1675: Flying Cars

Dr. Michael P. Masters is a professor of biological anthropology at Montana Technological University in Butte, Montana. He received a Ph.D. in Anthropology from The Ohio State University in 2009, where he specialized in hominin evolutionary anatomy, archaeology, and biomedicine.

Recent research examines the premise that UFOs and ‘Aliens’ could be our future-human descendants, returning to visit and study their own evolutionary past. In 2019, he published 'Identified Flying Objects: A Multidisciplinary Scientific Approach to the UFO Phenomenon,' which is a broad-based scientific examination of this idea.

His second book, 'The Extratempestrial Model,' published June 1, 2022, further scrutinizes this time-travel theory, with a focus on abductee and contactee accounts in the context of this and other theories put forth to explain this complex and mysterious phenomenon.

And his most recent book, 'Revelation: The Future Human Past,' published June 1, 2023, digs deeper into this intertemporal hominin descendants question, but in the context of a satirical time travel science fiction novel.

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McDonald’s Australia has cut breakfast time in Australia by 90 minutes due to an egg shortage amid an outbreak of bird flu.

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Adam - hope life is great.

My wife and I have been living in Roatan, Honduras for over 2 years. Yes, dengue fever numbers are up extremely high this year. Because my wife is in the medical field we get a lot of islanders who tell her about their issues. From what we can gather, the cases are up 4-5 times as much as usual.

Two things stand out:

I took a photo of this sign (attached) that was put up in front of our church on July 10, 2023. We had not heard of any dengue problems before this sign went up. None. No one we knew had dengue.

Before the last 2 weeks, it literally had not rained on the island since February. So the mosquitoes should not be bad based on the dryness of the island.

I've been telling my wife for months I believe this is 'their' next big thing. I believe they released the engineered mosquitoes on Central America.

JMJ

In south and central Malaysia we have a constant threat of dengue.Not just rural areas but in Kuala Lumpur.

It is carried only by specific mosquito species here called Aedes ( pronounced "A-dez”).

If left UNTREATED yes its dangerous. So you don’t leave it untreated! I have lived here 30 years and had it only once. It was unpleasant but I was simply tired, had a headache and was on a drip. In hospital 3-4 days.

The way to avoid it is to get rid of standing water where they breed. Simple.

Northern Malaysia has the anopheles mosquito. I do not like the as they can spread Malaria. Again the way to avoid them is to make sure you have no standing water.

Guppies work well as a natural predator in outside ponds.

Cheers

Grant

It just hit me. This is all a shakedown by the Biden crime family. The family is keeping him in the race waiting on the highest Democrat machine bidder to pay him off to drop out. I bet everything going on right now is just behind the scenes negotiations on what Jill’s buyout price is: $50 million, $100 million? That’s probably why Hunter is “sitting in on the meetings”. It’s a Biden crime family shakedown because they know they hold all the cards.

This “I’m not dropping out” thing is their retirement package and it has to be his biggest shakedown ever since once he dies the family will have no further access to big money to fund their lifestyle. And none of them are about to go get real jobs.

It was the family itself that made the decision to expose Joe by not juicing him up for public speaking anymore because it was time to hold the entire party hostage and get their big pay day.

Break off $20 mil to a new foundation for global drug abuse awareness, Reid Hoffman and the other big boys pitch in another $50 million to the new foundation, and the Bidens fly around in jets every few months for the rest of their lives giving speeches and drinking with elites.

Hey Adam, listening to yesterday's show and noticed something kinda shocking in the clip of Kamala and taraji . One of them says "they're pushing the wrong kinda P's if you ask me". Pushing p is slang for pushing pounds (of drugs). It adds another element to the pandering, I bet Moe picked up on that if you guys have already recorded

Plus they not like us is the Lamar track in Drake beef

Tier 1: Total Immunity for Constitutional Acts. “The President is absolutely immune from criminal prosecution for conduct within his exclusive sphere of constitutional authority.” This blessed tier is only for when a president exercises explicit authority under Article Two of the Constitution. Things like negotiating treaties, issuing pardons, and directing military operations. As you can imagine, this is a small, well-defined tier.

Tier 2: Presumptive Immunity for Official Acts. The Court declared that “the President must be immune from prosecution for an official act unless the Government can show that applying a criminal prohibition to that act would pose no dangers of intrusion on the authority and functions of the Executive Branch.” In short, if the President acts officially, as President, that act is immune—but a prosecutor can still proceed if they can show criminalizing that type of conduct will not hinder the Presidential office.

Tier Two answers the Democrats’ most deranged temper tantrums. Prosecuting Presidents who order the military to assassinate (i.e. murder) their opponents would not harm the Presidential office, because presidents are not supposed to murder people, and it wouldn’t hinder the Presidential office to criminalize murder. Duh.

Tier 3: No Immunity for Unofficial Acts. “The separation of powers does not bar a prosecution predicated on the President's unofficial acts. The first step in deciding whether a former President is entitled to immunity from a particular prosecution is to distinguish his official from unofficial actions.” For example, the Court said a President has zero immunity when he acts as the leader of his political party, or when pursuing his personal interests.

Actually, assassinating political rivals would probably fall squarely under Tier 3 — enjoying no immunity at all.

As you can see, this three-tier system neither turns Presidents into kings —not Burger King, impotent King Charles, or Solomon— nor places presidents above the law. Certainly not Trump. The decision only resolved a couple of the worst counts in a single Trump case. As for the surviving counts involved in this particular appeal (Judge Chutkan’s case), the Supremes bounced most of the counts back down to her, to apply the new test and then get back to them.

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Sun, 07 Jul 2024 11:35

Authored by Monica O'Shea via The Epoch Times,

McDonald's Australia has cut breakfast time in Australia by 90 minutes due to an egg shortage amid an outbreak of bird flu.

The decision follows after the highly pathogenic H7 influenza infected eight farms in Victoria, two properties in New South Wales, and one in the Australian Capital Territory.

More than one million birds in the two states combined have been euthanised as part of the government's response to bird flu, also known as avian influenza.

In a post on social media, McDonald's explained breakfast would end at 10.30 a.m. instead of midday, due to egg supply issues.

''Like many retailers we are carefully managing supply of eggs due to the current industry challenges,'' McDonald's Australia posted to Instagram.

''To keep bringing you your breakie favourites with fresh Aussie eggs, we'll be temporarily serving breakfast until 10.30 a.m. across Australia (usually available until midday).''

McDonald's said it is working hard with Aussie farmers and suppliers to return to normal ''as soon as possible.''

Egg Supply DisruptionsRecently, the federal government warned egg supplies in Australia have been disrupted and consumers should not buy more eggs than required.

''The national layer hen flock has been impacted by these outbreaks which is resulting in some localised disruption to egg supplies to the retail, hospitality and manufacturing sectors,'' the government said.

They warned consumers could expect to see some empty shelves in the short-term, but supply was being redirected.

''Some retailers have already imposed purchasing limits which may extend across retail chains and jurisdictions, including rural and regional areas,'' the federal government continued.

Supermarket giant Coles imposed egg purchase limits on Australian customers in June.

Where Has Bird Flu Been Detected?In Victoria, the H7N3 strain was detected at seven poultry farms in the Golden Plains Shire near Meredith. A case of the H7N9 strain avian flu has also been discovered.

Meanwhile, in NSW, two outbreaks of H7N8 poultry have been found in the Hawkesbury district in northwest Sydney. This is a separate strain to Victoria.

Further, in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), H7N8 bird flu was detected at a poultry farm on June 27. This farm is linked to one of the NSW properties.

The first human case of bird flu in Australia was also reported in Victoria in May, in a child who acquired the H5N1 strain overseas in India.

The current strains of avian influenza in Australia do not appear to ''transmit easily between humans,'' the Australian government said.

The government also reassured Australians that eggs and chicken meat are still safe to eat if cooked properly.

''They do not pose a risk and are safe to consume. Victoria has a secure supply chain including the importation of eggs from interstate, so the current outbreak has not significantly affected supplies,'' said Agriculture Victoria.

Bird flu is caused by a ''variety of influenza type A viruses'' that usually infect birds, according to Murdoch University Professor of Viral Immunology Cassandra Berry.

''The difference lies in the number of basic amino acids at the cleave site of haemagglutinin (HA), a spike protein on the virus surface, which is cleaved by cellular proteases,'' she said.

''This cleavage determination then allows the virus to infect cells of different tissues and organs in the body. So if the virus HA is more easily cleaved by proteases, it will be more pathogenic.''

Over 1.2 Million Birds CulledThe NSW government announced 240,000 birds would be culled in June after bird flu was discovered in the state.

The state activated an ''emergency biosecurity incident plan'' in a bid to contain the virus after bird flu was detected at the poultry egg farm.

''We started depopulating the farm, in a humane manner, following Australian Veterinary guidelines. This process will take up to 5-7 days to depopulate 240,000 birds,'' Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty announced on June 20.

Later in the month, it was revealed a further 87,000 birds would be killed in NSW as part of a ''depopulation process'' after the second case in the state was found.

In ACT, birds have also been culled although the exact number is unclear at this stage.

More than one million birds had to be euthanised in south-western Victoria, according to Agriculture Minister Murray Watt in June.

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Sun, 07 Jul 2024 11:13

Thailand's government has announced that it will apply to join the BRICS bloc of emerging nations soon, in a bid to fortify its slackening economy and boost its global presence.

The announcement was made after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, which approved the government's plans to apply officially for BRICS membership. If approved, Thailand would become the group's first member from Southeast Asia.

According to the Bangkok Post, government spokesman Chai Wacharonke said the cabinet approved a draft of the official letter indicating Thailand's intention to become a member of the group.

The BRICS group, named after its core members '' Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa '' has recently undergone a round of expansion, admitting Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2024. (Argentina was also among the new members, before its new president, Javier Milei, withdrew the country from the bloc late last year.) Thailand is among 15 countries being considered for the next round of admission, which also includes regional neighbors Vietnam and Indonesia.

According to Chai, Thailand's letter said that BRICS membership would ''benefit Thailand in many dimensions, including enhancing the country's role in the international arena and increasing its opportunities to co-create a new world order,'' in the Bangkok Post's paraphrase. It added that the country's vision ''is in line with the BRICS principles.''

The spokesperson added that BRICS has invited countries wishing to join to attend the 16th summit of the association, which will be held from October 22-24 in the Russian city of Kazan.

While Thailand's interest in BRICS dates back quite some time, the membership bid is consistent with Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin's goal of strengthening the Thai economy and increasing the country's international profile, which withered during the years of direct and indirect military rule after the 2014 coup.

Many observers, in both the West and the Global South, have expressed skepticism about BRICS' potential, given its diffuse institutional nature and the very different motivations that its members have for joining the bloc. As the United States Institute for Peace put it after the latest admission of members, ''The enlarged BRICS will undoubtedly serve as an important forum for global conversations among middle-income countries, but that may be its biggest impact on global affairs.'' It added, ''After over a decade in existence, it remains to be seen whether BRICS will become a force politically and economically within the international system.''

Nonetheless, the Thai government probably figures that there is no harm in being involved in any grouping that could potentially help enhance its global economic and political standing. Finance Minister Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala said last year that BRICS membership was an important way for Thailand to adjust to the shifting global balance of power. ''Thailand must adjust its foreign relations strategy, lessening dependence on the USA but being cautious to avoid problems with the long-standing U.S. relationship,'' The Nation paraphrased him as saying.

Interestingly, Thailand has also begun the lengthy process of becoming a member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a group of developed countries that is exactly the sort of institution to which BRICS views itself as an alternative. Thailand recently submitted a letter of intent expressing its commitment to join the bloc to the OECD secretary-general, but the approval process is lengthier than that of BRICS.

Membership in these two competing geo-economic blocs would be consistent not only with the Srettha administration's economic policy agenda; it would also be consistent with the country's desire to position itself between the contending superpower blocs: particularly, between its long-time security ally, the United States, and its main economic partner, China. Whether Thailand will succeed in becoming a member of both blocs '' the OECD membership process is particularly protracted '' remains unclear. But its intention to join both, and its belief that it can, is as good an illustration as any of Thailand's ductile foreign policy in action.

Thailand's government has announced that it will apply to join the BRICS bloc of emerging nations soon, in a bid to fortify its slackening economy and boost its global presence.

The announcement was made after a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, which approved the government's plans to apply officially for BRICS membership. If approved, Thailand would become the group's first member from Southeast Asia.

According to the Bangkok Post, government spokesman Chai Wacharonke said the cabinet approved a draft of the official letter indicating Thailand's intention to become a member of the group.

The BRICS group, named after its core members '' Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa '' has recently undergone a round of expansion, admitting Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2024. (Argentina was also among the new members, before its new president, Javier Milei, withdrew the country from the bloc late last year.) Thailand is among 15 countries being considered for the next round of admission, which also includes regional neighbors Vietnam and Indonesia.

According to Chai, Thailand's letter said that BRICS membership would ''benefit Thailand in many dimensions, including enhancing the country's role in the international arena and increasing its opportunities to co-create a new world order,'' in the Bangkok Post's paraphrase. It added that the country's vision ''is in line with the BRICS principles.''

The spokesperson added that BRICS has invited countries wishing to join to attend the 16th summit of the association, which will be held from October 22-24 in the Russian city of Kazan.

While Thailand's interest in BRICS dates back quite some time, the membership bid is consistent with Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin's goal of strengthening the Thai economy and increasing the country's international profile, which withered during the years of direct and indirect military rule after the 2014 coup.

Many observers, in both the West and the Global South, have expressed skepticism about BRICS' potential, given its diffuse institutional nature and the very different motivations that its members have for joining the bloc. As the United States Institute for Peace put it after the latest admission of members, ''The enlarged BRICS will undoubtedly serve as an important forum for global conversations among middle-income countries, but that may be its biggest impact on global affairs.'' It added, ''After over a decade in existence, it remains to be seen whether BRICS will become a force politically and economically within the international system.''

Nonetheless, the Thai government probably figures that there is no harm in being involved in any grouping that could potentially help enhance its global economic and political standing. Finance Minister Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala said last year that BRICS membership was an important way for Thailand to adjust to the shifting global balance of power. ''Thailand must adjust its foreign relations strategy, lessening dependence on the USA but being cautious to avoid problems with the long-standing U.S. relationship,'' The Nation paraphrased him as saying.

Interestingly, Thailand has also begun the lengthy process of becoming a member of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a group of developed countries that is exactly the sort of institution to which BRICS views itself as an alternative. Thailand recently submitted a letter of intent expressing its commitment to join the bloc to the OECD secretary-general, but the approval process is lengthier than that of BRICS.

Membership in these two competing geo-economic blocs would be consistent not only with the Srettha administration's economic policy agenda; it would also be consistent with the country's desire to position itself between the contending superpower blocs: particularly, between its long-time security ally, the United States, and its main economic partner, China. Whether Thailand will succeed in becoming a member of both blocs '' the OECD membership process is particularly protracted '' remains unclear. But its intention to join both, and its belief that it can, is as good an illustration as any of Thailand's ductile foreign policy in action.

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Sun, 07 Jul 2024 10:57

On April 26, Erping Zhang, a close associate of Li Hongzhi, the mysterious leader of the Falun Gong religious movement, called TIME in New York to say that major events were transpiring in Beijing. ''It looks as though quite a few people have shown up,'' he said. When we asked how many, he guessed that it might be 10,000. ''But this is getting bigger,'' he said. ''They are planning to go to the government offices.'' As it turned out, Zhang was correct. At least 10,000 Falun Gong members gathered in front of Zhongnanhai, the seat of China's government, to demand recognition from authorities and freedom to practice their beliefs. The demonstration appeared to indicate that Falun Gong''which may have as many as 100 million adherents worldwide, mainly in China''is tightly organized. But Zhang insists that the protest was ''spontaneous.''

A few weeks before the demonstration, TIME interviewed Li Hongzhi, the soft-spoken 47-year-old creator of Falun Gong, in Manhattan where he settled after leaving China a year ago. Li believes the ancient Chinese art of qigong (Falun Gong is one variation) can endow practitioners with superhuman powers. He also says the world is in chaos today because the human race has been invaded by aliens from other planets who hope to challenge mankind through scientific means, especially through human cloning. If Li's ideas seem far fetched, it is worth noting that he has fans and followers worldwide. On Oct. 11, 1996, Houston mayor Robert C. Lanier proclaimed the date to be Li Hongzhi Day. Li was interviewed in New York by TIME correspondent William Dowell. He spoke in Chinese and Zhang acted as interpreter.

Here is the interview:

TIME: How does Falun Gong differ from other types of qigong?

Li: There are different practices of qigong in China and in other countries, but they are primarily aimed at healing illnesses or keeping fit and maintaining good health. I am teaching a higher level of qigong. It encompasses a greater content. It is like the Tao, which is known in the Western world.

TIME: And this expresses an inner energy?

