World News Random, Random

[ponchi101]

Is that some sort of tradition, or is he joking?
Serious question.

[skatingfan]

Is that some sort of tradition, or is he joking?
Serious question.

It's a tradition - Members of Parliament can purchase their chair when they leave Parliament.

[ti-amie]

US Aims to Reduce Hostile Rhetoric Toward Russia at G7 Meeting
by Thomas Morrow
Updated March 11, 2025

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the United States plans to prevent the use of hostile rhetoric toward Russia at the upcoming G7 Foreign Ministers meeting scheduled for March 12-14. According to Die Zeit, Rubio stated that antagonistic language can make it more difficult to bring conflicting parties to the negotiating table.

"We believe that hostile rhetoric sometimes makes it harder to get conflicting parties to the negotiating table. And this is not about taking sides. The US cannot support any statement that does not align with our position of starting negotiations," Rubio explained.
He acknowledged that other G7 foreign ministers "may have different views on the situation," but stressed that the US is currently committed to peace talks regarding Ukraine.

On March 9, reports emerged that the US opposed creating a G7 group focused on countering sanctions evasion against Russia. Washington is also pushing for stronger language regarding China in the meeting's final joint statement.

While traveling to Saudi Arabia for talks with the Ukrainian delegation, Rubio made more direct comments about the path to peace. According to Politico, he stated that Ukraine must give up some territory to reach a peace agreement, calling it "the only way" to end the military conflict.

"They [Ukrainians] have suffered greatly, and their people have suffered greatly, and after something like that, it's difficult to even talk about concessions. But it's the only way to end this and prevent even greater suffering," the Secretary said.
Rubio had previously indicated this territorial concession would be a key point for the American delegation in their Saudi Arabia meetings.

In France, President Emmanuel Macron has been seeking public support for increased military spending to counter perceived Russian threats. However, Politico reports that Macron has not clarified where funding for the French army would come from, only establishing that taxes should not be raised to finance the spending increase.

These comments have sparked concerns among opposition parties and unions that social spending might be sacrificed for defense efforts. Critics worry war rhetoric could be used to justify unpopular austerity measures. While the French president holds significant power over defense policy, the legislature controls financial flows, and Macron lacks a parliamentary majority. Despite strong anti-Russian rhetoric, France has contributed only €4.8 billion to Ukraine's defense, less than Poland, Sweden, and Denmark.

https://morrow.report/us-aims-to-reduce ... 7-meeting/

[ti-amie]

Former Philippine President Duterte Arrested on ICC Warrant Over Drug Killings
by Thomas Morrow
Updated March 11, 2025

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested Tuesday on a warrant from the International Criminal Court, according to AP News. Duterte was taken into custody at Manila international airport after arriving from Hong Kong with his family, becoming the first former Asian leader to be arrested by the global court.

Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was arrested Tuesday on a warrant from the International Criminal Court, according to the Philippine government. Duterte was taken into custody at Manila international airport after arriving from Hong Kong with his family, becoming the first former Asian leader to be arrested by the global court.

The ICC warrant accuses Duterte of crimes against humanity related to the deadly anti-drug crackdowns he oversaw while in office. The March 7 warrant states there are "reasonable grounds to believe" that attacks on victims "were both widespread and systematic" and took place "over a period of several years" with "thousands of people" killed.

Upon arrival, Duterte protested his detention, demanding authorities explain the legal basis for his arrest. The former president's lawyers immediately filed a petition with the Supreme Court to block any attempt to transport him out of the Philippines to the ICC in Europe. Following his arrest, he was driven to the nearby Villamor Air Base.

Death toll estimates from Duterte's anti-drug campaign vary significantly:

National police reports: over 6,000 killed
Human rights groups claims: up to 30,000 deaths
ICC investigation period: November 2011 to March 2019
Families of those killed during Duterte's crackdown expressed relief at the arrest. Randy delos Santos, uncle of a teenager killed by police in 2017, told AP: "This is a big, long-awaited day for justice." Former Senator Antonio Trillanes, who filed a complaint against Duterte with the ICC, called the arrest "historic" and "like the downfall of an emperor."

