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Signs of the Times: The World for People who Think. Featuring independent, unbiased, alternative news and commentary on world events.
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Sumptuous marble floor of sunken Roman villa discovered and restored underwater in Italy
An underwater discovery has emerged from the depths of the Submerged Archaeological Park of Baiae in Bacoli, Italy. Archaeologists have uncovered an exquisite marble floor belonging to an ancient Roman villa. This discovery, part of an ongoing restoration project, showcases ancient Rome's artistic and architectural sophistication. The project, spearheaded by CSR Restauro Beni Culturali and Naumacos Underwater Archaeology and Technology, has faced numerous challenges due to the extreme fragmentation and extensive area of the remains. The floor, constructed towards the end of the Roman Empire, covers approximately 250 square meters (2,700 square feet) and showcases intricate geometric patterns formed by precisely cut pieces of marble. Unlike traditional mosaics, which use small, uniformly sized pieces known as tesserae, the opus sectile technique involves larger, meticulously shaped pieces that fit together like a puzzle. This method allowed for uniquely detailed and elaborate... -
'Like telekinetic superheroes': 'Electric butterflies' create a charge so strong they can pull pollen through the air
A new study has revealed that the electrostatic field created by butterflies and moths in flight allows them to attract pollen grains from flowers across air gaps up to several centimetres wide. Researchers from the University of Bristol also observed that the amount of static electricity carried by butterflies and moths varies from species to species depending on variations in their ecology, such as the type of flowers they visit, whether the insects fly at day or night, and the habitat in which they live. The new findings, published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, suggest that this electric field increases their efficiency and effectiveness as pollinators. -
US and Israel should create 'Middle East NATO' - Netanyahu
The Israeli prime minister has proposed an alliance aimed against Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has proposed the creation of a new military bloc modeled after NATO and called the "Abraham Alliance," aimed against Iran. Netanyahu spoke before the joint session of the US Congress on Wednesday. It was his fourth address to American lawmakers, beating Winston Churchill's record, although about 70 House and Senate members declined to attend for one reason or another. Netanyahu said at one point: "America forged a security alliance in Europe to counter the growing Soviet threat. Likewise, America and Israel today can forge a security alliance in the Middle East to counter the growing Iranian threat." He said a "glimpse" of that alliance could be seen on April 14, when Iran launched a missile and drone attack against Israel and the US and the UK helped shoot some of them down. Netanyahu thanked US President Joe Biden "for bringing that alliance together," as well as his... -
Gaza, we cannot remain silent any longer
I do not know how it is in your household, but in mine we have developed the practice over the past nine months of reciting to one another the most appalling of the news bulletins from Gaza that come our way from a great variety of sources. It is rather miserable to think life has come to this, reading aloud daily accounts of atrocities, but there is no turning away from the depths to which terrorist Israel has dragged the whole of humanity. The subtext of each of these recitations is, "Can you believe this is happening? Can you believe the U.S. participates in this? Can you believe this is normalized?" It is indeed difficult to believe the things we read of are part of life in the third decade of the 21st century, and may this remain so: When it is no longer difficult to read or watch videos of the Israelis' merciless barbarities, the Zionist army will have bombed and bulldozed our consciences as thoroughly as it has any Gazan or West Bank village. -
World Court has cleared the fog hiding Western support for Israel's crimes
The legal ruling by the world's highest court obliges western states not just to end their persecution of the boycott movement but to take up that cause as their own Don't be fooled. The ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on 19 July that Israel's occupation of Palestine is unlawful is earth-shattering. Israel is a rogue state, according to the world's highest court. For that reason, the judgment will be studiously ignored by the cabal of western states and their medias that for decades have so successfully run cover for Israel. Doubters need only watch the reception Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu receives during his visit to the United States this week. Even though he is currently being pursued for war crimes by the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, the US Congress will give him a hero's welcome when he addresses its representatives on Wednesday. The warm handshakes and standing ovations will be a reminder that Netanyahu has had the... -
Can any external mediator resolve the Israel-Palestine conflict?
