebrating the New Year. Police fatally shot Jabbar in a following firefight, and authorities later determined that the incident was inspired by the foreign terrorist organization ISIS.

Despite that, New Orleans FBI Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil took several more days to return to the office, according to a whistleblower working with the office of Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.

“Myrthil vacationed in Europe from late December to early January, which included New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and the Sugar Bowl and took multiple days to return to New Orleans after the terrorist attack on January 1,” Grassley said in a Tuesday letter to FBI Acting Director Brian Driscol and Acting Attorney General James McHenry.

“The FBI failed to note this in any of the joint briefings it provided to Congress and must provide more information.”

A lazy SAC of .....
According to a whistleblower working with Sen. Grassley's office, the New Orleans FBI Special Agent in Charge did not leave his vacation early after the New Year's Day terrorist attack in his city -- one of the deadliest terrorist attacks since 9/11 pic.twitter.com/fCD8vpbWWF

— Ken Silva (@JD_Cashless) January 24, 2025

Along with questions about the vacationing SAC, Grassley’s office seeks more information about the New Orleans attack, as well as info about the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on the same day. Grassley also wants to make sure whether those two attacks were connected—especially given that the driver of the Cybertruck, Matthew Alan Livelsberger, served at Fort Bragg and in Afghanistan at the same time as Jabbar.

“Similarities do reportedly exist between Jabbar and Livelsberger. For example, both individuals had experience in the U.S. Army and the vehicles in both incidents were rented from the same company, Turo. Further, according to reports, authorities claimed Livelsberger and Jabbar “likely overlapped at Fort Bragg and again in Afghanistan,’” Grassley noted. “It remains unclear whether there are additional similarities or connections between Jabbar and Livelsberger.”

Grassley and Sen. Ron Johnson seek updates on the New Year’s Day attacks by Feb. 5.

Grassley and Johnson also wrote a separate letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, asking about Jabbar’s terroristic Facebook posts in the leadup to his attack.

Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.

Tyler Durden Sat, 01/25/2025 - 16:20

Lower 48 Polar Blast Coldest "Since 1994" As Global Warming Alarmists Go Silent

After years of "unprecedented man-made global boiling" propaganda pushed by woke scientists, far-left corporate media outlets, grifting 'green' billionaires, and climate change warrior non-profits, Al Gore and Greta Thunberg have a lot of explaining to do after this January across the Lower 48 could shape up to be one of the coldest in years if not decades. 

"With an average temperature running 3.6 degrees below normal, this is currently the coldest January nationally (lower 48) since 1994," meteorologist Kevin Williams and founder of private weather forecasting firm Weather-Track, wrote on X. 

With an average temperature running 3.6 degrees below normal, this is currently the coldest January nationally (lower 48) since 1994. pic.twitter.com/fjigNqIDmk

— Kevin Williams (@wxbywilliams) January 24, 2025

Meteorologist Joe Bastardi wrote on X, "The nation for Jan is now the coldest max temps since 1988 at - 4.2.  Still lagging 94 for average)." 

The nation for Jan is now the coldest max temps since 1988 at - 4.2. Still lagging 94 for average)
94 was colder in the east,but the western warmth took it out max temp wise 2011 now a full degree higher. This in the face of the US climate model which on Dec 21 forecasted a top… pic.twitter.com/lQ7NIIlvi9

— The American Storm (@BigJoeBastardi) January 24, 2025

"This month will end up finishing in the top 5 coldest JANs since 1990. Currently should finish 3rd right behind 1994 and 1991. Historically cold top 5 coldest JANs roll into this look for FEB on the right. Still some winter left in the tank we believe," private weather forecaster BAMWX said on X. 

This month will end up finishing in the top 5 coldest JANs since 1990.

Currently should finish 3rd right behind 1994 and 1991.

Historically cold top 5 coldest JANs roll into this look for FEB on the right.

Still some winter left in the tank we believe. pic.twitter.com/HSuhXQa5HY

— BAM Weather (@bamwxcom) January 23, 2025

We've also been closely following the polar vortex blast and its impact on the economy and energy markets this winter season: 

• Ski Weather At Vail Resorts "Solid" With Above-Average Snowfall At Northeast Slopes

• Goldman: "Cold January" & "Record LNG Demand" Drive Upside Risk In Natty Prices

• Incoming: "Big Dumps Of Cold Air. Reminiscent Of 2013/14 Winter"

• Doesn't Fit MSM Narrative: Parts Of US Could Rival Coldest January Since 1977

• Polar Vortex, Back-To-Back-To-Back Winter Storms Target Eastern Half Of US

• Extreme Cold, Snow Places Texas Power Grid & Permian On Alert

• PJM Grid Declares "Max Generation Alert" As Polar Vortex Unleashes Mini Ice Age

Despite billions of tons of emissions released by fossil fuel energy plants, factories, jumbo jets, cow farts, gas stoves, and vehicles over the years, and Greta's claim about the world ending in a firey death by 2023...