Li: You probably know that some people have supernormal capabilities. They are unique capabilities that are created during the course of the cultivation practice. In order to reach a higher level, we require people to reach the perfection or completion of cultivation. In Chinese we call this attaining the Tao.

TIME: In your book [Zhuan Falun] you talk about people levitating off the ground but you say that they should not show other people. Why is that?

Li: It is the same principle that Western gods in paradise should not be seen by ordinary mortals because they cannot understand its meaning.

TIME: Have you seen human beings levitate off the ground?

Li: I have known too many.

TIME: Can you describe any that you have known?

Li: David Copperfield. He can levitate and he did it during performances.

TIME: You have said that this type of qigong should not be used to cure illness. Why is that?

Li: Healing illnesses belongs to the lower level of qigong. A person with an illness cannot practice to a higher level. One has to purify one's body in order to have gong. Healing and fitness are for laying a foundation at a lower level of practice.

TIME: Would you use qigong to cure an illness?

Li: I can do all of this, but I won't do it.

TIME: Why not?

Li: Because I only teach people how to learn this dafa [great law] and to practice cultivation. I only teach the principles of fa to mankind. I won't do anything else.

TIME: What is the final goal?

Li: The ultimate purpose is to enable people to attain the Tao and to complete their cultivation practice. In the end they can free themselves from the worldly state. I know that human lives are not created from the dimension that human beings think they know.

TIME: Why does the master reveal this path to the qigong now?

Li: Mankind has many things that it never knew before. What I can tell you is that human moral values are no longer good. In the course of the cultivation practice, one can upgrade oneself. Many people will be able to complete their cultivation and attain the Tao. There will be some who will not be able to complete cultivation but will become very good people.

TIME: Why did you come to New York?

Li: In China, the government is a centralized government. Because the number of our practitioners is large, the government may feel pressure.

TIME: It is difficult to teach in China?

Li: In China, there are more than 100 million who practice this. The official estimate of the number of practitioners is 60 million. I want to teach people to be good and not to be involved in politics. I told people not to get involved in political events to make sure that they have a very good practice in their environment without interference.

TIME: So why is the Chinese government concerned?

Li: America is a country with democracy. You probably don't understand what it is like in a country that has a centralized government. The Chinese government knows that what I am teaching is good and that I am teaching people to have high moral values. They are only concerned because there are so many people practicing cultivation.

TIME: When did you learn about qigong?

Li: I started to learn when I was four years old. I was very young, and my teachers taught me aspects that were very simple.

TIME: Who were your teachers?

Li: I do not wish to have their names known. I had masters in two schools. Prior to the Cultural Revolution people enjoyed quite a bit of religious freedom. Chinese were quite used to such things. It was like going to church in the West.

TIME: When did you start teaching?

Li: I am more than 40 years old, and I have been practicing qigong for many years. When qigong became popular, I did not come out in the public. I did not want to teach about stopping illnesses or keeping fit.

TIME: What made you finally come out?

Li: When these masters asked me to come out. At the time I said that there were too many people practicing qigong, and I said that I did not want to cure illnesses or to help people keep fit. They said, ''What you do will be different. These people who are teaching how to cure illnesses and teaching fitness, are paving the road for your coming out.''

TIME: Where were these masters?

Li: They were in the mountains.

TIME: How did the movement spread?

Li: Many people practice qigong in China. They all want to practice it to the higher levels, but no one was teaching them. They all wanted me to teach them. Some people organized the events and applied to the government for approval.

TIME: When did you decide to come to America?

Li: I came here last year, and I started the application the year before that.

TIME: Did you feel you were in danger in China?

Li: The government did not express a clear position, but the security ministries felt that there were too many people practicing. When we tried to hold meetings, they did not approve them because they felt there were too many people.

TIME: What is the wheel that is Falun?

Li: It is a pattern, or a symbol on the surface. What it is inside is much better.

TIME: So it is an idea?

Li: In the West, the spirit is separate from the body. In the East these are things that are very real and concrete.

TIME: You talk about placing the wheel into the body.

Li: I can use my mind to direct and order things to happen.

TIME: Is cultivation achieved through mental effort or physical exercise.

Li: Both are needed.

TIME: What happens after one attains the Tao?

Li: We have all heard about the Chinese deities. When one completes cultivation, one has special powers.

TIME: Can qigong prevent death?

Li: In the West, one can reach paradise through cultivation practice after death. In the East, one can achieve a divine status through cultivation practice while one is still alive.

TIME: You talk about the period of the end of Dharma.

Li: While Buddha Sakyamuni [563-483 B.C.] was teaching his Dharma, there was no written language so the Dharma was passed by word of mouth. After 500 years, human discourse changed Buddha Sakyamuni's original words and it came to an end. The ending of the Dharma means that the cultivation method began to become chaotic and could no longer enable people to practice cultivation.

TIME: Why does chaos reign now?

Li: Of course there is not just one reason. The biggest cause of society's change today is that people no longer believe in orthodox religion. They go to church, but they no longer believe in God. They feel free to do anything. The second reason is that since the beginning of this century, aliens have begun to invade the human mind and its ideology and culture.

TIME: Where do they come from?

Li: The aliens come from other planets. The names that I use for these planets are different . Some are from dimensions that human beings have not yet discovered. The key is how they have corrupted mankind. Everyone knows that from the beginning until now, there has never been a development of culture like today. Although it has been several thousand years, it has never been like now.

The aliens have introduced modern machinery like computers and airplanes. They started by teaching mankind about modern science, so people believe more and more science, and spiritually, they are controlled. Everyone thinks that scientists invent on their own when in fact their inspiration is manipulated by the aliens. In terms of culture and spirit, they already control man. Mankind cannot live without science.

The ultimate purpose is to replace humans. If cloning human beings succeeds, the aliens can officially replace humans. Why does a corpse lie dead, even though it is the same as a living body? The difference is the soul, which is the life of the body. If people reproduce a human person, the gods in heaven will not give its body a human soul. The aliens will take that opportunity to replace the human soul and by doing so they will enter earth and become earthlings.

When such people grow up, they will help replace humans with aliens. They will produce more and more clones. There will no longer be humans reproduced by humans. They will act like humans, but they will introduce legislation to stop human reproduction.

TIME: Are you a human being?

Li: You can think of me as a human being.

TIME: Are you from earth?

Li: I don't wish to talk about myself at a higher level. People wouldn't understand it.

TIME: What are the aliens after?

Li: The aliens use many methods to keep people from freeing themselves from manipulation. They make earthlings have wars and conflicts, and develop weapons using science, which makes mankind more dependent on advanced science and technology. In this way, the aliens will be able to introduce their stuff and make the preparations for replacing human beings. The military industry leads other industries such as computers and electronics.

TIME: But what is the alien purpose?

Li: The human body is the most perfect in the universe. It is the most perfect form. The aliens want the human body.

TIME: What do aliens look like?

Li: Some look similar to human beings. U.S. technology has already detected some aliens. The difference between aliens can be quite enormous.

TIME: Can you describe it?

Li: You don't want to have that kind of thought in your mind.

TIME: Describe them anyway.

Li: One type looks like a human, but has a nose that is made of bone. Others look like ghosts. At first they thought that I was trying to help them. Now they now that I am sweeping them away.,

TIME: How do you see the future?

Li: Future human society is quite terrifying. If aliens are not to replace human beings, society will destroy itself on its own. Industry is creating invisible air pollution. The microparticles in the air harm human beings. The abnormality in the climate today is caused by that [pollution], and it cannot be remedied by humans alone. The drinking water is polluted. No matter how we try to purify it, it cannot return to its original purity. Modern science cannot determine the extent of the damage. The food we eat is the product of fertilized soil. The meat we eat is affected. I can foresee a future when human limbs become deformed, the body's joints won't move and internal organs will become dysfunctional. Modern science hasn't realized this yet.

At the beginning you asked why I did such things. I only tell practitioners, but not the public because they cannot comprehend it. I am trying to save those people who can return to a high level and to a high moral level. Modern science does not understand this, so governments can do nothing. The only person in the entire world who knows this is myself alone.

I am not against the public knowing, but I am teaching practitioners. Even though the public knows, it cannot do anything about it. People can't free themselves from science and from their concepts. I am not against science. I am only telling mankind the truth. I drive a car. I also live in the environment. Don't believe that I am against science. But I know that modern science is destroying mankind. Aliens have already constructed a layer of cells in human beings. The development of computers dictates this layer of body cells to control human culture and spirituality and in the end to replace human beings.

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Sun, 07 Jul 2024 10:28

A top Washington D.C. neurologist had a meeting with President Biden's personal doctor at the White House earlier this year, visitor logs reviewed by The Post show.

Dr. Kevin Cannard, a Parkinson's disease expert at Walter Reed Medical Center, met with Dr. Kevin O'Connor, and two others at the White House residence clinic on Jan. 17, according to the records, which emerge as questions continue to swirl about the 81-year-old president's mental health in the wake of his debate debacle last week with former President Trump.

Dr. John E. Atwood, a cardiologist are Walter Reed, was also in the 5 P.M. meeting, the White House visitor logs show.

President Biden walks with his physician Dr.Kevin O'Connor along the colonnade towards the Oval Office at the White House. REUTERS Dr. Kevin Cannard, a Parkinson's disease specialist, met with President Biden's personal physician at the White House in January.The fourth person has not been identified in the logs from that day, when Biden was at the White House and hosted House and Senate leaders to press them for more Ukraine funding, according to his official schedule.

Cannard is an authority on Parkinson's who has worked at Walter Reed for nearly 20 years.

Since 2012, he has served as the ''neurology specialist supporting the White House Medical Unit,'' according to his LinkedIn.

His most recent paper was published in August 2023 in the journal Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, and focuses on the ''early-stage'' of the crippling disease.

Since Biden's health is O'Connor's primary responsibility, it is highly probable the meeting was about the commander in chief, according to Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Tx), the doctor for both Presidents Obama and Trump.

''It's highly likely they were talking about Biden,'' Jackson told The Post.

President Biden has been dogged by questions about his cognitive health since a disastrous debate last week. Getty Images''He should only be [regularly] treating the president and the first family.''

O'Connor has been Biden's official physician since he took office in January 2021 and is in daily contact with the president.

His most important job every day is saying ''Good morning, Mr. President,'' '-- just to get the commander-in-chief off on the right track, he told one trade publication in March.

What to know about the fallout from President Biden's debate performance:President Biden's poor performance in the first 2024 presidential debate has left even some Democrats unsure of his fitness for office and future as the party's candidate.Former President Obama admitted that Biden had a ''bad'' debate, while his rival former President Trump suggested that he was in a ''trance'' and ''choked.''Biden told a crowd at a North Carolina rally the day after the debate that he doesn't ''debate as well as I used to'' '-- but insisted that he can still ''do this job.''The New York Times editorial board called on the president to serve the country by dropping out of the race. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published a similar editorial a day later.Biden gathered with his family to assess the campaign's future at Camp David, with his son Hunter reportedly pushing for him to stay in the race. Family members questioned if the president's top advisors should be fired after the disastrous debate.Legendary journalist Carl Bernstein revealed that sources close to Biden have witnessed as many as 20 episodes of cognitive decline in the past year.Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) became the first House Democrat to call on Biden to drop out.O'Connor gave Biden a clean bill of health at his annual physical in February.

The physical included a neurological exam which specifically ruled out Parkinson's disease, O'Connor said at the time.

On Friday, the White House said Biden had a post-debate, ''verbal check-in'' with O'Connor.

Dr. Kevin O'Connor sees President Biden regularly in his capacity as personal physician. vcom.eduJackson '-- who has never treated Biden '-- claimed the president's doctor, along with the First Family, is trying to ''cover-up'' the diminishing cognitive health of the president, who on July 4 made several odd gaffes and misstatements at holiday festivities at the White House.

''I believe he and Jill Biden have led the cover up. Kevin O'Connor is like a son to Jill Biden '-- she loves him. It's crazy. Kevin O'Connor was in that job on day one of the Biden administration because they knew they could trust Kevin to say and do anything that needed to be said or done and cover up whatever needed to be covered up. He is part of the Biden family,'' Jackson said.

Jackson has for years warned that Biden's mental health has been declining.

After the disastrous June 27 debate, Jackson said it was evidence Biden was suffering from a ''cognitive disease'' '-- and urged him to resign.

Watch Biden's worst moments during the presidential debateWho could replace Joe Biden after disastrous presidential debate?Democrats panicked at Biden's debate debacle '-- and aren't fooling anyone as they now pretend everything's fineTrump inches ahead of Biden nationally after prez's disastrous debate: new pollBiden campaign working overtime to 'minimize' concern after disastrous debate, hold hastily arranged DNC callBiden admits, 'I know I'm not a young man in new battleground state ad after debate disasterDr. Rob Howard, a professor of old age psychiatry at University College London, said that President Biden displayed many symptoms indicative of Parkinson's disease.

The president's ''fluctuation in attentional function, his facial appearance, and his gait,'' were all signs that something is amiss, said Howard, who has never examined Biden and added he was not offering a formal diagnosis.

''I am not saying its Parkinson's disease, I am just pointing out that there are features to him that are consistent with Parkinson's disease.''

Rep. Ronny Jackson say Dr. Kevin O'Connor is participating in a ''cover-up'' of President Biden's health. Global Images Ukraine via Getty ImagesSen. Roger Marshall (R-KS), who is a physician, said ''many'' in the medical community have ''suspected for several years that the president might be suffering from Parkinson's disease.''

''Sadly, over 500,000 Americans are afflicted by this progressive neurological condition. If the president of the United States is among them, the American people deserve to know before voting in November,'' he told The Post.

Cannard and Atwood declined to comment.

''A wide variety of specialists from the Walter Reed system visit the White House complex to treat thousands of military personnel who work on the grounds,'' according to a White House spokesman who refused to answer questions about who O'Connor, Cannard and Atwood were meeting with.

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Archived Version

Sun, 07 Jul 2024 03:52

Supporters of Vice President Kamala Harris are mounting an aggressive push to install the DEI darling if the Democrat elite is successful in shoving Joe Biden out the door.

Despite her being more unpopular with the public than her boss and her obvious other shortcomings, not the least of which is her seemingly uncontrollable cackling, an anonymous memo reportedly being circulated by the party's donors, political operatives, influencers, and interest groups has drawn mockery from social media users.

The memo which is titled ''Unburdened by What Has Been: The Case for Kamala,'' makes the case that there's no need to look for a heroine to swoop into the rescue when there is already one in the building.

NEW: This memo is being circulated among some MAJOR Democrat donors and top-level Democrat Party operatives in order to make ''the Case for Kamala''

This is gold. And it's NOT satire

''Like it or not, there's one realistic path out of this mess: Kamala'' pic.twitter.com/2rpnvQRQfo

'-- Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) July 5, 2024

''There's one path out of this mess, and it's Kamala,'' according to the Google document. ''Kamala Harris has the strongest claim to Democratic legitimacy. She is the only candidate who can take the reins right now, instead of in late August with less than three months left to go. She has significant and widely underplayed electoral advantages. She can win.''

''She's not the best option '-- she's the only realistic option to win,'' the memo's authors declare, who fantasize that, ''She sails into office in a landslide, bringing with her a Democratic House and Senate capable of reforming the filibuster to codify reproductive freedom '' the winning issue she spent months campaigning on,''

Not surprisingly, the plea to hand over the nomination to Harris was ripped to shreds by X users.

omg is this a joke

'-- Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 5, 2024

I don't even know what is satire & what is real anymore

'-- Mamabear (@amybelizaire) July 5, 2024

If the Democrats think Kamala ''DEI'' Harris can be at the top of a ticket. They have another thing coming.

Good luck with that

'-- Cash Loren (@CashLorenShow) July 5, 2024

She did a great job as Border CzarHahaha haha!

O-mg who wrote this ??Holder??

'-- Lyn Moss (@FroniterLyn) July 5, 2024

This is gold!

They're in big trouble

'-- Unruly Julie (@UnrulyJulie15) July 5, 2024

This just keeps getting better and better

'-- Spitfire (@DogRightGirl) July 5, 2024

Their goal should be success for the American people. These people are power hungry and need a reality check.

'-- Kenny Powers (@Kenn_Fn_Powers) July 5, 2024

These people live in a different world than we do.

'-- Joey Mannarino (@JoeyMannarinoUS) July 5, 2024

All of this is not unreasonable '-- plausible, even '-- right up to, ''In September,'' at which point rockets into orbit. I can only assume that's when the edibles kicked in. https://t.co/6LiNWQHila

'-- Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) July 5, 2024

''The ultimate decisions here '' for Biden to step back, for Harris to be endorsed '' will be made by President Biden himself, with direct input from a fairly small set of friends, staff, donors, and political leaders. You may know some of those people, or you may know people who know those people, or you may be on a listserv with people who know someone. Right now, the most important thing to do is to make noise in support of this basic premise: Kamala is the only viable option to succeed Biden, and if she gets the nomination, she can win,'' state the authors at the conclusion of the lengthy pro-Kamala memo, sounding like they've been munching down on too many edibles.