The ICC began investigating killings under Duterte from his time as mayor of Davao through his presidency as possible crimes against humanity. Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the Rome Statute in 2019, which human rights activists viewed as an attempt to escape accountability. The court ruled in 2023 that its investigation could resume despite Philippine objections.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who succeeded Duterte in 2022 and later became involved in political disputes with him, has not rejoined the global court. However, the Marcos administration had stated it would cooperate if the ICC requested international police to take Duterte into custody through a Red Notice, according to AP reports.

The arrest comes on the same day Elon Musk lost $29 billion as Tesla stock plummeted 15.43% on the Nasdaq, marking its steepest single-day decline since September 2020. Musk's net worth dropped from $330 billion to $301 billion, while Tesla faces global sales declines and increased competition from rival electric vehicles.


https://morrow.report/former-philippine ... -killings/

[ti-amie]

Britain urged to form breakaway 'Four Eyes' alliance without the US after Trump's 'unprecedented' decision to block intelligence sharing with Ukraine
By ANNA MIKHAILOVA DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR

Published: 19:38 EDT, 8 March 2025 | Updated: 22:16 EDT, 8 March 2025

Britain must develop a 'Four Eyes' intelligence sharing alliance in response to Donald Trump's actions over Ukraine, defence sources have said.

The US President's 'unprecedented' decision to block allies, including the UK, from giving Ukraine US-generated classified material that could benefit the eastern European country has sparked calls for a breakaway group.

Mr Trump used his powers as part of the 'Five Eyes' alliance of the US, Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand to suspend intelligence to Kyiv.

Some in the defence establishment are now suggesting forming a sub-group to allow intelligence sharing without a US veto.

'It isn't about pulling out of Five Eyes, it is about creating a new 'Four Eyes' within it – without America,' a source said.

The US's decision would 'damage Ukraine's ability to defend itself against ongoing Russian attacks', the Institute for the Study of War said last week.

Former British ambassador to Washington Sir David Manning said the question of intelligence sharing was going to be 'more difficult to approach'.

He told MPs last week: 'Clearly, if you have some Trump supporters in these key jobs who have very strange track records and have said very strange things about Nato allies and the Nato alliance and you have people in the administration who seem to be looking for ways of appeasing Russia, then you have a problem on the intelligence front.

'That is a big question mark against how the special relationship is sustained during the Trump administration.'

A Government spokesman said: 'We have a deep and long-standing defence and intelligence relationship with the US and we continue to work closely with our Five Eyes partners.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... raine.html

[ponchi101]

Marco Rubio is truly becoming a towering example of how NOT to be a decent human being. He has taken "spineless" to a whole new level.

[ti-amie]

Ron Filipkowski
‪@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social‬
Putin & Trump have choreographed a scam where Trump will announce tomorrow that he persuaded Putin to allow a Ukrainian army surrounded to return home, and will use that to try to legitimize Putin’s demands so they can blame Ukraine when they don’t accept them. It is all a lie.

[ti-amie]

[ponchi101]

It's called free trade.
Go. Buy them. If the Germans have them and want to sell them it might work.

[dryrunguy]

I haven't posted anything from the Johns Hopkins Health Security Decoded newsletter, but this one was worth a share. All of this information is extensively hyperlinked in the newsletter. Unfortunately, those links get lost in a copy and paste.

The use of the word "humane" in the first paragraph regarding slashing and burning USAID made me chuckle (in a completely morbid sense)... As if this administration is even remotely capable of such things. The second and third parts are about the measles and H5N1 outbreaks in the U.S. I put this here because I felt it was important to center the potential impact of USAID funding cuts.