... somehow, January is shaping up to be one of the coldest in years. 

Ahead of the Northern Hemisphere winter, climate crisis warriors were out spreading propaganda with the intent of causing climate anxieties amongst the population by warning about the "hottest ever" conditions while completely ignoring the warming effects of the Hunga Tonga undersea volcano. Instead, Taylor Swift's private jet and cow farts were blamed on warming conditions. 

At the start of last week, President Trump officially ended America's involvement in the Paris Climate Agreement, citing its de-growth and inflationary policies that have strangled the US economy.

It's communism. pic.twitter.com/luTqwOEan6

— Fight With Memes (@fightwithmemes) January 25, 2025

Climate grifters were put on notice by the president.

Al Gore

Michael Bloomberg

Al Gore will just blame the cold weather on global warming. No accountability. That must change in the era of Trump 2.0. 

Tyler Durden Sat, 01/25/2025 - 15:45

Rubio To Visit Panama Amid Rising Tensions Over Canal

Authored by Darlene McCormick Sanchez via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to make his first trip abroad next week, which will include a stop in Panama amid rising tensions over President Donald Trump’s vow to take back the Panama Canal.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the State Department in Washington on Jan. 21, 2025. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

“China is operating the Panama Canal. And we didn’t give it to China. We gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back,” Trump said during his inaugural speech.

Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino has denied that China is running the canal and stated it won’t be returned to the United States.

Tammy Bruce, department spokeswoman, said Rubio—a Florida Senator with Cuban roots—also planned to visit El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic.

Bruce said the visit stemmed from Rubio’s interest in the region and his desire to strengthen ties with Central American countries, in particular to battle illegal immigration.

Rubio may have his work cut out during his visit to Panama as tensions over Trump’s comments have escalated.

During his confirmation hearing, Rubio characterized the Panamanian government as “very friendly to the United States and very cooperative.”

“We want that to continue,” he said.

One bright spot during the visit could include working with Panama to curtail mass migration.

Mulino campaigned on shutting down illegal immigration through Panama’s Darien Gap.

However, the focus on the Panama Canal could overshadow immigration talks.

Rubio noted during his hearing that Chinese companies controlling port facilities on both ends of the canal have been a concern for a decade.

During a 2017 trip to Panama, Rubio said he discussed China’s influence along the waterway, which is a choke point with military value. It’s a critical pathway for U.S. warships in both the Atlantic and Pacific.

Rubio said military and security officials in Panama said during his visit that Beijing could potentially use its commercial ports during a military conflict.

There are “no independent Chinese companies,” Rubio said. “They all exist because they’ve been identified as national champions. They’re supported by the Chinese government.”

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) mandates that Chinese companies cooperate with state intelligence agencies.

China began to invest in Panama around 2016 and 2017, and the money had strings attached, Rubio said.

The China-based Landbridge struck a $900 million deal in 2016 to control Margarita Island, Panama’s largest port on the Atlantic side, to build a deepwater port.

In 2017, Panama signed on to China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), dubbed a modern Silk Road, after publicly recognizing Taiwan as part of China, much to the surprise and concern of the United States.

In 2018, during Trump’s first term in office, U.S. and domestic Panamanian pressure was credited with ending China’s plan to construct a large embassy at the mouth of the canal, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

That same year, a Chinese consortium headed by China Harbor Engineering Company (CHEC) and state-owned China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) was awarded a $1.4 billion contract for the canal’s fourth bridge.

The CCCC was involved in constructing China’s man-made islands in the disputed South China Sea.

On the Pacific side of the canal, in the spring of 2024, Chinese companies completed work on the enormous Amador Pacific Coast cruise terminal built by the CHEC.

Who Has De Facto Control?

This month, in an interview with The Associated Press, canal administrator Ricaurte Vásquez rejected claims that the canal was controlled by China while noting that American and Taiwanese businesses also operate ports along the canal.

The Panama Canal Authority manages the administration and maintenance of the waterway’s resources and security. It operates independently of the Panamanian government.

“I mean, that’s one of those things that is factual but not truthful,” said Joshua Trevino, a former vice president of policy at the Pacific Research Institute and current policy analyst for the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

The canal authority may technically control the waterway, but Chinese companies also have functional control over the ports and pay the bills, he told The Epoch Times.

“If you have the financial and operational control—which they do—the titular government is a lot less important than those two things,” he said.

Eva Fu, Ryan Morgan, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Tyler Durden Sat, 01/25/2025 - 15:10