Author Recent Posts Chris Donaldson is an ordinary American who is concerned about rampant corruption as well as the ongoing attacks on our way of life by those who have contempt for our hard-earned freedoms. A Navy veteran, he has been a frequent contributor to conservative websites and resides in Florida.

Latest posts by Chris Donaldson

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Archived Version

Sat, 06 Jul 2024 22:19

At the Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of Children, we believe all children should grow up safe and healthy, free from the threat of abuse.OperationsThe people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

lockConnect with nonprofit leadersSubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro.Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metricsAccess beautifully interactive analysis and comparison toolsCompare nonprofit financials to similar organizationsWant to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?Learn Moreabout GuideStar Pro.

lockConnect with nonprofit leadersSubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro.Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metricsAccess beautifully interactive analysis and comparison toolsCompare nonprofit financials to similar organizationsWant to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?Learn Moreabout GuideStar Pro.

Beau Biden Foundation for the Protection of Children Board of directors as of08/24/2022SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Board co-chair

Hallie Biden

Board co-chair

FredSears Tony Allen

Delaware State University

Francis Vavala

Delaware Technical and Community College

Howard Borin

Xanthi Karloutsos

Emily Chen Carrera

Michelle Shepherd

Viola Vaughn-Eden

Board leadership practicesSOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leaderin nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

Board orientation and education Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes CEO oversight Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes Ethics and transparency Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes Board composition Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes Board performance Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes Organizational demographicsSOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 2/16/2022

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities?Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

LeadershipThe organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity

White/Caucasian/European

Gender identity

Female, Not transgender

Sexual orientation

Heterosexual or Straight

Disability status

Person without a disability

Transgender IdentityNo data

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Sat, 06 Jul 2024 21:20

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240705/pepe-escobar-why-the-sco-summit-in-kazakhstan-was-a-game-changer-1119251048.html

Pepe Escobar: Why the SCO Summit in Kazakhstan Was a Game-Changer

Pepe Escobar: Why the SCO Summit in Kazakhstan Was a Game-Changer

Sputnik International

It's impossible to overstate the importance of the 2024 summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) this week in Astana, Kazakhstan. It can certainly be interpreted as the antechamber to the crucial BRICS annual summit, under the Russian presidency, next October in Kazan.

2024-07-05T10:27+0000

2024-07-05T10:27+0000

2024-07-05T10:27+0000

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Let's start with the final declaration. As much as SCO members state "tectonic shifts are underway" in geopolitics and geoeconomics, as ''the use of power methods is increasing, with norms of international law being systematically violated'', they are fully engaged to ''increase the SCO's role in the creation of a new democratic, fair, political and economic international order.''Well, there could not be a sharper contrast with the unilaterally-imposed ''rules-based international order''.The SCO 10 '' with new member Belarus '' are explicitly in favor of ''a fair solution to the Palestinian issue''. They ''oppose unilateral sanctions''. They want to create a SCO investment fund (Iran, via acting President Mohammad Mokhber, supports the creation of a SCO common bank, just like the NDB in BRICS).Additionally, members that ''are parties to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty stand for compliance with its provisions''. And crucially, they agree that ''interaction within the SCO may become the basis for building a new security architecture in Eurasia.''The last point is actually the heart of the matter. That's proof that Putin's proposal last month in front of key Russian diplomats was fully debated in Astana '' following Russia's strategic deal with the DPRK de facto linking security in Asia as indivisible with security in Europe. That is something that remains '' and will continue to remain - incomprehensible for the collective West.A new Eurasia-wide security architecture is an upgrade of the Russian concept of Greater Eurasia Partnership '' involving a series of bilateral and multilateral guarantees and, in Putin's own words, open to ''all Eurasian countries that wish to participate'', including NATO members.The SCO should become one of the key drivers of this new security arrangement '' in total contrast with the ''rules-based order'' - alongside the CSTO, the CIS and the Eurasia Economic Union (EAEU).The road map ahead of course includes socio-economic integration and the development of international transportation corridors '' from the INSTC (Russia-Iran-India) to the China-supported ''Middle Corridor''.But the two crucial points are military and financial: ''To gradually phase out the military presence of external powers'' in Eurasia; and to establish alternatives to ''Western-controlled economic mechanisms, expanding the use of national currencies in settlements, and establishing independent payment systems.''Translation: the meticulous process conducted by Russia to deliver a fatal blow to Pax Americana is essentially shared by all SCO members.Welcome to SCO+President Putin laid down the basic tenets further on down the road when he confirmed the ''commitment of all member states to forming a fair world order based on the central role of the UN and commitment of sovereign states to mutually beneficial partnership.''That's a quite Chinese approach to long-term strategic planning: China's five-year plans are already mapped out all the way to 2035.President Xi doubled down when it comes to the leading Russia-China strategic partnership: both should ''strengthen comprehensive strategic coordination, oppose external interference and jointly maintain peace and stability'' in Eurasia.Once again, that's Russia-China as leaders of Eurasia integration and the drive towards a multi-nodal world (italics mine; nodal with an ''n'').The summit in Astana showed how the SCO has really stepped up the game after incorporating India, Pakistan and Iran '' and now Belarus '' as new members, plus establishing key players such as Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Azerbaijan as dialogue partners, and strategic Afghanistan and Mongolia as observers.It's a long way from the original Shanghai Five '' Russia, China, plus three Central Asian ''stans'' - setting up the organization back in 2001, essentially as an anti-terrorism/separatism body. The SCO has evolved into serious geoeconomic cooperation, discussing in detail, for instance, supply chain security issues.So it's no wonder that a key development this year at the Palace of Independence in Astana was the first meeting of the SCO +, under the theme ''Strengthening Multilateral Dialogue''.A real who's who of SCO partners was there, from President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to member of the Supreme Council of the Emirates Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming.Russia's bilaterals with many of these SCO+ actors were quite substantial.India's PM Modi did not go to Astana, sending FM Jaishankar, who maintains fabulous relations with Foreign Minister Lavrov. Modi was re-elected to his third term last month and is up to his neck working the domestic front, with his BJP now commanding a much narrower majority in Parliament. Next Monday he will be in Moscow '' and will meet Putin.Proverbial Divide and Rule hacks seized Modi's no-show in Astana as proof of a serious India-China rift. Nonsense. Jaishankar, after a bilateral meeting with Wang Yi, stated '' in a very Chinese metaphorical way - that ''the three mutuals - mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest - will guide our bilateral ties.''That applies to their still unresolved border standoff; to the delicate balance New Delhi has to find to appease the Americans in their Indo-Pacific obsession (no one across Asia uses the term ''Indo-Pacific''; it's Asia-Pacific); and also relates to Indian aspirations when it comes to beinga leader of the Global South compared to China.China does regard itself as part of the Global South. Wang Yiwei from Renmin University, the author of arguably the best book on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), argues that Beijing welcomes a ''sense of identity'' provided by the fact it represents the Global South and has been obliged to resist Washington's hegemony and ''deglobalisation'' rhetoric.The New Multi-Nodal MatrixAstana once again revealed how the main drivers of the SCO are advancing fast on everything from energy cooperation to cross-border transportation corridors. Putin and Xi discussed progress in the construction of the massive Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline as well as Central Asia's need to have China as a provider of funds and technology to develop their economies.China is now Kazakhstan's largest trading partner (two-way trade at $41 billion, and counting). Crucially, when Xi met Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, he backed Astana's bid to join BRICS+.Tokayev was beaming: ''Deepening friendly and strategic cooperation with China is an unswerving strategic priority for Kazakhstan.'' And that means more projects under BRI.Kazakhstan '' which shares a border of more than 1,700 km with Xinjiang - is absolutely central on all these fronts: BRI, SCO, EAEU, soon BRICS and last but not least, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route.That's the famous Middle Corridor linking China to Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Georgia, Turkiye and the Black Sea.Yes, this corridor skips Russia: the key reason is that Chinese and European traders are terrified of American secondary sanctions. Beijing, pragmatically, supports building this corridor as a BRI project since 2022. Xi and Tokayev actually opened what can also be called the China-Europe Trans-Caspian Express via video link; they saw the first Chinese trucks arriving on the road to a Kazakh Caspian Sea port.Xi and Putin discussed the corridor, of course. Russia understands the Chinese constraints. And after all Russia-China trade uses its own '' sanction-proof '' corridors.Once again, Divide and Rule hacks '' oblivious to the obvious, not to mention finer points of Eurasia integration - resort to their same old dusty narrative: the Global South is fractured, China and Russia don't see eye to eye on the role of the SCO, BRI and the EAEU. Nonsense, again.All fronts are progressing in parallel. The SCO Development Bank was initially proposed by China. The Russian Ministry of Finance '' which is a mammoth organization, with 10 vice-Ministers - was not so keen, on the grounds that Chinese capital would flood Central Asia. Now that's changed, as Iran '' which has strategic partnerships with both Russia and China '' is quite enthusiastic.The strategically important China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway '' a BRI project '' developed slowly, but now will be on overdrive, by a mutual Putin-Xi decision. Moscow knows that Beijing '' fearing the sanctions tsunami '' cannot use the Trans-Siberian as the main overland trade route to Europe.So the new Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is the solution, reducing the journey to Europe by 900km. Putin personally told Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov there's no Russian opposition; on the contrary, Moscow fully supports interconnected projects launched by BRICS and/or financed by the EAEU.It's fascinating to watch the Russia-China dynamic in play at the heart of multilateral organizations such as the SCO. Moscow sees itself as a leader of the coming multipolar order even if it does not consider itself, technically, as a member of the Global South (Lavrov insists on ''Global Majority'').As for Russia's ''pivot to the East'', it actually started in the 2010s, even before Maidan in Kiev, when Moscow started to seriously consolidate relations with, well, the Global South.It's no wonder that now Moscow clearly sees the new evolving multi-nodal reality '' SCO and SCO+, BRICS 10 and BRICS+, EAEU, ASEAN, INSTC, new trade settlement platforms, the new Eurasian security architecture '' as the beating heart in the complex, long-term strategy of meticulously shattering the domination of Pax Americana.

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sco summit, sco members, what is sco, what does sco do, what coutries are in sco

sco summit, sco members, what is sco, what does sco do, what coutries are in sco

It's impossible to overstate the importance of the 2024 summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) this week in Astana, Kazakhstan. It can certainly be interpreted as the antechamber to the crucial BRICS annual summit, under the Russian presidency, next October in Kazan.

Let's start with the final declaration. As much as SCO members state "tectonic shifts are underway" in geopolitics and geoeconomics, as ''the use of power methods is increasing, with norms of international law being systematically violated'', they are fully engaged to ''increase the SCO's role in the creation of a new democratic, fair, political and economic international order.''

Well, there could not be a sharper contrast with the unilaterally-imposed ''rules-based international order''.

The

SCO 10 '' with new member Belarus '' are explicitly in favor of ''a fair solution to the Palestinian issue''. They ''oppose unilateral sanctions''. They want to create a SCO investment fund (Iran, via acting President Mohammad Mokhber, supports the creation of a SCO common bank, just like the NDB in BRICS).

Additionally, members that ''are parties to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty stand for compliance with its provisions''. And crucially, they agree that ''interaction within the SCO may become the basis for building a new security architecture in Eurasia.''

The last point is actually the heart of the matter. That's proof that Putin's proposal last month in front of key Russian diplomats was fully debated in Astana '' following Russia's strategic deal with the DPRK de facto linking security in Asia as indivisible with security in Europe. That is something that remains '' and will continue to remain - incomprehensible for the collective West.

A new Eurasia-wide security architecture is an upgrade of the Russian concept of Greater Eurasia Partnership '' involving a series of bilateral and multilateral guarantees and, in Putin's own words, open to ''all Eurasian countries that wish to participate'', including NATO members.

The SCO should become one of the key drivers of this new security arrangement '' in total contrast with the ''rules-based order'' - alongside the CSTO, the CIS and the Eurasia Economic Union (EAEU).

The road map ahead of course includes socio-economic integration and the development of international transportation corridors '' from the INSTC (Russia-Iran-India) to the China-supported ''Middle Corridor''.

But the two crucial points are military and financial: ''To gradually phase out the military presence of external powers'' in Eurasia; and to establish alternatives to ''Western-controlled economic mechanisms, expanding the use of national currencies in settlements, and establishing independent payment systems.''

Translation: the meticulous process conducted by Russia to deliver a fatal blow to Pax Americana is essentially shared by all

SCO members.

President

Putin laid down the basic tenets further on down the road when he confirmed the ''

commitment of all member states to forming a fair world order based on the central role of the UN and commitment of sovereign states to mutually beneficial partnership.''

He added, ''the long-term goals for further expansion of cooperation in politics, economy, energy, agriculture, high technologies and innovation are stated in the project of development strategy of SCO till 2035."

That's a quite Chinese approach to long-term strategic planning: China's five-year plans are already mapped out all the way to 2035.

President Xi doubled down when it comes to the leading Russia-China strategic partnership: both should ''strengthen comprehensive strategic coordination, oppose external interference and jointly maintain peace and stability'' in Eurasia.

Once again, that's Russia-China as leaders of Eurasia integration and the drive towards a multi-nodal world (italics mine; nodal with an ''n'').

The summit in Astana showed how the SCO has really stepped up the game after incorporating India, Pakistan and Iran '' and

now Belarus '' as new members, plus establishing key players such as Turkiye, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Azerbaijan as dialogue partners, and strategic Afghanistan and Mongolia as observers.

It's a long way from the original Shanghai Five '' Russia, China, plus three Central Asian ''stans'' - setting up the organization back in 2001, essentially as an anti-terrorism/separatism body. The SCO has evolved into serious geoeconomic cooperation, discussing in detail, for instance, supply chain security issues.

The SCO now goes way beyond a Heartland-focused economic and security alliance, as it covers 80% of the Eurasian landmass; accounts for more than 40% of the world's population; boasts a 25% share of global GDP '' and rising; and generates global trade value of over $8 trillion in 2022, according to Chinese government numbers. Add to it SCO members hold 20% of global oil reserves and 44% of natural gas.

So it's no wonder that a key development this year at the Palace of Independence in Astana was the first meeting of the SCO +, under the theme ''Strengthening Multilateral Dialogue''.

A real who's who of SCO partners was there, from President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and President of Turkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to member of the Supreme Council of the Emirates Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and SCO Secretary-General Zhang Ming.

Russia's

bilaterals with many of these SCO+ actors were quite substantial.

🇷🇺🇶ðŸ‡... Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Qatar's Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani on SCO summit sidelines in Astana.Key statements from the discussion:

'–ª¸ Relations between Russia and Qatar are developing on a friendly basis

'–ª¸Dialogue is underway on the possible'... pic.twitter.com/CdKzkPIrEH

'-- Sputnik (@SputnikInt) July 5, 2024India's PM Modi did not go to Astana, sending

FM Jaishankar, who maintains fabulous relations with Foreign Minister Lavrov. Modi was re-elected to his third term last month and is up to his neck working the domestic front, with his BJP now commanding a much narrower majority in Parliament. Next Monday he will be in Moscow '' and will meet Putin.

Proverbial Divide and Rule hacks seized Modi's no-show in Astana as proof of a serious India-China rift. Nonsense. Jaishankar, after a bilateral meeting with Wang Yi, stated '' in a very Chinese metaphorical way - that ''the three mutuals - mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest - will guide our bilateral ties.''

That applies to their still unresolved border standoff; to the delicate balance New Delhi has to find to appease the Americans in their Indo-Pacific obsession (no one across Asia uses the term ''Indo-Pacific''; it's Asia-Pacific); and also relates to Indian aspirations when it comes to beinga leader of the Global South compared to China.

China does regard itself as part of the

Global South. Wang Yiwei from Renmin University, the author of arguably the best book on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), argues that Beijing welcomes a ''sense of identity'' provided by the fact it represents the Global South and has been obliged to resist Washington's hegemony and ''deglobalisation'' rhetoric.

The New Multi-Nodal MatrixAstana once again revealed how the main drivers of the SCO are advancing fast on everything from energy cooperation to cross-border transportation corridors. Putin and Xi discussed progress in the construction of the massive Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline as well as Central Asia's need to have China as a provider of funds and technology to develop their economies.

China is now Kazakhstan's largest trading partner (two-way trade at $41 billion, and counting). Crucially, when Xi met Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, he backed Astana's bid to join BRICS+.

Tokayev was beaming: ''Deepening friendly and strategic cooperation with China is an unswerving strategic priority for Kazakhstan.'' And that means more projects under BRI.

Kazakhstan '' which shares a border of more than 1,700 km with Xinjiang - is absolutely central on all these fronts: BRI, SCO, EAEU, soon BRICS and last but not least, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route.

