USA - In South Florida this summer, one ecological scourge has piled on top of another. First came the red tide, a flotilla of microorganisms that dyed the sea rust and eventually stretched out along 100 miles of the Gulf Coast. Oxygen-starved fish, eels, dolphins and turtles littered beaches, in numbers too vast to count. In one marina, so many fish went belly up that they appeared to pave a walkway across the water.
USA - The fruits and vegetables of today have seen a decline in nutritional value, a report done by The Globe and Mail and CTV News found. In analyzing the fresh produce sold in Canadian markets, the report saw a sharp decrease in their vitamin and mineral content, compared to that of fruits and vegetables from the 1950’s.
UK - The addictive nature of smartphones has been documented for years, but Big Tech has successfully suppressed the research that would guide parents to protect their children. Technocrats don’t let anything get in the way of their scientific ‘solutions.’ ⁃ TN Editor
USA - August 4th is shaping up to be a “perfect storm” false flag event, where deaths are staged in order to blame conservative Americans and sway public opinion for the upcoming mid-term elections. While we hope no such events ever take place, this weekend is a prime target for anti-America forces to stage precisely such a crisis.
GERMANY - Rock band, Frei.Wild’s home region is South Tyrol, a largely German-speaking enclave that was passed to Italy from Austria-Hungary after World War I. “I won’t tolerate any criticism of this sacred land, our homeland,” the band’s heavily tattooed singer, Philipp Burger, sang. “The lyrics capture the zeitgeist in Germany”.
CHINA - China’s state newspaper Global Times published a feature Wednesday heralding in a new era in relations between Beijing and the Vatican, suggesting that Pope Francis, as a Jesuit who “believes he has a good understanding of Marxists,” presents a golden opportunity for China to coopt Catholicism in the country. One of those experts, a scholar identified as Yang Fenggang, told the Global Times that Pope Francis — coming from Latin America, the cradle of Marxist-inspired liberation theology — had friendlier sensibilities towards communist China than his predecessors.“Pope Francis is from Latin America, and believes he has a good understanding of Marxists because of the liberation theology that was popular in Latin America, and he thinks the Chinese Communists are perhaps similar to the Marxists in Latin America,” Yang said.
IRAN - Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard is expected to soon begin a major naval exercise that could demonstrate its ability to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial conduit for global energy supplies, US officials say. The exercise in the Persian Gulf could begin as soon as the next two days, according to two US officials directly familiar with the latest assessment of the Revolutionary Guard's troop movements. "We are aware of the increase in Iranian naval operations within the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman. We are monitoring it closely, and will continue to work with our partners to ensure freedom of navigation and free flow of commerce in international waterways," Captain William Urban, chief spokesman for US Central Command, told CNN.
TURKEY - If Ankara buys the Russian-made S-400 anti-aircraft system, it would be catastrophic for the US and could imply a break-up with Turkey, a newly-picked assistant secretary of state told US lawmakers during confirmation hearings. The pessimistic outlook on Washington’s quarrel with Ankara over the Russian weapon system came from René Clarke Cooper, nominated to be the assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs.
USA - Processing American food began after World War II, when we started canning produce and adding preservatives and additives. In 1950, scientists figured out that adding antibiotics to animal feed increased the livestock’s growth rate. Then, in the early 1980s, the US began extensively using hormones for livestock, and genetically engineering crops to contain bug-killer and weed-killer DNA.
UK - Scientists are feeding farmed salmon genetically modified (GM) crops in an attempt to make the oily fish more nutritious. The crops are rich in healthy fish oils, which the researchers hope the salmon will absorb. GM, which allows genes to be moved between species, is controversial due to scientists being unaware of its potential long-term health and environmental effects. Some worry GM allows antibiotic-resistant genes to be transferred between species. Critics also argue it could increase the risk of allergies if people are intolerant to a food whose genes are transferred to another. Tests reveal healthy omega-3 oils, which protect against heart disease and cancer, have halved in farmed salmon over the past 10 years.
ISRAEL - In a rare show of solidarity, over 75 liberal Orthodox rabbis and educators from Israel and abroad have signed an open letter declaring their support for the LGBTQ community – following a vicious attack on it last week by the Orthodox establishment in Israel.
NEW ZEALAND - A young Wellington girl has championed gender equality by imploring the New Zealand Transport Agency to get rid of gender-specific road signs. The girl's mother, Caitlin Carew, took to Twitter yesterday to proudly tell the story of her daughter's noble actions. "So proud of my 7-year-old. She recently wrote to the NZTA CE asking that they replace the 'Lineman' sign with something more 'correct and fair' because 'women can be line-workers too'," she Tweeted. "The CE agreed and now NZTA is developing a new Line Crew sign. High 5s all round!"
AUSTRALIA - Parts of eastern Australia are suffering their worst drought in living memory as a lack of rainfall in winter hits farms badly. About 98% of New South Wales is drought-stricken, and two-thirds of neighbouring Queensland. As a result, farmers are having to order in food for their livestock, which raises their costs considerably. The government's aid for drought-hit farmers has now topped A$1 billion (£564 million; $73 8million). "I have been here all my life, and this drought is feeling like it will be around a while," farmer Ash Whitney said.
ISRAEL - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran on Wednesday that Israel, together with an “international coalition,” would not allow the Islamic Republic to close a key regional waterway. Speaking to graduates of the Israel Navy’s elite captains course at its naval training base in Haifa, Netanyahu said, “At the beginning of the week we witnessed a serious clash with Iran’s proxies who tried to obstruct international movement in the straits at the entrance to the Red Sea.” He added: “If Iran tries to block the Bab Al-Mandab Straits, I’m convinced that it will find itself facing a determined international coalition to prevent this.”
MIDDLE EAST - The Saudi Arabia oil blockade could soon affect oil shipment to Europe and the US as the Government in Riyadh refuses to back down from the ban, experts have warned. Saudi Arabia this week refused to back down from its decision to stop oil shipment along the Bab al-Mandeb strait in fear they could be targeted by rebel forces engaged in the war in Yemen.