::

U.S. cessation of global health funding threatens to reverse decades of progress on infectious diseases, weaken humanitarian responses, WHO warns

WHO officials this week warned that U.S. withdrawal from the agency and the abrupt freeze of U.S. global health funding threaten to turn back decades of progress against infectious diseases and will have severe consequences worldwide. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on the Trump administration to reconsider its funding withdrawal, emphasizing the need for a more humane approach to allow affected countries and programs to seek alternative support. The US contributed approximately 14% of WHO's budget in 2024, and its withdrawal has forced the organization to make difficult programmatic choices. According to Tedros:

Disruptions in malaria diagnostics and treatments could potentially lead to 15 million new cases and 107,000 deaths this year alone.
HIV treatment, testing, and prevention efforts have stopped in more than 50 countries, with some set to run out of antiretrovirals in the months ahead, due to suspensions in most funding for PEPFAR.
At least 27 countries in Africa and Asia are experiencing breakdowns in tuberculosis responses, with nine reporting supply chain failures for TB medications.
WHO’s global measles and rubella network of more than 700 laboratories, which is funded solely by the U.S. government, faces imminent shutdown, right when measles is making a comeback worldwide.
Nearly 24 million people affected by humanitarian crises risk not being able to access essential health services, as more than 2,600 health facilities in a dozen humanitarian situations have already at least partially suspended services.

Tedros added that other donors and member states will need to step in to fill gaps, no matter whether U.S. funding returns.

U.S. measles outbreak continues to grow; public health officials worry containment could take more than 1 year

The total number of confirmed measles cases in the U.S. so far this year has surpassed the 2024 total of 285, with a large outbreak centered in West Texas and isolated cases reported in 14 other states. The West Texas outbreak continues to grow, with 279 cases reported in Texas, 38 in New Mexico, and 4 in Oklahoma as of March 18. An unvaccinated six-year-old child from Gaines County, Texas, the epicenter of the outbreak, died of the disease, and measles is the suspected cause of death of an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico. The actual number of cases is likely much higher than the official count, based on measles’ mortality rate of about 1 in 1,000. Children and teenagers, mostly unvaccinated, account for most of the cases, with 120 cases reported among those aged five to 17 and 88 cases among children aged 4 years and younger.

The Center for Outbreak Response Innovation (CORI) launched a measles dashboard this week. Check it out here.

Elimination status at risk

Measles is highly contagious and can remain active in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours. Notably, the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine is highly effective, with two doses providing 97% protection against measles infection. CDC currently recommends people receive two vaccine doses, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between four and six years old. Public health officials in Texas have warned the outbreak could persist for a year or more due to low vaccination rates in affected communities and the virus's extreme contagiousness. If this were to happen, the U.S. would lose its measles elimination status, which it achieved in 2000.

Infants exposed in hospital

Measles can have serious consequences for people of all ages, but it's particularly dangerous for young children, especially infants; pregnant women; and those with weakened immune systems. In Lubbock, Texas, some infants may have been exposed to measles recently after an infected woman gave birth at a local hospital. For babies who are exposed to the virus, post-exposure protocols include possible early vaccination for those aged six to 12 months and immunoglobulin injections for very young infants. Some experts are debating whether national recommendations should be updated to include earlier doses of vaccine as standard practice for groups at higher risk of infection, such as those traveling to any region with increased probability of measles exposure.

Long-term consequences

While many associate measles with a rash and fever, infection can lead to severe complications—including ear infections, diarrhea, pneumonia, and in rare cases, swelling of the brain—that may require hospitalization. At least 36 people have been hospitalized in the current outbreak. One of the most concerning aspects of measles is its ability to erase some immune system memory, making individuals more susceptible to other infections for months or even years after recovery. This "immunity amnesia" can leave people especially vulnerable to other illnesses they might have previously been able to ward off.

Federal response criticized

The federal response to the measles outbreak is being complicated by controversial recommendations from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has offered only tepid support for the highly effective vaccine. While public health teams work to implement vaccination, testing, and containment strategies, officials worry that residents are relying on unproven remedies endorsed by Kennedy and are delaying doctor visits until their symptoms worsen. Kennedy has promoted unproven treatments such as cod liver oil, steroids, and antibiotics, none of which are effective against measles. This mixed messaging has the potential to undermine vaccination efforts and confuse the public about the best ways to prevent and treat measles, experts warn.