That's the famous Middle Corridor linking China to Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Georgia, Turkiye and the Black Sea.

Yes, this corridor skips Russia: the key reason is that Chinese and European traders are terrified of American secondary sanctions. Beijing, pragmatically, supports building this corridor as a BRI project since 2022. Xi and Tokayev actually opened what can also be called the China-Europe Trans-Caspian Express via video link; they saw the first Chinese trucks arriving on the road to a Kazakh Caspian Sea port.

Xi and Putin discussed the corridor, of course. Russia understands the Chinese constraints. And after all Russia-China trade uses its own '' sanction-proof '' corridors.

Once again, Divide and Rule hacks '' oblivious to the obvious, not to mention finer points of Eurasia integration - resort to their same old dusty narrative: the Global South is fractured, China and Russia don't see eye to eye on the role of the SCO, BRI and the EAEU. Nonsense, again.

All fronts are progressing in parallel. The SCO Development Bank was initially

proposed by China. The Russian Ministry of Finance '' which is a mammoth organization, with 10 vice-Ministers - was not so keen, on the grounds that Chinese capital would flood Central Asia. Now that's changed, as Iran '' which has strategic partnerships with both Russia and China '' is quite enthusiastic.

The strategically important

China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway '' a BRI project '' developed slowly, but now will be on overdrive, by a mutual Putin-Xi decision. Moscow knows that Beijing '' fearing the sanctions tsunami '' cannot use the Trans-Siberian as the main overland trade route to Europe.

So the new Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is the solution, reducing the journey to Europe by 900km. Putin personally told Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov there's no Russian opposition; on the contrary, Moscow fully supports interconnected projects launched by BRICS and/or financed by the EAEU.

It's fascinating to watch the Russia-China dynamic in play at the heart of multilateral organizations such as the SCO. Moscow sees itself as a leader of the coming multipolar order even if it does not consider itself, technically, as a member of the Global South (Lavrov insists on ''Global Majority'').

As for Russia's ''pivot to the East'', it actually started in the 2010s, even before

Maidan in Kiev, when Moscow started to seriously consolidate relations with, well, the Global South.

It's no wonder that now Moscow clearly sees the new evolving multi-nodal reality '' SCO and SCO+, BRICS 10 and BRICS+, EAEU, ASEAN, INSTC, new trade settlement platforms, the new Eurasian security architecture '' as the beating heart in the complex, long-term strategy of meticulously shattering the domination of Pax Americana.

Link to Article

Archived Version

Sat, 06 Jul 2024 18:28

Direct losses to the auto dealerships impacted by outages at major software provider CDK Global in recent weeks could reach a collective $1 billion if the problems are not fixed soon, according to new data.

Michigan-based Anderson Economic Group (AEG) estimates that the ongoing operational disruptions will cost dealers $944 million if the issues extend into this weekend, which would be the third week of shutdowns.

Vehicles for sale at an AutoNation Honda dealership in Fremont, California, US, on Monday, June 24, 2024. The cyber incidents at CDK disrupted business at thousands of car dealerships in North America. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

CDK shut down its systems on June 19 after discovering two cyber incidents. AEG analysts said the first two weeks have already cost dealers more than $600 million.

AUTO DEALERSHIP OWNER REELING AFTER CDK GLOBAL SOFTWARE OUTAGE WREAKS HAVOC

The outage had forced some auto dealers to revert to manual paperwork as the car industry technology and software provider worked to restore systems used by more than 15,000 retail locations across the U.S. and Canada.

Cyber incidents at CDK Global two weeks ago have hindered operations at thousands of U.S. auto dealerships. ( Igor Golovniov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images / Getty Images)

CDK told Reuters Monday that it plans to have its dealership management systems (DMS) up and running for all customers by early morning July 4. The company also said its customer care channels had been restored and it was "actively working" on bringing other applications live.

TESLA DELIVERIES MAY DISAPPOINT'...AGAIN

The company had said last week it brought two small groups and one large publicly traded group of auto retailer live on DMS as part of its phased approach.

Used cars are offered for sale at a dealership on July 11, 2023, in Chicago, Illinois. (Scott Olson/Getty Images / Getty Images)

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A joint forecast released by J.D. Power and GlobalData last week warned that new-car sales in the U.S. would be down year-over-year in June because of the outages at dealerships, but said sales should rebound in July if operations are fully restored in time.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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Sat, 06 Jul 2024 17:54

Gaza's biggest soccer stadium is now a shelter for thousands of displaced Palestinians

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip: Thousands of displaced Palestinians in northern Gaza have sought refuge in what was once the territory's biggest soccer arena, where families scrape by with little food or water as they try to keep one step ahead of Israel's latest offensive.Their makeshift tents hug the shade below the stadium's seating, with clothes hung out to dry across the dusty, dried-up soccer field. Under the covered benches where players used to sit on the sidelines, Um Bashar bathes a toddler standing in a plastic tub. Lathering soap through the boy's hair, he wiggles and shivers as she pours the chilly water over his head, and he grips the plastic seats for balance.

This image from video shows a woman bathing her child Friday, July 5, 2024 in Gaza City, Gaza. (AP)They've been displaced multiple times, she said, most recently from Israel's renewed operations against Hamas in the Shijaiyah neighborhood of Gaza City.''We woke up and found tanks in front of the door,'' she says. ''We didn't take anything with us, not a mattress, not a pillow, not any clothes, not a thing. Not even food.''She fled with about 70 others to Yarmouk Sports Stadium '-- a little under 2 miles (3 kilometers) northwest of Shijaiyah, which heavily bombed and largely emptied early in the war. Many of the people who ended up in the stadium say they have nothing to return to.

A Palestinian couple holds their children as they walk through debris in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on July 4, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas militant group. (AFP)''We left our homes,'' said one man, Hazem Abu Thoraya, ''and all of our homes were bombed and burned, and all those around us were as well.''Hundreds of thousands of people have remained in northern Gaza, even as Israeli troops have surrounded and largely isolated it. However, aid flows there have improved recently, and the UN said earlier this week that it is now able to meet people's basic needs in the north. Israel says it allows aid to enter Gaza and blames the UN for not doing enough to move it.Still, residents say the deprivation and insecurity are taking an ever-growing toll.''There is no safe place. Safety is with God,'' said a displaced woman, Um Ahmad. ''Fear is now felt not only among the children, but also among the adults. ... We don't even feel safe walking in the street.''

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Sat, 06 Jul 2024 17:50

In many ways Japan is a country that's firmly embraced technology, yet it remains attached to good old-fashioned cash.

Plenty of locals and tourists wave their credit cards in the shops scattered along the Zelkova-lined avenue of Tokyo's Omotesando and the boutique shopping district of Ginza, but cash is still king in several other locations.

Hole-in-the-wall izakayas (traditional bars), ryokan (traditional inns), and Shinto shrines often accept cash only. Sure, urban areas like Tokyo and the Kansai region's Osaka are card-friendly, but carrying physical yen is recommended when venturing beyond major cities.

But those who want to use a vending machine in Japan may want to double-check the type of bills in their wallets.

For the first time in 20 years, Japan started issuing new banknotes this week in an effort to combat counterfeit money. The only problem is that they might not be accepted everywhere.

Japan has issued new banknotes. STR/Getty Images Take Japan's millions of vending machines. They're big business, offering everything from hot coffee and beer to wagyu and hot sauce. Though some accept card payments, those that take cash may not accept Japan's new banknotes.

The Japan Vending Machine Manufacturers Association recently said that almost 80% of the country's machines would need upgrades to accept the new notes, Reuters reported. Many restaurant and parking-ticket machines would also need an update.

The issue is that Japan's retro machines aren't designed to process the new notes, which have high-tech specs incorporated to help determine authenticity.

They include portraits of historic figures as 3D holograms '-- a world-first, according to the Bank of Japan '-- designed to rotate when a note is tilted. Getting Japan's aged machines ready for these new notes will now take time '-- and money.

Vending machines are a common sight in Japan. SOPA Images/Getty Images In April, the Bank of Japan said that despite the growth in cashless payments, it expects "the demand for cash, which can be readily used by anyone, anywhere, and at any time," will continue to play a significant role in the economy.

The banknote issues come at a peculiar time. Tourists have been flocking to Japan this year to take advantage of a weak yen, which hit a 38-year low against the US dollar this week.

Travel guides often tell tourists to carry cash. If they're stopping by a vending machine there anytime soon, they may want to check first if their bills will work.

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Sat, 06 Jul 2024 17:18

Good morning, C&Cers, and Happy, Happy Tuesday! You aren't going to believe how great yesterday's news really was. It's historic. It's unprecedented. It's all good. It's a special, all-Supreme Court roundup , featuring a realistic, hyper-optimistic analysis you won't find anywhere else. You're gonna love it.

ðŸ--¥ðŸ--¥ðŸ--¥ We begin with the UK Independent's alarming headline from this morning: '' Biden warns Trump can do 'whatever he pleases' if elected as Republicans relish Supreme Court immunity ruling. '' Tellingly, that was a modified headline. Earlier in the day, it more simply said, '' Supreme Court awards Trump some immunity from prosecution. '' Biden did say that though, even though the Supremes ended none of the Trump cases. Biden is cognitively functioning on par with an above-average boiled turnip. But Biden and his handlers have no idea how good the decision really was, or they would be crying much, much harder.

How good was it? It was so good I actually started wondering if the QAnon people have been right all along. It was that good. It was that much of a game-changer. Just not for any of the reasons in the headlines.

Let's begin with what yesterday's decision didn't do. Trump v. United States did not ''totally immunize'' the President. Instead, it created a three-tier test (the Supreme Court loves three-tiered tests), which explains why the Independent's first headline said it provided Trump with ''some'' immunity.

But Democrats desperately hope for some distraction from Biden's terrible Debate, and they are thinking maybe this could be it .

Joe made a short, sleepy, mumbly announcement last night that was just a feeble tantrum about the Immunity decision. While reading the three-minute blurb off a teleprompter, Joe recited, ''For all practical purposes, today's decision almost certainly means that there are virtually no limits on what a president can do. This is a fundamentally new principle. And it's a dangerous precedent.''

The three liberal Justices were equally unhinged, with Justice Sotomayor going so far as to say the majority decision transformed the Office of the President into ''a king above the law.'' I blame the public schools for Justice Sotomayor not knowing what a king is. She was probably thinking about a royal personage more like Burger King.

Let's cut through all the noise right now. I'll tell you what it actually said, and then I will explain why it changes everything. And after explaining how it doesn't help Trump much, I'll tell you how the Supreme Court sneakily helped Trump anyway, even though this decision largely ignored his actual cases. Stick with me for a minute, it will be worth it.

Regarding Presidential Immunity '--for the first time in American history'-- the Supreme Court, solidly relying on a whole bunch of previous cases about related presidential issues, announced a brand-new three-tier immunity test:

Tier 1: Total Immunity for Constitutional Acts. ''The President is absolutely immune from criminal prosecution for conduct within his exclusive sphere of constitutional authority.'' This blessed tier is only for when a president exercises explicit authority under Article Two of the Constitution . Things like negotiating treaties, issuing pardons, and directing military operations. As you can imagine, this is a small, well-defined tier.

Tier 2: Presumptive Immunity for Official Acts. The Court declared that ''the President must be immune from prosecution for an official act unless the Government can show that applying a criminal prohibition to that act would pose no dangers of intrusion on the authority and functions of the Executive Branch.'' In short, if the President acts officially , as President, that act is immune'--but a prosecutor can still proceed if they can show criminalizing that type of conduct will not hinder the Presidential office.

Tier Two answers the Democrats' most deranged temper tantrums. Prosecuting Presidents who order the military to assassinate (i.e. murder) their opponents would not harm the Presidential office, because presidents are not supposed to murder people, and it wouldn't hinder the Presidential office to criminalize murder. Duh.

Tier 3: No Immunity for Unofficial Acts. ''The separation of powers does not bar a prosecution predicated on the President's unofficial acts. The first step in deciding whether a former President is entitled to immunity from a particular prosecution is to distinguish his official from unofficial actions.'' For example, the Court said a President has zero immunity when he acts as the leader of his political party, or when pursuing his personal interests.

Actually, assassinating political rivals would probably fall squarely under Tier 3 '-- enjoying no immunity at all.

As you can see, this three-tier system neither turns Presidents into kings '--not Burger King, impotent King Charles, or Solomon'-- nor places presidents above the law. Certainly not Trump. The decision only resolved a couple of the worst counts in a single Trump case. As for the surviving counts involved in this particular appeal (Judge Chutkan's case), the Supremes bounced most of the counts back down to her, to apply the new test and then get back to them.

I know that's a lot of legal mumbo jumbo. But stick with me. This is where it gets really good.

ðŸ--¥ðŸ--¥ Over-reacting Democrats '--and there are plenty of those'-- are really only mad because the decision helped Trump indirectly , with timing . Judge Chutkan now must order more briefing and hold more hearings to satisfy the new 3-Tier Immunity Test. That will probably result in more appeals arguing she applied the test wrong, and so forth, and before you know it, Bob's your uncle, the election will have come and gone and Trump will be walking around free as a bluebird with only an ankle monitor from his other conviction.

Democrats are also peeved because it gives Trump a small second bite at his ''check stub'' conviction. Yesterday, his lawyers filed a letter motion to delay sentencing '--scheduled for next week'-- and asked Judge Merchan to reconsider the verdict under the new test . It's a long shot, because they never argued presidential immunity as a defense in that case. But still, it annoyed Democrats.

But all of this political wrangling misses the point. Let's jump into the C&C time machine and travel back in time to 2020, before the Trump cases were filed. ( Cue wacky time-travel music. )

ðŸ--¥ðŸ--¥ Clueless, low-information Democrats are wailing that the Judges anointed a Presidential King by creating a three-tier test under which '--wait for it'-- Presidents can be prosecuted for crimes. Democrats are acting like this is a revolutionary improvement of the Presidential position. But that, like nearly everything else partisan Democrats say, is a lie.

What was the rule before the Supreme Court issued its decision? Well, before Trump, no president was ever prosecuted for a crime. Not for droning an Iraqi wedding. Not for illegal wars. Not even for jaywalking or running lawn sprinklers on a Tuesday.

Presidential prosecutions never ever happened.

Don't miss this: before Trump, presidents obviously enjoyed de facto total immunity. The unspoken rule that everyone followed was that nobody can prosecute the President, or even a former President.

During the period the de facto total immunity rule reigned, the Supreme Court never had to address Presidential immunity. There were no cases; that's how absolute the immunity was. But now that the Court has crafted a de jure (legal) rubric, Presidents who do illegal things can be prosecuted. They can now be prosecuted much more easily , in fact. Just not for nuisance claims, like the creative, trumped-up claims brought against President Trump, such as for notating his check stubs wrong.

Let's do a little thought experiment. Evidence shows President Obama was involved in the now-discredited Russia Dossier matter, which was used as a false predicate to spy on the Trump campaign for partisan political purposes. Evidence suggests Obama knew the Dossier was fake, purchased by the Clinton campaign. Yesterday's new 3-tier test provides a clear procedure for prosecuting Obama for those very serious allegations.

In other words, the High Court incinerated de facto Presidential immunity, and replaced it with a clear de jure prosecutorial process. Former and future Presidents susceptible to more serious crimes than Trump's are now fair game. I even got a very reluctant AI chatbot to agree:

The irony! By bringing all these silly, creative claims against President Trump for keeping a few boxes of ''classified documents,'' and because his bookkeeper wrote the wrong thing on a check stub, the Supreme Court got an unprecedented opportunity to end forever the silent, implicit protection previously enjoyed by every other previous President. That de facto absolute immunity is gone, never to return.

And now it's open season on serious crimes committed by Presidents.

If President Trump wins the election, this decision provides exactly the right tool his DOJ needs to prosecute the last twenty years of Presidential malfeasance and abuses of authority. It almost seems like Trump planned it this way. In hindsight, it couldn't have gone any better for Trump in the big picture. When Trump's DOJ brings its first charges against Biden and Obama, the media cannot wail about it being ''unprecedented.'' He'll just be following the law.

Beyond those long-term benefits for President Trump, the decision also placed a massive granite capstone on out-of-control Presidential authority. All future Presidents, Trump included, must now consider potential criminal liability under the new Trump v. US standard. The new rule will make Presidents much more careful when acting outside their Constitutional authority, like when they mandate vaccine shots or something, just as a random example.

So '... it's not even so much that Trump won. The American People won .

But the good news doesn't stop there! Justice Thomas's concurrence slid an assassin's knife into Trump's two most dangerous criminal cases.

ðŸ--¥ðŸ--¥ Judge Aileen M. Cannon sits in the Southern District of Florida and presides over the Mar-a-Lago raid case. She is the only Trump judge the Democrats dislike, intensely, because she has been ruling fairly. Judge Cannon right now is considering the issue of Special Prosecutor Jack Smith's authority. And Justice Thomas just penned an entire concurring opinion carefully analyzing Prosecutor Smith's authority. Justice Thomas's conclusion was that Smith lacks the Constitutional basis to prosecute his two Trump cases. Yesterday's headline from the New York Sun :

Justice Thomas's astonishing concurrence is not binding law. That's not what the case was about. But it just handed a shrink-wrapped legal package to Judge Cannon, that will fuel her decision against the Special Prosecutor. After all, she now has a complete roadmap dished up by a sitting Supreme Court Justice .

Justice Thomas was Judge Cannon's law clerk.

If Judge Cannon follows Justice Thomas's Constitutional roadmap '--and why wouldn't she?'-- both of Prosecutor Smith's cases will probably be dismissed. Democrats couldn't fairly criticize Judge Cannon's decision to dismiss, because she won't just be some rebellious federal judge in South Florida. Her opinion would be consistent with a Supreme Court Justice's analysis . And when the government inevitably appeals, in light of Thomas's concurrence, the Eleventh Circuit would be under great pressure to affirm her decision. Then the majority of the Supreme Court could decline to hear a further appeal, since the Court has essentially already weighed in.

If it isn't quite checkmate, it looks a lot like ''mate in two.'' Yesterday's opinion greatly helped Trump, both by complicating his other cases apart from Prosecutor Smith's, and also by stabbing Agent Smith's two cases in the heart.

But beyond any benefits to President Trump, we the people benefited the most.

The Supreme Court still wasn't done yet. It quietly slipped in another decision that could help tear the bloated, rotten heart out of the entire deep state .

👨''š–¸ðŸ‘¨''š–¸ðŸ‘¨''š–¸ This term delivered a trifecta of swamp-draining decisions. Let's recap. In Jarkezy, the Court deleted Executive Agencies' ability to prosecute citizens for crimes; that must now happen in a real court with a real jury. In Loper Bright, the Supreme Court overturned Chevron, stripping Executive Agencies' right to interpret laws by themselves and restoring that power to the courts .

Yesterday, the Supreme Court quietly published Corner Post v. Federal Reserve , and squared the deep-state-demolishing circle. Corner Post deleted the current 6-year statute of limitations for challenging Executive Agency rules under the Administrative Procedure Act. Now, citizen plaintiffs can challenge long-standing Agency regulations within 6 years of being affected by them .

The Loper Bright decision made it easier to overturn bad Agency decisions going forwards. And Corner Post just opened the door to retroactive challenges to decades-old regulations. It's a gold rush for new, re-envigorated litigation against the Regulatory State. Virtually everything is now up for grabs. And I'm not the only one who noticed:

Liberal Justice Jackson, dissenting in Corner Post, also noticed how revolutionary this decision was. Jackson wrote, ''At the end of a momentous Term, this much is clear: The tsunami of lawsuits against agencies that the Court's holdings in this case and Loper Bright have authorized has the potential to devastate the functioning of the Federal Government.''

They're going to need a bigger courthouse . Do it! Devastate the functioning of the Federal Government!

Ironically, Justice Jackson was right, in one sense. A tsunami is a natural event, like the flood waters crashing through a broken dam. Something unnatural (a dam) held the waters back. It's time for the river to flow through its proper channel again.

Collectively, the new three-part immunity test plus the three-decision trifecta of administrative agency cases drastically pruned presidential authority, about which conservatives and liberals alike (depending on who the sitting president was), have long and bitterly complained.

The ''power of the pen'' might no longer be as powerful as advertised. Today the Presidential pen is looking more like a cheap Chinese knock-off.

It is difficult to overestimate how much this Supreme Court just historically and permanently altered the landscape of federal government overreach. I'm tempted to invoke again my overused '2024' canard. But actually, I believe this unimaginable improvement in our national prospects was the inevitable result of the Supreme Court observing the government's wild and painful overreach during the pandemic.

In other words: vaccine mandates .

We've longed for a lone decision saying HHS and OSHA can't just arbitrarily order people to take experimental medical treatments they don't want. We didn't get that. But what we did get is arguably and breathtakingly much, much better. The Supreme Court took the long view . They've changed everything '--including but not only medical freedom'-- for the better.

We had no right to expect this revolutionary Supreme Court session. What a great day to be alive.

There was also so much more good news yesterday, including massive vaccine injury wins and Epstein document drops. But you'll have to wait until tomorrow for those.

Happy, happy, happy Tuesday! Be encouraged! And come back tomorrow for lots more essential news in Wednesday morning's Coffee & Covid roundup.

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Sat, 06 Jul 2024 14:45

Vice President Kamala Harris has been one of President Joe Biden's staunchest defenders following his shaky performance in last week's debate, but she's also emerged as a potential option to lead the party herself if Biden opted not to continue his campaign.

One big question is what would happen to the current campaign's $91 million cash on hand, according to its most recent filings . (Combined with allied Democratic organizations, the reelection effort has access to $240 million cash on hand, the campaign said this week.)

Could Harris take over the Biden-Harris campaign cash?Yes, although there are some caveats.

Since their campaign account was registered with the Federal Election Commission in the name of both candidates, Harris could use those funds for her own presidential effort if Biden were to drop out, according to Kenneth Gross, senior political law counsel at Akin Gump and former associate general counsel for the Federal Election Commission.

Can donors get refunds?Only if the campaign said yes.

Legal scholars agree that if donors were to ask for their money back after a candidate switch, the campaign would need to agree to that transfer. That means donors don't have an automatic right to get refunded.

''Once a donor makes a contribution, he or she relinquishes the rights to those funds,'' Gross said.

What to know about the 2024 Election

Democracy: American democracy has overcome big stress tests since 2020. More challenges lie ahead in 2024. AP's Role: The Associated Press is the most trusted source of information on election night, with a history of accuracy dating to 1848. Learn more. Read the latest: Follow AP's complete coverage of this year's election. Displeased donors thinking about suing likely wouldn't succeed, according to Bradley A. Smith, professor at Capital University Law School in Ohio.

''When you give money to a campaign committee, it is pretty much theirs to do with what they please, within the boundaries of the law,'' he said.

What happens to the funds if neither Biden nor Harris is the nominee?According to Gross, their campaign would have to give all the money back '-- sort of.

Any donations designated for the primary '-- which Biden won '-- would stay with the campaign, Gross said, something that technically could apply to any money taken in by Biden-Harris up until the Democratic National Convention in August.

''All contributions made prior to the August convention are deemed to be for the primary unless the donor designates in writing that the contribution is for general election,'' Gross said.

According to Smith, if Biden left the race and Harris didn't replace him as nominee, their former campaign could only transfer $2,000 of the money that had been collected to a new candidate.

Could the campaign account be converted to a PAC?Maybe, but it might not be worthwhile.

According to Gross, if both Biden and Harris either drop out of the contest or don't become their party's nominee, they could opt to designate the campaign funds for a super PAC or the party itself.

But if those transfers did happen, Smith said, ''the vast bulk of it would have to be in independent expenditures, which tend to be less effective.'' Plus, he added, guaranteed broadcast advertising rates are higher for parties than for candidates, ''so that has a cost, too.''

If Harris is left in the race, she could also do that with the funds, too '-- or keep them for her own effort.

And if the account, in general, were converted to a political action committee, that new entity would have limits on what it could send to the new candidate, said Saurav Ghosh, director of federal campaign finance reform for the Campaign Legal Center.

''Even if Biden's campaign committee immediately converted to a political action committee, which is allowed, that PAC could only transfer up to $3,300 per election to the new presidential candidate's campaign,'' Ghosh said. ''There's no legal way for Biden to transfer to a new candidate the $90 million that his campaign currently has on hand.''

What else could happen with the money?The presidential race options aside, Smith suggested that the Biden-Harris funds could be transferred to Democratic committees backing House and Senate candidates, or punted even further down the electoral timeline, to ''support Democrats in future years.''

Other options, he suggested, could include a group created to promote causes and issues in line with the candidates' views '-- ''or they could give it to charity, including, for example, a really boffo Joe Biden Center at University of Delaware.''

___Meg Kinnard reported from Chapin, South Carolina. She can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP

Kinnard covers national politics for The Associated Press. She lives in South Carolina.

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Sat, 06 Jul 2024 14:33

Joe Biden and First Lady Jill have been using their homes as an ATM, taking out multiple mortgages and refinancing their Delaware properties an astonishing 35 times, a DailyMail.com investigation has revealed.

The president has lived in two houses in his home state since 1975, when he bought his first property in Wilmington that he later sold in the late 1990s.

But records obtained by DailyMail.com show the couple have had a habit of negotiating a new mortgage or credit deal on both homes every 17 months.

Over the decades the Bidens have borrowed a total of $6million on both properties - and there's still an outstanding $541,000 mortgage on their current three-bed, 4.5-bath Wilmington mansion nearly three decades after they bought it.

The constant refinancing raises the question of why the Bidens, who have a reported net worth of $10million, needed a constant flow of extra cash.

Joe Biden's three-bed, 4.5 bath lakeside mansion in Wilmington, Delaware is currently the president and first lady's main residence outside of the White House. The couple bought the four-acre lot for $350,000 in March 1996

Biden first purchased a $185,000 five-bedroom, 2.5 bathroom, house in 1975 that was later sold in 1996. Records show the property had a total of 15 mortgages and lines of credit attached to it

'It doesn't make a lot of sense unless they were desperate for cash,' a finance expert told DailyMail.com.

The revelation comes as questions grow about the president's involvement in his son Hunter's shady business dealings with Chinese oil giant CEFC and other foreign entities.

According to the mortgage documents, the president and first lady purchased their current four-acre lot for $350,000 in March 1996 but have since saddled it with 20 different home credit agreements and mortgages totaling $4.23million.

Their previous five-bed, 2.5-bath home in the same town was purchased for $185,000 in 1975 '' and sold controversially for $1.2million in 1996.

Records show the property had a total of 15 mortgages and lines of credit attached to it.

The Bidens also own a summer home in Rehoboth Beach, which they scooped up in in June 2017 for $2,744,001, according to Sussex County public records.

That property, however, has no mortgages attached to it and was revealed last year to have been a cash purchase.

The property data suggests that the 46th president and his wife, 73, have needed money fast '' and have used their homes' equity as the main source of credit over the years.

However, Biden, a career politician, and Jill, a college professor, are estimated to be worth around $10million, and additional financial records show the couple pulled in an income of $620,000 in 2023.

The first couple released their tax returns in April and revealed their combined income was $619,976 last year and they paid $146,629 in federal taxes.

Biden and his wife earned four-fifths of their income from their jobs as president and teacher at Northern Virginia Community College, respectively.

Additional money came from interest on investments, pensions and a pass-through entity that collects book royalties.

But according to other financial forms from Joe, the president has had no royalties from his two books: 'Promises to Keep' and 'Promise Me, Dad' this year.

Financial records from the Office of Government Ethics last month revealed most of the couple's debt is the mortgage on their Delaware home and an equity loan on that property.

An 81-year-old career politician, Biden is worth an estimated $10million by Forbes - but $7million of this is locked in real estate

DailyMail.com can reveal the Bidens have an outstanding $541,000 mortgage on their current Wilmington mansion nearly three decades after they bought it and have saddled it with 20 different home credit agreements and mortgages totaling $4.23million

DailyMail.com previously revealed that Joe Biden bought his six-bedroom Rehoboth Beach house in June 2017 for $2,744,001 cash

Additionally their debt consists of a term loan of about $15,000 and a loan against a mutual fund for about $50,000.

In total, the Bidens reported assets between roughly $1million and $2.6million and liabilities between roughly $350,000 and $850,000, according to the documents.

Commenting on the couple's money lifeline, LA realtor Tony Mariotti '' the founder of luxury real estate company RubyHomes.com '' claimed the Bidens are making a mistake by using their home as an ATM.

'I don't understand why anyone would view their home as an ATM. Constantly pulling money out of your home,' he told DailyMail.com.

'I understand to some that equity can feel like dead money that's sitting there doing nothing, but over time, mortgage fees really add up.

'I've always preferred the view that paying off a mortgage over time is a forced savings account that bears modest interest.'

Mortgaged To The Hilt The Bidens bought the Wilmington house for $350,000 in March 1996

1. 21 Jul 1997 - Beneficial National Bank - $400,000 [PAID - 20 Nov 1997, construction mortgage]

2. 20 Oct 1997 - Beneficial National Bank - $499,900 [PAID - 26 Feb 1998, construction mortgage]

3. 24 Nov 1997 - Beneficial National Bank - $134,070.27 [PAID - 8 Jul 1999]

4. 27 Feb 1998 - Chase Manhattan Mortgage Corp - $550,000 [PAID - 25 Aug 2003]

5. 6 May 1998 - Beneficial National Bank - $94,450.04 [PAID - 11 Oct 2002]

6. 16 Jul 1999 - Commerce Bank - $35,000

[PAID - 6 Nov 2000, line of credit]

7. 18 Sep 2000 - Commerce Bank - $80,000 [PAID - 31 Jan 2003, line of credit]

8. 18 Oct 2002 - Commerce Bank - $143,600 [PAID - 18 Sep 2003]

9. 11 Jan 2003 - Commerce Bank - $20,000 [PAID - 17 Oct 2003, line of credit, then extended to $30,000 on 7 Jun 2003]

10. 5 Aug 2003 - Wilmington Savings Fund Society - $649,000 [PAID 3 Apr 2013, balloon rider attached, mortgage modified on 20 Jul 2010 to $564,442.91]

11. 5 Aug 2003 - Wilmington Savings Fund Society - $99,000 [PAID - 31 Mar 2005, line of credit]

12. 11 Feb 2005 - Wilmington Savings Fund Society - $149,000 [PAID - 3 Apr 2013, line of credit]

13. 3 Mar 2010 - Wilmington Savings Fund Society - $10,000 [PAID - 11 Jul 2011, line of credit]

14. 10 Jun 2011 - Wilmington Savings Fund Society - $45,000 [PAID - 6 Feb 2012, line of credit]

15. 4 Jan 2012 - Wilmington Savings Fund Society - $95,000 [PAID - 17 Aug 2012, line of credit]

16. 16 Jul 2012 - Wilmington Savings Fund Society - $115,000 [PAID - 3 Apr 2013, line of credit]

17. 28 Jan 2013 - TD Bank - $541,150

OUTSTANDING

18. 28 Jan 2013 - TD Bank - $260,000 [PAID 18 Mar 2014, line of credit]

19. 19 Feb 2014 - TD Bank - $300,000 [PAID 11 Dec 2018, line of credit]

TOTAL: $4,230,170.31 19 mortgages/lines of credit and one credit extension

Taking their current home first, a year after buying it in 1996, they took out two construction home loans in 1997 totaling $899,900 to build the property from scratch, records show.

Then they borrowed a further $134,070, $550,000 and $94,450 over the course of six months from November 1997 to May 1998 with two different banks - Beneficial National and Chase Manhattan Mortgage Corp.

Before these three were all paid off in August 2003, they took out another $143,600 mortgage and negotiated three credit facility agreements for $30,000, $35,000, and $80,000 - all with Commerce Bank.

They cancelled all of this debt by October 2003. But, by then, they'd just taken out a $649,000 mortgage with Wilmington Savings Fund Society and a separate $99,000 line of credit with the same bank.

DailyMail.com obtained a photo of Hunter Biden outside his dad Joe's Wilmington home the day he sent damning texts to his Chinese business partner

The president and first lady were seen spending time at their summer home last August where they were pictured relaxing on the beach in Rehoboth

Over the course of the next nine years up to July 2012, they had six separate home equity credit agreements with the same bank - $149,000, $10,000, $45,000, $95,000 and $115,000.

Many of these lines of credit deals lasted just a few months, before being paid off, then the Bidens moved onto the next refinance deal.

Their final agreements were two lines of credit with TD Bank for $260,000 and $300,000 in January 2013 and February 2014 respectively, the former only paid off in December 2018.

Yet one more mortgage remains - a $541,150 loan with TD Bank issued on January 28, 2013.

On to their first property, which was sold controversially to the vice chairman of credit card company MBNA, at the time the largest employer in Delaware, who donated a maximum $2,000 to his senate re-election.

DailyMail.com exclusively reported in October last year that it appeared to be for an inflated selling price of $1.2million, as it's now worth only $1.6million according to realtor site Redfin, 28 years on.

Also that year of 1996, Biden's son Hunter was hired by MBNA and went on to become a senior vice president.

For that place, they took out 13 different home loans and two credit agreements from June 1978 to May 1994 totaling $1.72M.

They used Artisans' Bank, Delaware Trust Company, which was acquired by Wells Fargo, and borrowed $50,000 from one individual, George D Herrmann Jr, in December 1986. It's not known what connection he has with the Bidens.

New Castle County records don't disclose if any of the mortgages were satisfied, but it's highly likely, as they purchased a new property.