H5N1 virus likely endemic in U.S.; USDA announces additional biosecurity measures; FAO urges urgent action to stem outbreaks

The H5N1 virus, and possibly other avian influenza viruses such as H7N9, are likely here to stay in the U.S. With H5N1 spreading widely in wild and domestic animals, the virus is probably now endemic, and many experts feel the likelihood of a human pandemic is growing.

Tighter biosecurity or “let it rip”?

At the federal level, debate continues over the appropriate response measures, with the USDA launching enhanced biosecurity steps for poultry producers, and the HHS secretary endorsing a “let the virus rip” strategy, instead of culling flocks, much to the dismay of scientists. Amid the conflicting messages, the Trump administration has not yet staffed the White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy (OPPR), with only one staffer reportedly remaining.

Global response

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) this week called for urgent action to strengthen biosecurity, surveillance, and rapid-response mechanisms to curb outbreaks, as they threaten to have serious impacts on food supply and security.

Raw milk products not safe

Only about 56% of US adults know that drinking raw milk is less safe than consuming pasteurized milk, and only 17% of those asked knew that bird flu virus has been found only in raw milk, not in pasteurized milk, according to a new survey. This is notable given that, according to new research that has not yet been peer reviewed, the virus can survive for months in raw milk cheese, even after the 60-day aging process, which was previously thought to neutralize pathogens. The virus also remains viable in refrigerated raw milk for up to eight weeks.

Notably, dairy cows infected with H5N1 have reduced milk production. These reductions can amount to significant economic losses for farmers, who are increasingly using wearable devices to track cows’ movements and behavior and could be used to detect potential illnesses early.

Treatments and immunity

Researchers working with mouse models found that current antivirals, such as baloxavir and oseltamivir, might be largely ineffective against severe H5N1 infections, especially if contracted through raw milk exposure or consumption. Other new research suggests existing immunity from seasonal flu may offer some protection against H5N1 bird flu in humans.

Concerning mutation found in cats

More than 100 domestic cats have been documented with H5N1 infection in the past year. A genetic mutation associated with increased infectiousness and disease severity—PB2 E627K—was recently detected in two infected cats in New Jersey. The mutation is similar to one found in San Bernardino dairy cows, although with a slightly different origin. The cows were infected with the B3.13 strain of H5N1, whereas the cats were infected with the D1.1 strain, which is prevalent in wild birds and has been detected in several cow herds in Nevada and Arizona. The mutation, which was also detected in a Texas dairy worker infected last March, is associated with H5N1 viruses that replicate in mammals.

More pet food recalls

Another cat food brand has recalled some of its products due to possible contamination with bird flu. Savage Pet recalled some chicken products after two cats became ill after eating the food. Additionally, two pet cats in New York City died after being infected with bird flu, raising concerns in a city where hundreds of thousands of pet and feral cats live. It is unclear how the cats became infected, but health officials and veterinarians encourage pet owners to not feed raw food or unpasteurized milk to cats.

[ti-amie]

Infants exposed in hospital

Measles can have serious consequences for people of all ages, but it's particularly dangerous for young children, especially infants; pregnant women; and those with weakened immune systems. In Lubbock, Texas, some infants may have been exposed to measles recently after an infected woman gave birth at a local hospital. For babies who are exposed to the virus, post-exposure protocols include possible early vaccination for those aged six to 12 months and immunoglobulin injections for very young infants. Some experts are debating whether national recommendations should be updated to include earlier doses of vaccine as standard practice for groups at higher risk of infection, such as those traveling to any region with increased probability of measles exposure.

Parents of unvaccinated 6-year-old killed by measles in Texas speak out. They still are anti-vax
Gustaf Kilander
Thu, March 20, 2025 at 1:40 PM EDT

The parents of an unvaccinated child who died in the Texas measles outbreak appeared in a video produced by the anti-vaccine advocacy group Children’s Health Defense, where they continued to urge others to avoid vaccinating their kids.

The young couple are members of the Mennonite community and said their other four children had milder cases of measles because of untested treatments from Veritas Wellness, a holistic clinic in Lubbock, Texas, that’s reported to push treatments such as cod liver oil, vitamin C and the steroid budesonide, according to Mother Jones.