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Fri, 05 Jul 2024 21:53

COMMENTARY

Trump's authoritarian game plan is breaking through the post-debate noise and it's starting to scare people Published July 5, 2024 6:00AM (EDT)

Supporters of Donald Trump rally at the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC, on November 14, 2020. (OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images) ");}

When Project 2025 was released, a number of progressives expressed surprise that Donald Trump's army of authoritarian schemers would boldly publish their plan to destroy American government as we know it. The over 900-page document, commissioned by the people expected to run another Trump White House, is a laundry list of the far-right's most politically toxic ideas, from banning abortion nationwide to mass firing federal officials who believe in protecting public health and safety. One would think that Trump and his allies would try to keep their sinister plans out of public view. Instead, Team Trump published their fascistic blueprint on a website for anyone to read,. They even proudly display the menacing "Project 2025" label on the front page.

But really, it's not that surprising. The MAGA right learned years ago the value of hiding their wicked plans in plain sight. Authoritarian thought leader Christopher Rufo is the most prominent example. He frequently speaks loudly of his machinations, such as boldly announcing on Twitter that the right is trying to take away birth control, claiming women should not have "recreational sex." Recently imprisoned Trump ally Steve Bannon gloated openly on his podcast about his schemes. Before going to prison, he bragged to the New York Times, "This is a military headquarters for a populist revolt." Kevin Roberts, whose group Heritage Foundation is helping run Project 2025, recently spoke about how Trump will use violence to force the MAGA agenda on the public.

Want more Amanda Marcotte on politics? Subscribe to her newsletter Standing Room Only.

Trump himself regularly employs this strategy, giving speeches where he declares that his goal is "retribution" against political opponents, promises pardons for the January 6 insurrectionists, and characterizes anyone who objects as "vermin" who need to be eliminated. This strategy works because it depends on the fact that most Americans don't pay close attention to politics. They will never learn that Trump and his allies are saying such vile things. So the MAGA goal with this bad guy posturing is twofold: First, get the juices flowing in their base. Second, cause those progressives who are paying attention to panic. Trumpists then paint the people speaking out as a bunch of liberal crazies who are exaggerating the threat of MAGA.

I often liken it to a guy who pinches a woman's butt in a bar, and when she protests, laughs and insists she's just a crazy lady making it all up. We saw this strategy with the Supreme Court's recent presidential "immunity" decision. It's factually correct that it gives Trump a license to kill, but anyone who speaks this fact is accused of "Trump derangement syndrome" and "madness" by Republicans.

The strategy largely works, because less politically engaged Americans assume that "both sides" engage in hyperbole. Low information people are ready to believe the false accusations that liberals are "deranged" when they warn of Trump's plans to be a dictator. Project 2025 seemed to be rolled out with this assumption that "normies" would never hear of it, and that the few who did hear would dismiss the fears as overheated nonsense.

Instead, however, there are promising signs that people who aren't political junkies are starting to hear about Project 2025. Even better, those folks aren't immediately dismissing it as progressive theatrics but may be genuinely alarmed.

On Sunday, actress Taraji P. Henson took a break during the BET Awards, which she was hosting, to speak out about Project 2025. "The Project 2025 plan is not a game. Look it up!" she told viewers. "I'm talking to all the mad people that don't want to vote. You're going to be mad about a lot of things if you don't vote."

The clip went viral, amplified by other celebrities like Mark Ruffalo. So the MAGA forces swung into action on social media, accusing Henson and Ruffalo and other progressives of making it all up. "Is Project 2025 in the room with you?" a blue-checked user sneered under Ruffalo's tweet. These efforts at gaslighting people run against a real problem, however: The drafters of Project 2025 seek to promote their authoritarian playbook. Thus, a simple Google search generates a slew of explainers from various news organizations, with even more coming out rapidly, as a response to the rising number of people asking, "What's Project 2025?"

"We received a flood of reader inquiries asking if Project 2025 was a real effort," the fact-checking team at Snopes wrote in their lengthy explainer published Tuesday. Google Trends confirms that the number of searches for "project 2025" has grown dramatically in recent days.

Henson's speech juiced the search rate, but this data shows interest levels were rising before her speech last Sunday. Earlier this month, John Oliver did a segment about Project 2025 on his HBO show, though the boost of interest from that was modest. His audience tends to be people who are already politically engaged and have heard about the initiative from the news. Perhaps more importantly, President Joe Biden's campaign has started a big media push to raise awareness, starting with a website last week that offers "a taste of Trump's Project 2025" with bullet points like, "Takes Away Reproductive Freedom Nationwide" and "Terminates the Constitution." The campaign projected a QR code around Atlanta Thursday that sends people to the site.

There have also been a few TikTok videos garnering millions of views that break down what Project 2025 is, and what a threat it is to ordinary people.

@briantylercohen everything you need to know about Project 2025 #politics #project2025 '¬ original sound - briantylercohenPerhaps one of the most telling signs that this is beginning to backfire on Trump, however, is the way the MAGA forces on social media are starting to freak out. As Democratic activist and researcher Will Stancill pointed out, the MAGA people who pretend to be leftists to sow confusion online are busy at work trying to pretend Project 2025 is, uh, a Biden thing.

Perhaps the right's mistake was giving the initiative the name "Project 2025," which sounds like something out of a dystopian sci-fi novel. Trump's in-house team has the same urge, as they have "Agenda 47," a lighter-weight version of the same fascistic game plan. Trump's campaign likely went with scary-sounding names on purpose, both to thrill their sadistic foot soldiers and to cause liberals to react fearfully. But those monikers also make them memorable enough to break into the consciousness of people who aren't paying close attention. Swing voters and people who aren't sure yet if they're going to vote are starting to hear about this "Project 2025" '-- and they do not like it.

That's now how this was supposed to work.

Even in early June, polling showed only a quarter of Americans had heard of Project 2025. It was, for a time, working as likely intended: To motivate hardcore MAGA people and alarm partisan Democrats, all without even being noticed by the everyday people who still haven't made a choice of who to vote for or whether to vote.

There hasn't been new polling data yet, but this spike of interest suggests there's a strong chance that the sands are shifting. If the chatter about Project 2025 continues in both the press and social media, the knowledge of Trump's plans might start to influence the election '-- and in ways he will not like. Trump cannot win without a large percentage of voters backing him under the false belief he's "not so bad." The more they find out about what he intends to do in office, the more will have second thoughts about risking another Trump term.

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Fri, 05 Jul 2024 20:41

Angle down icon An icon in the shape of an angle pointing down. A Korean Air Airbus A380. Matej Divizna/Getty Images Korean Air is ending its cabin service earlier because of increased turbulence concerns.It follows Singapore Airlines in changing protocols after a fatal incident in May.The carrier said turbulence incidents had doubled over the past five years.A second airline has changed its cabin service because of increased concerns about turbulence.

Korean Air announced Monday that it would be finishing cabin service 20 minutes earlier on medium and long-haul routes.

This means cabin service is now ending 40 minutes before landing. Korean Air said the change would allow inflight services to end before the plane descends for landing.

One of just 10 airlines to be rated five stars by Skytrax, Korean Air's decision could influence other carriers to make similar moves.

It came after Singapore Airlines '-- also rated five stars '-- changed its cabin-service protocol. That followed a severe turbulence incident on one of its aircraft in May, in which a 73-year-old man died and dozens more were injured.

Days later, Singapore Airlines said it would no longer serve meals when the seatbelt light is on.

In Monday's announcement, Korean Air said turbulence had "become a persistent and growing problem in recent years." It added that the number of incidents had doubled in the first quarter of this year compared with the same period in 2019.

The carrier also suggested the climate crisis had had an impact. "Turbulence is becoming more frequent, especially as the aircraft descends, due to large temperature differences between altitudes," it said.

Turbulence is created by friction between air molecules caused by differences in wind speed. The warming climate imparts more energy into the air, which creates more friction.

This is especially notable around the jet streams, where clear-air turbulence is most common.

In a 2023 study, researchers from the University of Reading found turbulence was getting more common over the North Atlantic, around the north polar jet stream.

At a typical point, the most severe type of clear-air turbulence increased by 55% between 1979 and 2020, the study found.

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Fri, 05 Jul 2024 18:06

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Iranian politician

Saeed Jalili (Persian: Ø"عید جÙیÙی ; born 6 September 1965) is an Iranian ultra conservative politician and diplomat who was secretary of the Supreme National Security Council from 2007 to 2013. He is currently member of the Expediency Discernment Council, and is the former nuclear negotiator of Iran.[2]

He was previously deputy foreign minister for European and American Affairs, and an unsuccessful candidate in the June 2013 presidential election, placing third. He also ran in 2021, but withdrew in favour of Ebrahim Raisi before the election. Jalili is currently running in the 2024 presidential election.[3]

Jalili was a soldier in the Iran-Iraq War and had lost part of his right leg during the Siege of Basra.[4] Upon this event, he earned the title of "Living Martyr".[5] He holds a PhD in political science, and teaches the "Prophet's diplomacy" at the Imam Sadiq University.[6] In 2009, Jalili was named as one of the 500 most influential people in the Muslim world.[7]

Personal life and education [ edit ] Jalili was born in 1965 in Mashhad and is ethnically Persian. He was born in northeastern Iran.[8][9] His father, Mohammad Hasan Muallem, was the principal of Nawab Safavi Primary School in Mashhad. He married with Fatemeh Sajjadi, a doctor of internal medicine, in 1992. They have one child, a son named Sajjad. Jalili was a resident of Karaj until 2004.[10] Grandfather of Jalili was exiled from the Kurdish city of Sardasht, West Azarbaijan province to Sarbisheh, South Khorasan and then migrated to Birjand.[11][12] Vahid, Jalili's brother, is one of the fundamentalist cultural activists. Jalili is familiar with English and Arabic languages. He holds a PhD in Political Science from Imam Sadeq University and his doctoral thesis entitled "The Paradigm (Foundation) of Political Thought of Islam in the Qu'ran" was later developed into a book by the name of "The Foreign Policy of the Prophet (Prophet Muhammad)."[13][14][15] After graduating, he served in the Iran''Iraq War as a member of the Basij volunteers of the Revolutionary Guards.[16] During the fighting, he was injured severely, losing the lower portion of his right leg in 1986.[17][18] He has taught political science since 2000 in different intervals at Imam Sadeq University.[19]

Career [ edit ] Following the war, Jalili began working as a university lecturer at his alma mater. In 1989 Jalili began working at the ministry of foreign affairs in addition to his teaching post.[16] From 1995 to 1996 he served as director of the inspection office at the ministry.[20] In 2001, he was appointed senior director of policy planning in the office of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.[16] Jalili was also made a member of the Supreme National Security Council in 2002. Following the election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the presidency in August 2005, Jalili was appointed deputy foreign minister for European and American affairs.[20] He was in office until October 2007.[21] During the same period, he also served as an advisor to Ahmedinejad.[22] On 20 October 2007, Jalili replaced Ali Larijani as secretary of the council and became responsible for international negotiations over Iran's nuclear program.[21][23] Jalili's term as secretary of the council ended on 10 September 2013 when Ali Shamkhani was appointed to the post.[24] Immediately after leaving the office, he was appointed by the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to the Expediency Council as a member.[25]

Activities and views [ edit ] Jalili is a leading figure of the "neo-principalist" group in the Iranian political scene and a prot(C)g(C) of Mojtaba Khamenei.[22][26] A 2008 leaked diplomatic cable described how a European Union official who met Jalili call him 'a true product of the Iranian revolution." Mohammad Marandi, a professor at Tehran University, described Jalili as a tough negotiator who "believes strongly in Iran's nuclear program and its sovereign rights. He's not the sort of person to give major concessions."[27]

In an interview with The Boston Globe in 2006, Jalili defended Iran's plans to develop nuclear energy, noting that, under the Shah and before the Iranian Revolution, US companies had contracts to build nuclear power plants in Iran.[citation needed ]

William J. Burns on Jalili:

"He was a true believer in the Iranian Revolution. He was constantly taking notes during the session, and at the same time had a wry smile on his face. Jalili and his colleagues looked at me many times and seemed to find the presence of America worrying. Then he started giving a 40-minute long speech and weaving unnecessary philosophy about the Iranian culture and history, as well as the constructive role it can play in the region. Jalili shockingly blurts out words when he wants to avoid a direct answer, and this was exactly one of those moments. He even mentioned that he is still teaches part-time at Tehran University. But, I was not at all jealous of his students. In the 1980s, he was wounded in the battle with the Iraqis, he had lost part of his right leg and was facing obvious problems in walking."[28]

Robert J. Einhorn also talked about Jalili in an interview:

"We learned a lot about Iran's history and Iran's herds during the many hours we listened to Mr. Jalili's speeches. Unfortunately, little progress was made in the negotiations during that period. Since the summer of 2013, the negotiations have continued in a much more serious and professional manner, and very little time has been spent on speech objections, and most of the time has been spent on professional and informal business meetings. Jalili talked about the History of Islam and Iran, we learned a lot of history."[29]

Ministry of Foreign Affairs [ edit ] Jalili during the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988).Jalili has 18 years of experience in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At the age of 26, he was elected as the head of the Inspection Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and remained in the position until 1996. In 1997, he became the director of current investigations of the leadership office in the Mohammad Khatami's government, he later returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government and worked as the deputy foreign minister for European and American Affairs.[30]

Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council [ edit ] In 2006, Gholam-Hossein Elham, the spokesman of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government, announced the resignation of Ali Larijani and introduced Saeed Jalili as the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council. After this, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, chose Jalili as his representative at the Supreme National Security Council in 2007.[31][32] The peak and indicator of Jalili's activity in the Supreme National Security Council is the nuclear negotiations. When Hassan Rouhani took office on 19 September 1392, he dismissed Jalili and appointed Ali Shamkhani as the secretary of the council.[33]

Member of the Expediency Discernment Council [ edit ] As the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Jalili was a legal member of the Expediency Council, which after being dismissed by Rouhani, Ali Khamenei appointed him again a member of the council in 2013.

Member of the Foreign Relations Strategic Council [ edit ] Khamenei appointed Saeed Jalili as a member of the Strategic Council of Foreign Relations in 2014. He is currently the head of this council.[34]

2013 presidential candidacy [ edit ] Jalili was a candidate in the 2013 presidential elections, announcing his candidacy on 22 March 2013.[35] He was supported by Front of Islamic Revolution Stability and also by Kamran Bagheri Lankarani, the party's main candidate who declined his candidacy in favour of Jalili. His campaign Slogan was "A Pleasant Life".[36] He received 4,168,946 and was ranked third, behind president-elect Hassan Rouhani and runner up Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Shadow Cabinet [ edit ] Jalili during a speech in 2015.Saeed Jalili in 2013, after the defeat in the elections, proposed the plan of the Shadow Cabinet to help the Hassan Rouhani government and compensate for its shortcomings.[37][38] He has held several meetings to criticise the government and offer a solution.[39] In early 2021, he met 19 members of parliament and explained a plan to reform the Budget structure.[40] Also, without they took the Petrochemical refinery development plan to the Larijani parliament (right-wing political opposition) and approved it, and the plan was communicated to the Rouhani government (left-wing political opposition) for implementation.[41] Jalili explained the Shadow Cabinet is neither a party nor an organisation, but a Discourse and it means that everyone must follow the process of developments, shadow by shadow to have a positive impact on the path of the Islamic Revolution.[42]

2021 presidential candidacy [ edit ] Before the last day of registration for the presidential election, he was considered one of the most likely candidates. Although Jalili had said he would not register if Ebrahim Raisi entered the election,[43] with the flood of members and supporters of the established government such as Jahangiri, Larijani, Shariatmadari, Akhundi and Hemmati, it is conflict that he registered in the election individually or to support Raisi.[44][45]

Jalili speaking at a conference, April 26, 2017.2024 presidential candidacy [ edit ] In May 2024, Jalili registered his candidacy for president in the 2024 presidential election.[46] On 29 June, he secured 40.38% of the votes during the first round of the election, arriving in second place behind reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian, and thus qualifying for runoff.[47] Jalili received support from unsuccessful candidate Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who placed third, as well as from Alireza Zakani and Amir-Hossein Ghazizadeh, who had both previously dropped out.[48]

Electoral history [ edit ] Books [ edit ] Foreign Policy of the Prophet of Islam (Persian: Ø"یاØ"ت خارجی پیامبر اØ"Ùام )The Paradigm of Islamic Political Thought in Quran (Persian: بنیان Ø§Ù†Ø¯ÛŒØ´Û Ø"یاØ"ی اØ"Ùام در قرØن )References [ edit ] ^ a b "تمام اطÙاعات خانÙادگی Ú(C)اندیداهای ریاØ"ت جمهÙری یازدهم". Isna. 13 January 2014. ^ "Iran's presidential election heads to a runoff after reformist wins most votes". CNN . Retrieved 5 July 2023 . ^ "Iran election: Hardliners dominate presidential candidates". BBC News. 10 June 2024 . Retrieved 24 June 2024 . ^ "مرÚ(C)ز اØ"ناد انقÙاب اØ"Ùامی - تصاÙیر منتشر نشده از دÚ(C)تر Ø"عید جÙیÙی". 8 June 2012. Archived from the original on 8 June 2012 . Retrieved 10 June 2024 . ^ Garrett Nada; Helia Ighani (11 June 2013). "Old War Haunts New Election". United States Institute of Peace . Retrieved 28 July 2013 . ^ "مÙضÙع پایان نامه دÚ(C)ترای جÙیÙی چیØ"ت؟ + دانÙÙد Ø®Ùاصه - مشرق نیÙز". 30 May 2021. Archived from the original on 30 May 2021 . Retrieved 10 June 2024 . ^ "The 500 Most Influential Muslims" (PDF) . Center of Muslim-Christian Understanding. 2009 . Retrieved 19 July 2013 . ^ "Biography of Iran's top nuclear negotiator". IRNA English (in Persian). 22 May 2013 . Retrieved 29 May 2024 . ^ "Factbox: Iran's new atomic negotiator Saeed Jalili". Reuters. 23 October 2007 . Retrieved 29 May 2024 . ^ Biography: Jalili Parssea ^ https://rasaderooz.com/%D8%AC%D9%84%DB%8C%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%B5%D8%AF%D8%A7-%D9%88-%D8%B3%DB%8C%D9%85%D8%A7-%D8%A2%D9%85%D8%AF-%D9%88%DB%8C%D8%AF%DB%8C%D9%88/ ^ https://andishemoaser.ir/%d9%85%d8%af%d8%b1%da%a9-%d8%aa%d8%ad%d8%b5%db%8c%d9%84%db%8c-%d8%b3%d8%b9%db%8c%d8%af-%d8%ac%d9%84%db%8c%d9%84%db%8c/ ^ "Candidate Profile: Saeed Jalili". Asharq Al-Awsat English. 9 June 2013 . Retrieved 1 June 2024 . ^ "Saeed Jalili: The former nuclear negotiator that rubs diplomats the wrong way". Atlantic Council. 11 June 2021 . Retrieved 1 June 2024 . ^ "مÙضÙع پایان نامه دÚ(C)ترای جÙیÙی چیØ"ت؟ + دانÙÙد Ø®Ùاصه". Mashregh News (in Persian). 16 June 2013 . Retrieved 1 June 2024 . ^ a b c Vatanka, Alex (21 September 2012). "Khamenei and Iran's 2013 elections". Middle East Institute . Retrieved 18 February 2013 . ^ Anti-West Hard-Liner Gains in Iranian Race Thomas Erdbrink, New York Times, 28 May 2013 ^ "Biographies of Eight Qualified Candidates for Iran Presidential Election". Iran Review. 22 May 2013 . Retrieved 13 August 2013 . ^ "گزارشي از شرÙع تدريØ" Ø"عيد جÙيÙي دردانشگاه امام'ŒØµØ§Ø¯Ù‚(ع) + عكØ"". مشرق نیÙز (in Persian). 4 February 2014 . Retrieved 11 April 2021 . ^ a b "Iran's approved presidential candidates". CBS News. 14 June 2013 . Retrieved 16 August 2013 . ^ a b "Iran's Top Nuclear Negotiator Ali Larijani Resigns". Fox News. AP. 20 October 2007. Archived from the original on 9 February 2012 . Retrieved 17 June 2013 . ^ a b Frederic Wehrey; Jerrold D. Green; Brian Nichiporuk; Alireza Nader; Lydia Hansell; Rasool Nafisi; S. R. Bohandy (2009). "The Rise of the Pasdaran" (PDF) . RAND Corporation . Retrieved 20 August 2013 . ^ Posch, Walter (November 2007). "Only personal? The Larijani Crisis Revisited" (PDF) . Policy Brief (3) . Retrieved 17 June 2013 . [permanent dead link ] ^ "Rouhani Appointed Former Defense Minister as the Secretary of NSC". Nasim Online. 10 September 2013. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013 . Retrieved 10 September 2013 . ^ "Jalili appointed to the Expediency Council". Iran Daily Brief. 12 September 2013 . Retrieved 13 October 2013 . ^ Sabet, Farzan (June 2013). "The Islamic Republic's political elite and Syria" (PDF) . IranPolitik. Archived from the original (Special Report) on 11 July 2013 . Retrieved 30 July 2013 . ^ Iran's negotiator '' rigid ideologue close to Khamenei Marcus George, Reuters, 25 February 2013 ^ "ÙیÙیام برنز: جÙیÙی Û´Û° دقیقه فÙØ"فه بافی بی مÙرد درمÙرد فرهنگ ٠تاریخ ایران Ú(C)رد؛ حتی از تدریØ"Ø´ در دانشگاه تهران هم Ø"خن گفت / پاØ"Ø® جÙیÙی Ø¨Ø§Ø¹Ø Ø´Ø¯ برچØ"ب بچه'ŒÛŒ مØ"Ø...Ùه Ø"از دیپÙماØ"ی>> به ایران بخÙرد | Ø"ایت انتخاب". 14 October 2022. Archived from the original on 14 October 2022 . Retrieved 10 June 2024 . ^ نیÙز, اخبار رÙز ایران ٠جهان | Øفتاب (10 May 2024). "مذاÚ(C)رات زمان جÙیÙی به شنیدن نطق درباره تاریخ اØ"Ùام ٠ایران می گذشت/ Ø­Ø"ابی تاریخ ØمÙختیم". fa (in Persian) . Retrieved 10 June 2024 . ^ YJC, خبرگزاری باشگاه خبرنگاران | Øخرین اخبار ایران ٠جهان | (10 May 2024). "Ø"عيد جÙيÙي؛ فردي با Ø"ابقه اجرايي 18 Ø"اÙه در Ùزارت امÙر خارجه". fa (in Persian) . Retrieved 10 June 2024 . ^ "چه Ú(C)Ø"انی عض٠شÙرای عاÙی امنیت مÙی هØ"تند؟ - مشرق نیÙز". 14 August 2017. Archived from the original on 14 August 2017 . Retrieved 10 June 2024 . ^ ایران, عصر (10 May 2024). "جÙیÙی دبیر Ø´Ùرای عاÙی امنیت مÙی شد". fa (in Persian) . Retrieved 10 June 2024 . ^ "شمخانی دبیر Ø´Ùرای عاÙی امنیت مÙی شد، ابتÚ(C)ار رییØ" Ø"ازمان محیط زیØ"ت". 24 September 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015 . Retrieved 10 June 2024 . ^ خارجی, Ø´Ùرای راهبردی رÙابط (7 December 2014). "Øشنایی با Ø´Ùرای راهبردی رÙابط خارجی". Ø´Ùرای راهبردی رÙابط خارجی (in Persian) . Retrieved 10 June 2024 . ^ "Potential Candidates". Iran Election Watch. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013 . Retrieved 20 February 2013 . ^ "Ø"عید جÙیÙی برای 1400؟". خبرگزاری برنا (in Persian) . Retrieved 11 April 2021 . ^ "رÙزنامه Øرمان مÙی: "دÙÙت Ø"ايه" از پاØ"تÙر نمي'ŒÚ¯Ø°Ø±Ø¯". www.pishkhan.com . Retrieved 11 April 2021 . ^ "با Ùزرای "دÙÙت Ø"ایه" جÙیÙی Øشنا Ø´Ùید | پایگاه خبری تحÙیÙی انصاف نیÙز". انصاف نیÙز (in Persian). 17 September 2017 . Retrieved 11 April 2021 . ^ "دÙÙت Ø"ایه یا دÙÙت فشار؟/ Ø"عید جÙیÙی به دنبا٠چیØ"ت؟". دیدبان ایران (in Persian) . Retrieved 11 April 2021 . ^ "پیشنهاد "دÙÙت Ø"ایه " Ø"عید جÙیÙی این'ŒØ¨Ø§Ø± به مجÙØ" یازدهم". خبرØنÙاین (in Persian). 25 December 2020 . Retrieved 11 April 2021 . ^ "طرحی Ú(C)ه با پیگیری جÙیÙی ٠دÙÙت Ø"ایه، در مجÙØ" Ùاریجانی تصÙیب ٠به دÙÙت رÙحانی ابÙاغ شد!". rajanews.com (in Persian). 29 February 2020 . Retrieved 11 June 2021 . ^ "تÙضیحات جÙیÙی درباره دÙÙت Ø"ایه". www.tabnak.ir. 6 February 2020 . Retrieved 11 April 2021 . ^ "انصراف Ø"عید جÙیÙی از Ú(C)اندیداتÙری در صÙرت Øبت'ŒÙ†Ø§Ù… رØ...یØ"ی". مشرق نیÙز (in Persian). 13 May 2021 . Retrieved 15 May 2021 . ^ "جÙیÙی نامزد Ù¾Ùششی رØ...یØ"ی نیØ"ت". نامه نیÙز (in Persian) . Retrieved 15 May 2021 . ^ "ببینید | زاÚ(C)انی ٠جÙیÙی Ú(C)اندیدای Ù¾Ùششی رØ...یØ"ی در انتخابات هØ"تند؟". خبرØنÙاین (in Persian). 15 May 2021 . Retrieved 15 May 2021 . ^ "Iran opens registration for the June presidential election after Raisi died in a helicopter crash". Associated Press. 30 May 2024 . Retrieved 30 May 2024 . ^ "Iran Presidential Election: Final Figures Put Pezeshkian and Jalili in Run-off". Iran Press. 29 June 2024 . Retrieved 29 June 2024 . ^ "Iran heads to presidential run-off on July 5 amid record low turnout". Al Jazeera. 29 June 2024 . Retrieved 29 June 2024 . External links [ edit ] 2021 presidential campaign websiteInterview with The Boston GlobeFACTBOX: Iran's new atomic negotiator Saeed Jalili from ReutersIranian Presidential Candidate Saeed Jalili Calls for Enrichment to 100 Percent from the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Iranian politician

Masoud Pezeshkian (Persian: مØ"عÙد پزشÚ(C)یان ; born 29 September 1954) is an Iranian cardiac surgeon and reformist politician who is currently representing Tabriz, Osku and Azarshahr electoral district in the Parliament of Iran, and also served as its First Deputy Speaker from 2016 to 2020. He was Minister of Health and Medical Education between 2001 and 2005 in the Government of Mohammad Khatami.[2] He ran in the 2013 presidential election, but withdrew, and ran again in the 2021 election, but was rejected.[3] Pezeshkian qualified in 2024, and is currently running in the 2024 presidential election.

Early life and education [ edit ] Pezeshkian was born in Mahabad[4][5] on 29 September 1954 to an Iranian Azerbaijani father who was born in Qasr-e Shirin,[6] and an Iranian Kurdish mother.[7][8] In 1973, he received his diploma and moved to Zabol to serve his conscription duty. It was during this time when he became interested in medicine. After completing his service, he returned to his home province, where he entered medical school and graduated with a degree in general medicine. During the Iran-Iraq War (1980''1988), Pezeshkian frequently visited the front lines, where he was responsible for sending medical teams and working as a fighter and doctor. Pezeshkian finished his General practitioner course in 1985, and started teaching Physiology at the medical college.

After the war, he continued his education, specializing in general surgery at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. In 1993, he received a subspecialty in cardiac surgery from Iran University of Medical Sciences. He later became a specialist in heart surgery, leading him to become president of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in 1994, a position he held for five years.[9]

He has completed management courses in the US, UK, Switzerland and Thailand.[10][11] Pezeshkian is a Quran teacher, and reciter of the Nahj al-balagha, a key text for Shia Muslims.[12]

Career [ edit ] Pezeshkian's political journey began when he joined Mohammad Khatami's administration as Deputy Health Minister in 1997. He was appointed Health Minister four years later, serving from 2001 to 2005.[13] Since then, he has been elected to the Iranian parliament five times, representing Tabriz, and served as the First Deputy Speaker of the parliament from 2016 to 2020.

He is also a member of Iran-Turkey Friendship society.[14]

Views [ edit ] IRGC [ edit ] Pezeshkian is a supporter of the IRGC, and has called the current IRGC "different from the past".[15] He condemed the declaration of IRGC as a terrorist organization by United States in 2019.[16] After the 2019 Iranian shoot-down of American drone, Pezeshkian called the American government terrorist and described the IRGC's action to target the drone as "a strong punch to the mouths of the leaders of criminal America".[17] In a university meeting and in response to some criticisms, Pezeshkian put on the IRGC uniform, and said that he would wear it again.[18]

Pezeshkian during the Iran-Iraq War (1980''1988)Criticism of the system [ edit ] Pezeshkian has criticized the system multiple times. During the protests after the presidential elections of 2009, Pezeshkian criticized the way the protesters were treated. In his speech, he mentioned the words of the first Shiite Imam [Ali] addressed to Malik Ashtar that "Do not treat people like a wild animal".[19]

Pezeshkian considered Iran's method of managing the 2018 protests as "scientifically and intellectually wrong". He blamed the country's system for all the events and said, "We should have done better."[20] After the 2022 protests, Pezeshkian demanded the creation of an assessment and clarification team regarding the incident. Although he considered the way of dealing with the protestors and their trial to be contrary to the constitution and demanded that the defendants should get lawyers, he later issued an statement, condemned the protests and did not consider it to be in the people's interest.[21]

Ethnic view [ edit ] Pezeshkian demands the implementation of Article 15 of the Iranian Constitution for all ethnicities. This principle says: "The official and common language and script of the people of Iran is Persian. Documents, correspondence, official texts and textbooks must be in this language and script, but the use of local and ethnic languages in the press and mass media and the teaching of their literature in schools is free, along with the Persian language." He called the implementation of this principle an obstacle to giving excuses to separatists and dissidents.[22] Pezeshkian also supports teaching of Azerbaijani language in Iranian schools.[3]

Personal life [ edit ] Pezeshkian and Mahmoud Sadeghi wearing IRGC uniforms.Pezeshkian's wife was a gynecologist.[23] In 1993, Pezeshkian lost his wife and one of his sons in a car accident. After that, he raised his remaining two sons and daughter alone and has never remarried.[24] His daughter, Zahra Pezeshkian, has a master's degree in chemistry from Sharif University of Technology, and was working at Jam Petrochemical before the Rouhani government came to power.