The clinic had help from an online fundraiser organized by Children’s Health Defense, the group led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. until he launched his 2024 presidential campaign. Kennedy is reported to have spoken with Dr. Ben Edwards of Veritas Wellness last week, in addition to a historian from the area and a member of the Mennonite community.

While the interview with the parents who lost their six-year-old to measles could be seen as an argument in favor of vaccination, Brian Hooker and Polly Tomney of Children’s Health Defense interpreted the case as vaccinations being unnecessary as long as children have access to unproven treatments.

The young Mennonite couple spoke partly in English and partly in German, with a translator, saying that initially, their child seemed to have a regular case of measles, with a rash, fever and mild respiratory issues. But after a few days, her fever remained, and she struggled to breathe.

Taking her to the emergency room, the child was diagnosed with pneumonia. She was put on a ventilator in the ICU before her passing.

Following the funeral, their other four children, aged two to seven, also suffered cases of the disease and were treated by Edwards.

“Dr. Ben came helping us, and he gave them treatments, or like medicine,” the mother told Children’s Health Defense. “And they had a really good, quick, recovery.”

Tomney said, “We spent the morning at Dr. Ben Edwards’ clinic, and the parents are all still sitting there saying they would rather have this than the MMR vaccination because they’ve seen so much injury, which we have as well. Do you still feel the same way about the MMR vaccine versus measles and the proper treatment with Dr. Ben Edwards?”

“Absolutely not take the MMR [vaccine],” she said. “The measles wasn’t that bad. [The other children] got over it pretty quickly. And Dr. Edwards was there for us.”

But it’s likely that the siblings would have had mild cases regardless of the untested treatments as one in five unvaccinated children with measles are taken to hospital, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Earlier this month, Kennedy spoke to Fox News, claiming, without evidence, that treating measles with cod liver oil, antibiotics and steroids had “very, very good results.”

The couple also made other claims during the interview with Children’s Health Defense that don’t have any scientific support. The father said via a translator that he thought that measles boosted the immune system and that it protected against future cases of cancer and other diseases. While the measles virus is being studied as a possible remedy for some types of cancer, research indicates that it’s more effective for those who have been vaccinated.

“It was her time on Earth,” the translator said of the deceased child. “They believe that she’s better off where she is now versus all the negativity and all the stuff going on. They think she was too good for this earth.”

Hooker and Tomney said in a second video shared on Wednesday that they had gotten ahold of the deceased child’s hospital records, and they claimed that the child had not died of measles, but instead, because the hospital had not used the right treatments, Mother Jones noted.

“Vaccination remains the best defense against measles infection,” the CDC said in a statement on February 27. “Measles does not have a specific antiviral treatment. Supportive care, including vitamin A administration under the direction of a physician, may be appropriate.”

https://www.yahoo.com/news/parents-unva ... 54140.html

When you're up against willful ignorance what can be done?

[ti-amie]

Britain beefs up travel warnings over US border enforcement
By Reuters
March 20, 2025 7:49 AM EDT

LONDON, March 20 (Reuters) - Britain has in recent weeks revised its advice for citizens travelling to the United States to include a warning that anyone found breaking its entry rules could face arrest or detention.

Since taking office on January 20, U.S. President Donald Trump, opens new tab has announced a number of immigration-related executive orders that focus on stricter border policy, tighter visa vetting procedures and a crackdown on undocumented migrants in the United States.

On Wednesday, Germany updated its U.S. travel advisory to emphasise that a visa or entry waiver does not guarantee entry after several Germans were detained at the border recently.

Current British travel advice for the United States published online by Britain's foreign office stated:
"You should comply with all entry, visa and other conditions of entry. The authorities in the U.S. set and enforce entry rules strictly. You may be liable to arrest or detention if you break the rules."
Archived versions of the same website showed that at the beginning of February, the guidance had only stated: "The authorities in the U.S. set and enforce entry rules."

The foreign office declined to comment on the reason for the revision or confirm when exactly it took place. It said its travel advice was designed to help people make decisions and the advice was constantly kept under review.