Pezeshkian is a fan of Tractor S.C.[25]

Public face [ edit ] Sources consider his family to be far from the sidelines and himself to have a clear track record in economic matters. However, his political opponents such as Alireza Zakani have accused him of defending people involved in corruption.[26][27]

References [ edit ] ^ Ahangar, Ali. "مØ"عÙد پزشكيان؛ كØ"ي كه مØ٠هيچ كØ" نيØ"ت". Etemaad Daily . Retrieved 29 June 2024 . ^ "در مÙرد مØ"عÙد پزشÚ(C)یان در ÙیÚ(C)ی'ŒØªØ§Ø¨Ù†Ø§Ú(C) بیشتر بخÙانید" [Who is Masoud Pezeshkian?]. www.tabnak.ir (in Persian) . Retrieved 10 June 2024 . ^ a b "افراد ردصÙاحیت'ŒØ´Ø¯Ù‡ فقط تÙانØ"تند یÚ(C) نامه بنÙیØ"ند". Iranian Labour News Agency. 1 March 2016 . Retrieved 2 March 2016 . ^ "Get to know presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian/2". Mehr News Agency. 16 June 2024 . Retrieved 29 June 2024 . ^ Dagres, Holly (19 June 2024). "Masoud Pezeshkian is a possible game changer in the upcoming Iranian presidential election" . Retrieved 29 June 2024 . ^ "چرا پزشÚ(C)یان ؟ این Ø"Ùا٠تعدادی از دÙØ"تان بنده Ø"ت". tdam.ir (in Persian). 11 June 2024 . Retrieved 29 June 2024 . ^ Editorial (14 June 2024). "The Guardian view on Iran's presidential election: more choice, but little real hope of change". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077 . Retrieved 16 June 2024 . ^ "مØ"عÙد پزشÚ(C)یان Ú(C)یØ"ت؟" [Who is Masoud Pezeshkian?]. Entekhab (in Persian). 21 May 2024. Archived from the original on 18 June 2024 . Retrieved 28 June 2024 . ^ "در مÙرد مØ"عÙد پزشÚ(C)یان در ÙیÚ(C)ی'ŒØªØ§Ø¨Ù†Ø§Ú(C) بیشتر بخÙانید". www.tabnak.ir . Retrieved 13 June 2024 . ^ "پزشÚ(C)یان ٠جÙیÙی چه گفتند؟". خبرگزاری مهر | اخبار ایران ٠جهان | Mehr News Agency (in Persian). 2 July 2024 . Retrieved 3 July 2024 . ^ "پزشÚ(C)یان درمناظره:Ùقتی بنزین 25هزارتÙمانی راگفتم دردÙÙت نبÙدم - تØ"نیم". خبرگزاری تØ"نیم | Tasnim (in Persian) . Retrieved 3 July 2024 . ^ "Reformist candidate Masoud Pezeshkian shakes up Iran presidential election". www.ft.com . Retrieved 13 June 2024 . ^ "Persian Press Review". Tehran Times. 29 May 2010 . Retrieved 9 September 2010 . ^ "گرÙه'ŒÙ‡Ø§ÛŒ دÙØ"تی پارÙمانی مجÙØ" نهم". Islamic Consultative Assembly Website. Archived from the original on 24 July 2014 . Retrieved 14 August 2014 . ^ مØ"عÙد پزشÚ(C)یان: من بازهم ÙباØ" Ø"پاه می'ŒÙ¾Ùشم/ Ø"پاه با چیزی Ú(C)ه اÙØن می'ŒØ¨ÛŒÙ†ÛŒØ¯ متفاÙت اØ"ت (in Persian). 13 June 2024 . Retrieved 13 June 2024 '' via www.rokna.net. ^ "مÙت با قدرت از Ø"پاه مقتدر دفاع می'ŒÚ(C)ند". www.alef.ir. 16 June 2024 . Retrieved 16 June 2024 . ^ "پزشÚ(C)یان: Ø"پاه مشت محÚ(C)می به دهان یاÙه'ŒÚ¯Ùیی'ŒÙ‡Ø§ÛŒ ØمریÚ(C)ا زد/ طنین شعار مرگ بر ØمریÚ(C)ا>> در مجÙØ"". www.alef.ir. 16 June 2024 . Retrieved 16 June 2024 . ^ "پزشÚ(C)یان: من بازهم ÙباØ" Ø"پاه می'ŒÙ¾Ùشم؛ Ø"پاه اگر نبÙد Ú(C)Ø´Ùر تجزیه شده بÙد". اصÙاحات نیÙز (in Persian). 16 June 2024 . Retrieved 16 June 2024 . ^ Mehrabi, Ehsan (10 June 2024). "Who is Masoud Pezeshkian, the Only Pro-Reform Candidate?". Iran Wire. ^ "انتخابات ریاØ"ت'ŒØ¬Ù…Ù‡Ùری ایران؛ مهدی Ú(C)رÙبی از نامزدی مØ"عÙد پزشÚ(C)یان حمایت Ú(C)رد". BBC News فارØ"ی (in Persian). 19 June 2024 . Retrieved 21 June 2024 . ^ Dagres, Holly (19 June 2024). "Masoud Pezeshkian is a possible game changer in the upcoming Iranian presidential election". Atlantic Council . Retrieved 21 June 2024 . ^ رادیÙفردا (25 April 2018). "پزشÚ(C)یان: اص٠۱۵ قانÙن اØ"اØ"ی برای همه اجرا Ø´Ùد". رادی٠فردا (in Persian) . Retrieved 16 June 2024 . ^ "مقام'ŒÙ‡Ø§ÛŒ جمهÙری اØ"Ùامی ٠همØ"رانشان؛ مردان نام'ŒØ¯Ø§Ø± ٠زنان 'بی'ŒÙ†Ø§Ù…' ". BBC News فارØ"ی (in Persian) . Retrieved 13 June 2024 . ^ "مØ"عÙد پزشÚ(C)یان", ÙیÚ(C)ی'ŒÙ¾Ø¯ÛŒØ§ØŒ دانشنامهÙ-- Øزاد (in Persian), 13 June 2024 , retrieved 13 June 2024 ^ "پزشÚ(C)یان: اÚ(C)Øر بازی'ŒÙ‡Ø§ÛŒ تراÚ(C)تÙر را با نÙه'ŒØ§Ù… محمدحØ"ین به اØ"تادیÙم می'ŒØ±Ùیم /با هم Ø¨Ø­Ø Ù…ÛŒ'ŒÚ(C)نیم؛ نقدم می'ŒÚ(C)ند، اما هیچ'ŒÙقت دعÙا نمی'ŒÚ(C)نیم - خبرØنÙاین". www.khabaronline.ir . Retrieved 16 June 2024 . ^ "دفاع تأØ"ف'ŒØ¨Ø§Ø± پزشÚ(C)یان از 2 نماینده مجÙØ" متهم به فØ"اد ماÙی در بازار Ø®ÙدرÙ!". رÚ(C)نا (in Persian). 16 June 2024 . Retrieved 16 June 2024 . ^ جهان, Fararu | فرار٠| اخبار رÙز ایران Ù (16 June 2024). "حمÙه زاÚ(C)انی به پزشÚ(C)یان: از یÚ(C) بی'ŒØ¹Ø¯Ø§Ùتی محض دفاع می'ŒÚ(C)رد". fa (in Persian) . Retrieved 16 June 2024 . External links [ edit ] Media related to Masoud Pezeshkian at Wikimedia Commons

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Fri, 05 Jul 2024 18:03

ShutterstockDr Massoud Pezeshkian (left) heads off against Saeed Jalili (right)

Voting is under way to elect a new Iranian president as a hardline conservative goes head-to-head with a reformist.

The run-off comes after no candidate secured a majority in the first round of the election on 28 June, which saw a historically low voter turnout of 40%.

One of them Dr Massoud Pezeshkian, a former heart surgeon, is critical of Iran's notorious morality police - but his rival Saeed Jalili favours the status quo.

The election was called after Iran's previous president Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash in May, in which seven others died.

Dr Pezeshkian has caused a stir after promising ''unity and cohesion'' and an end to Iran's ''isolation'' from the world.

He has called for ''constructive negotiations'' with Western powers over a renewal of the faltering 2015 nuclear deal in which Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program in return for an easing of Western sanctions.

Mr Jalili, a former nuclear negotiator who enjoys strong support amongst Iran's most religious communities, is known for his hardline anti-Western stance and opposition to restoring the nuclear deal, which he says crossed Iran's ''red lines".

In order to stand, both candidates had to make it through a vetting process run by the Guardian Council, a body made up of 12 clerics and jurists that hold significant power in Iran.

That process saw 74 other candidates removed from the race, including several women.

The Guardian Council has previously been criticised by human rights groups for disqualifying candidates who are not loyal enough to the regime.

EPAFormer heart surgeon Dr Massoud Pezeshkian has been described as wildcard candidate

After years of civil unrest - culminating in anti-regime protests that shook the country in 2022-23 - many young and middle-class Iranians deeply mistrust the establishment and have previously refused to vote.

With turnout in the first round at its lowest since the 1979 Iranian revolution, voter apathy could be a deciding factor in the run-off.

On Iranian social media, the Persian hashtag "traitorous minority" has gone viral, urging people not to vote for either of the candidates and calling anyone who does so a "traitor".

But Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rejected suggestions that the low turnout represents a rejection of his rule.

"There are reasons [behind the low turnout] and politicians and sociologists will examine them, but if anyone thinks that those who did not vote are against the establishment, they are plainly wrong," he said.

ReutersAnti-regime protests engulfed Iran in 2022-23

In a rare move, he acknowledged that some Iranians do not accept the current regime. "We listen to them and we know what they are saying and it is not like they are hidden and not seen," Mr Khamenei said.

Within Iran, local media has encouraged people to cast ballots.

Reformist daily newspaper Sazandegi said "the future is tied to your votes" while the Hammihan newspaper said "now it's your turn".

Tehran municipality-run daily newspaper Hamshahri published a piece entitled "100 reasons for voting", while the state broadcaster-run daily newspaper Jaam-e Jam said Iran was "awaiting the people".

Preliminary election results are expected to be released by Saturday morning.

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Fri, 05 Jul 2024 04:44

I n the highway code and the law courts, there is no doubt what those big numbers in red circles mean. As a quick trip up any urban street or motorway with no enforcement cameras makes clear though, many drivers still regard speed signs as an aspiration rather than a limit.

Technology that will be required across Europe from this weekend may change that culture, because from 7 July all new cars sold in the EU and in Northern Ireland must have a range of technical safety features fitted as standard. The most notable of these is intelligent speed assistance '' or colloquially, a speed limiter.

The rest of the UK is theoretically free, as ministers once liked to put it, to make the most of its post-Brexit freedoms, but the integrated nature of car manufacturing means new vehicles here will also be telling their drivers to take their foot off the accelerator. Combining satnav maps with a forward camera to read the road signs, they will automatically sound an alarm if driven too fast for the zone they are in.

Drivers of most new cars will be familiar with similar features already installed, but they are currently easy to override. According to a representative at one large manufacturer: ''You've got to balance whether it makes the car safer '' but it's driving people mad. In practice, we're finding that a lot of people are switching it all off.''

From now on, however, cars will be designed with systems that are impossible to permanently turn off, restarting each time the engine does. Will car lovers see this as pure progress?

''It's one of those things that it's very difficult to argue against,'' says Steve Fowler, an automotive consultant and former editor of Autocar. ''Sticking to speed limits is not only is going to save you in no end of ways, it's going to potentially save lives.''

Safety is the overriding reason for slower speeds, and as charities such as Brake and Rospa emphasise, even small increases above 30mph make a significant difference in outcomes, particularly for those who are not driving the car.

Yousif Al-Ani, the principal engineer for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) at Thatcham Research, says: ''Modern vehicles are very good at protecting occupants in the event of a collision through passive safety features, such as airbag and crumple zones, but these have limited benefit to vulnerable road users'' such as pedestrians and cyclists.

The number of road deaths involving a speeding vehicle in Britain has risen faster than the wider toll since Covid, up 20% in 2022 to 303 out of 1,695.

A significant minority of drivers admite to break speed limits on all types of roads, but observation of free-flowing traffic by the Department for Transport suggests the proportions are higher. According to the RAC's 2023 report on motoring, 57% of drivers said they broke the 70mph speed limit on motorways. The 30mph in most urban areas was most likely to be respected, broken by only 40%. The DfT found that on 20mph roads with free-flowing traffic '' not residential streets with speed bumps - between 80 and 90% of vehicles flouted the limit.

One of the most common asssertions speeders made to the RAC was that ''I drive at the speed of other road users''. That kind of peer pressure may be no surprise to those struggling to observe 20mph limits on, for example, bigger roads in London or Wales, as following drivers display furious incredulity; or on roads such as the M6 toll, where many appear to regard the £9.70 charge as buying the right to bomb past at 80mph as much as dodge Birmingham.

With the precise readings of computers replacing wobbly speedometer needles, however, and a new generation of speed cameras upping the ante on the enforcement side, it may be ever harder to disown responsibility. Lawyers say those who switch off the speed limiter at the start of their journey may have a difficult time if they end up in court.

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As well as the limiter, other ADAS features, including automated lane-keeping and autonomous emergency braking, will become mandatory. Questions remain over whether the technology works well enough in all real-life situations, and how comfortable people will feel with their car telling them what to do, let alone taking control of their steering, brakes and acceleration '' a potentially alarming and disorienting experience.

''Striking a balance between safety, performance and integration to create systems that cooperate with drivers is a real challenge for manufacturers,'' says Al-Ani.

The consensus, however, is that the benefits far outweigh the risk. More and more drivers are happy to go slower and rely on the technology, Fowler says. ''Driving is changing, and I think drivers are changing. Much as it pains me to say this, they don't necessarily love the sort of things that enthusiasts in the past have loved, the engineering that goes into them.

''People are more aware that driving faster uses more fuel. If you're doing 80 on the motorway, it exponentially increases.''

With the rising cost of living focusing minds on the miles per gallon as much as the speed, the joy can be in driving well rather than fast, Fowler said. ''We need to breed a new generation of drivers who find driving in a more relaxed manner can be just as rewarding. Driving well, so you can keep momentum going, not having to stop and start all the time, will save you fuel, save your money, save on emissions. Maybe mpg is the new mph.''

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It's been a hell of a week. Biden's debate disaster left Americans wondering who's really pulling the strings, and a pair of Supreme Court decisions gutted the administrative state. I joined my old classmate Paul Davis and political law attorney Steve Roberts to discuss these events and game out exactly how Democrats might replace Biden on the ballot.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Published July 5, 2024 at 12:30 PM EDT

President Biden signed legislation this week aimed at preventing and finding a cure for Parkinson's Disease.

Championed by New York Congressman Paul Tonko, the National Plan to End Parkinson's Act will provide more federal funding for Parkinson's research to prevent and cure the disease.

The Democrat from the 20th District says more than a million Americans live with the disease that affects the nervous system.

''It's a really good collaborative that we have seen working really well with the Alzheimer plan. I really mimicked that effort on behalf of Parkinson's,'' Tonko said.

The bipartisan legislation is modeled after the 2011 National Alzheimer's Project Act, which created a national effort to address the Alzheimer's crisis and all other forms of dementia by 2025.

Tonko says the bill will help better focus federal spending on research, estimated at $52 billion annually.

Damian Shin is a professor and interim chair for Albany Medical College's department of neuroscience and experimental therapeutics. He says while every patient is different, common symptoms of the progressive disease are tremors, rigid muscles, speech changes, and loss of automatic movements. Shin says the legislation will allow researchers to leverage resources to accelerate advances for therapeutics.

''Right now, the one that works the best, the gold standard, is Levodopa. It has their own trademark names, and really has been devised since 1950s, 1960s and really hasn't moved that much, except for a better way for delivering that,'' Shin said. ''So, you have constant delivery through intestinal gels, you have patches, you have nasal sprays, but at the end of the day it's still a dopamine replacement therapy. We're now looking at things like gene therapy, stem cell research, neuromodulation, you have now the new one that's at least you know, being discussed is noninvasive, focused ultrasound, deep brain stimulation has come a long way now.''

In addition to providing federal funding for research, the law will ensure federal entities coordinate efforts to manage, treat, and cure the disease and provide Congress with progress reports on the plan's goals.

Mark Burek has lived with the disease since 2007. Since being diagnosed, he founded Hope Soars, an organization aimed at inspiring those in the community to live fully. Burek says when he was diagnosed, he felt isolated and didn't know where to find a sense of kinship. Today, Burek says he feels a sense of camaraderie with others in the Parkinson's community.

''There's nothing worse than going someplace and not knowing anybody, not being able to relate,'' Burek said. ''Our Parkinson's programs has everybody relating to each other, like I have a bad hip and it's part of sciatica. Somebody two doors down, he's got the same thing going on So we communicate, we talk it out, and I get certain tips from him. He gets certain tips from me. That's the way it goes.''

Tonko credits the advancement of the legislation, which passed the House in December and the Senate in May, to Democratic Virginia Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton, who was diagnosed with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and became a steadfast advocate for the bill. Tonko spoke in Schenectady Tuesday as President Biden prepared to sign it.

''It doesn't end with the Parkinson's patient and loved ones that surround that individual are impacted just by watching the journey of their loved one and knowing that there are some limitations that have come their way,'' Tonko said.

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By Ashanti Martin | WURD Radio

President Joe Biden appeared on WURD Radio for an exclusive interview with Andrea Lawful-Sanders, host of The Source, to address concerns about his performance in the June 27 debate that left many wondering whether he is fit to be the Democratic nominee in this year's presidential election versus former President Donald Trump.

The interview, recorded on July 3, aired the following morning '' the fourth of July '' at 6 a.m. It was Biden's first media appearance after the debate, and the president directly addressed concerns about his performance and fitness for office.

''I had a bad debate,'' Biden said. ''But 90 minutes on stage does not erase what I have done in three-and-a-half years.''

The president, who at 81 years old is the oldest major-party presidential nominee in history, provided a contrast to Trump, saying that his administration has benefited and bolstered Black Americans like never before while Trump has refused calls to denounce political violence and did not readily state during their debate that he would accept the November election results.

''Black voters in cities like Philadelphia are the ones who are going to decide the outcome of this election,'' Biden said.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in Philadelphia at Girard College on May 29. Photo credit: Ashanti MartinBiden highlighted his visit to Girard College in Philadelphia on May 29 to announce ''Black Voters for Biden-Harris,'' a summer outreach campaign with an eight-figure investment designed to engage student organizations, community groups and faith centers in Pennsylvania and other battleground states.

''Black voters in cities like Philadelphia are the ones who are going to decide the outcome of this election,'' Biden said.

In the 14-minute interview, Biden made his case to voters with what the administration considers a series of wins for Black communities: lowering drug costs including insulin, an increase in Black wealth and home ownership, supporting HBCUs, nominating the first Black woman Supreme Court justice and the unprecedented diversity of his cabinet.

Lawful-Sanders, who has been a host at WURD Radio since 2019, closed the interview by asking what Biden has to say to Americans who plan to sit out the 2024 election. ''Same thing that was said to me when I was a young kid getting out of school during the Civil Rights Movement,'' Biden said. ''If you don't do something about it, you're to blame.''

Listen to Andrea Lawful-Sanders's exclusive interview with Joe Biden below.

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