Earlier this month, in response to media reports that a woman had been detained for more than 10 days at the border over a possible breach of her visa conditions, the Foreign Office confirmed it was providing support to a British national detained in the United States.

The woman has since returned to Britain, local media reported.

Reporting by William James, Editing by William Maclean

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/britai ... 025-03-20/

[ti-amie]

French scientist denied US entry after phone messages critical of Trump found
France’s research minister said the scientist was traveling to Houston for a conference when his phone was searched

Robert Mackey
Wed 19 Mar 2025 17.41 EDT
Share
A French scientist was denied entry to the US this month after immigration officers at an airport searched his phone and found messages in which he had expressed criticism of the Trump administration, said a French minister.

“I learned with concern that a French researcher who was traveling to a conference near Houston was denied entry to the United States before being expelled,” Philippe Baptiste, France’s minister of higher education and research, said in a statement on Monday to Agence France-Presse published by Le Monde.

“This measure was apparently taken by the American authorities because the researcher’s phone contained exchanges with colleagues and friends in which he expressed a personal opinion on the Trump administration’s research policy,” the minister added.

“Freedom of opinion, free research, and academic freedom are values ​​that we will continue to proudly uphold. I will defend the right of all French researchers to be faithful to them, while respecting the law,” Baptiste said.

A diplomatic source told the French news agency that the incident occurred on 9 March. The scientist was on assignment for the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). The same source said that messages discussing the Trump administration’s treatment of scientists had been found. The researcher was reportedly then accused of writings “that reflect hatred toward Trump and can be described as terrorism”.

Another AFP source said that US authorities accused the French researcher of “hateful and conspiratorial messages”. He was reportedly also informed of an FBI investigation, but told that “charges were dropped” before being expelled.

The research minister, Baptiste, has been outspoken in his own criticism of the Trump administration, and Elon Musk, for making huge cuts to scientific research budgets.

On the same day that the researcher was denied entry to the US, Baptiste published a letter calling on American researchers to relocate to France. “Many well-known researchers are already questioning their future in the United States,” he wrote. “We would naturally wish to welcome a certain number of them.”

The next day, Baptiste posted a photograph of himself in a virtual meeting with a researcher at the University of Maryland School of Medicine who had decided to take up an invitation from Aix-Marseille University to welcome researchers who wish to leave the United States.

On 12 March, Baptiste shared video on X, of a television appearance in which he deplored the way that research on health, climate, energy and AI “is being chainsawed in the United States”.

In the same interview, Baptiste said that he had “heard Elon Musk say that the International Space Station should be shut down in 2027. Who are we talking about? The boss of SpaceX? The head of the American public administration? None of this makes any sense.”

It was not immediately clear what conference the researcher who was denied entry to the US was planning to attend, but the 56th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference was held outside Houston from 10 to 14 March.

“All persons arriving at a port of entry to the United States are subject to inspection on a case-by-case basis,” Hilton Beckham, a spokesperson for US Customs and Border Protection, said in a statement to the Guardian. “As part of their critical national security mission, CBP officers routinely determine admissibility of foreign nationals using longstanding US immigration law. If an individual has material discovered on their electronic media that raises flags during an inspection, it can result in further analysis. Claims that such decisions are politically motivated are completely unfounded.”

Before Trump returned to office, Beckham was communications director for the America First Policy Institute, a rightwing thinktank that developed policies for Trump’s second administration, by drafting nearly 300 executive orders before the election, and creating a sort of shadow cabinet, led by Linda McMahon, Pam Bondi and Brooke Rollins, who now all serve in the current cabinet.

A CBP spokesperson also pointed to a section of the agency’s website which notes: “On rare occasions, CBP officers may search a traveler’s mobile phone, computer, camera, or other electronic devices during the inspection process.” Such searches of electronic devices, the agency policy claims, “are often integral to determining an individual’s intentions upon entry to the United States and thus provide additional information relevant to admissibility of foreign nationals under US immigration laws”.


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... t-detained

[ponchi101]

...

When you're up against willful ignorance what can be done?

"She was too good for this earth"
Which, of course, begs the question: Then why did God send her here?

[ti-amie]