Several major world powers are attempting to broker peace in the Middle East, but internal divisions are just too deep. The new wave of violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that erupted following an attack by armed Palestinian factions on Israel on October 7 has become one of the most significant events in the chronicle of Middle Eastern discord. The fighting has been relentless for ten months, causing civilian deaths in Gaza each day, while the shadows of an escalating conflict loom ever darker with the potential involvement of another militarized non-state group - the Lebanon-based Hezbollah. Over many years of confrontation between Palestinians and Israelis, the current conflict has led to an unprecedented international public reaction, with massive anti-Israel protests held in major cities around the world, demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. A number of European countries, including Spain, Ireland, and Norway, decided to officially recognize the Palestinian... -
Ukraine brings first female prisoners into army
Kiev's military is constantly seeking new ways to replenish its ranks. Kiev has sent its first seven female prisoners into the army, the Ukrainian Justice Ministry said on Thursday. The women expressed their desire to join up in exchange for parole, a statement published on Facebook said. The move was made possible by a law adopted by parliament and signed by Vladimir Zelensky in May. The legislation allows people convicted of certain crimes to volunteer for the army in exchange for parole. Their requests are then assessed by a military medical commission and a court. "The law on the mobilization of convicts, approved by the Verkhovna Rada, provides for the opportunity not only for men, but also women to enter the army," said Ukrainian Deputy Justice Minister Elena Vysotskaya. The minister admitted that very few female convicts have expressed a desire to join the army so far. As of July 23, Ukrainian authorities had signed off on just seven such applications, she said. All the... -
Virginia's skirt-wearing rapist was released on his 18th birthday. Now he's not anonymous
The "gender-fluid" Virginia teenager who raped a freshman girl in a girl's bathroom while he was wearing a skirt was quietly released from a juvenile treatment center in November. On Wednesday, his 18th birthday, he was released from court supervision. Because Buta Biberaj — Loudoun County's since-defeated George Soros-backed prosecutor — charged him as a juvenile, he will have no public conviction on his record. He will not appear on a sex offender registry, despite Judge Pamela Brooks saying at his January 2022 sentencing that "Over the years this court has read many psychosexual reports, and when I read yours, frankly, it scared me. It scared me for you, it scared me for society." Now that the perpetrator is an adult, The Daily Wire is no longer withholding his name: Hunter Heckel. -
Suspected gunman in Croatia nursing home killings charged on 11 counts, including murder
A suspected gunman in a mass shooting at a nursing home in Croatia is facing 11 criminal charges, including murder, after he was accused of killing six people, including his own mother, and wounding as many more, police said on Tuesday. The carnage stunned Daruvar, a spa town of some 8,500 people in central Croatia and sent shock waves throughout the European Union country where such shootings have been rare despite many weapons left over from war in the 1990s. "The 51-year-old walked into the nursing home in Daruvar where he opened fire, with the intent to kill multiple people," police said in a statement. -
Identity politics backfire: Woman supporting Kamala Harris 'because she is a black woman' gets schooled with a brutal reality check
In a heated discussion on the latest episode of his podcast, content creator Anton Daniels confronted the troubling implications of identity politics when a guest openly admitted she would vote for Vice President Kamala Harris solely because she is a black woman. During the episode, Paige of the Pressher Podcast said she's voting for Kamala, saying, "I'm going to just be real honest with this. She's a black woman." You could see the disappointment in the room when Paige said that she's only voting Kamala because of identity politics. The admission elicited an immediate reaction from Daniels, who challenged her reasoning. "Is it only because she's a black woman?" he pressed. -
China throws clout behind Palestine
The Beijing Declaration cements the idea that global conflict resolution is now Made in China. But it also throws a wrench in US-Israeli efforts to manufacture a collaborator Palestinian government after the war in Gaza. HONG KONG - The Beijing Declaration, signed earlier this week, constitutes yet another stunning Chinese diplomatic coup, but the document goes far beyond affirming China's pull. The gathering of representatives of 14 Palestinian factions to commit to full reconciliation showed the entire world that the road to solving intractable geopolitical problems is no longer unilateral: it is multipolar, multi-nodal, and features BRICS/Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member China as an inescapable leader. The concept of China as a peacemaking superpower is now so established that after the Iran-Saudi Arabia rapprochement and the signing of the Beijing Declaration, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba chose to tell his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing that... -
So, Kiev's puppet president Zelensky now wants peace, or rather another piece of the action
All of a sudden, it seems, the Kiev regime wants to give peace a chance. This week, the so-called president Vladimir Zelensky was telling the Vatican envoy Cardinal Pietro Parolin that it was urgent to find a peaceful end to the conflict with Russia to spare further loss of life. "I think that we all understand that we must end the war as soon as possible, of course," Zelensky told the Vatican secretary of state during a meeting in Kiev. Only a few months ago, Zelensky rebuffed calls from Pope Francis for a diplomatic settlement to the worst war in Europe since the Second World War. And earlier this month, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was similarly disdained when he visited Kiev to appeal for a negotiated end to the conflict. Suddenly, though, there is a decided change in tune coming out of Kiev. The day after Zelensky issued his purported concern for peace, the Kiev regime's foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba flew to China to meet Wang Yi, China's top diplomat. "The Ukrainian... -
'Washington gives Netanyahu full backing to expand war on Lebanon', Israeli media reports
Former Israeli intelligence and security official Yuval Malka told Hebrew media on 25 July that Washington has greenlit a wider war on Lebanon. "According to the information I received from the delegation and what I know, Netanyahu has received full legitimacy in the United States to wage a war in Lebanon," Malka told Israel's Channel 14. "When he arrives in the country, he is expected to head to the 'Al-Bur' in Al-Kiryah, and from there he will start the war in Lebanon," he added, referring to a military complex that houses the headquarters of the Israeli army's different corps. Comment: These sources may or may not be correct. Whilst Netanyahu's visit to Washington does give the impression that the majority of US politicians would readily sacrifice the US for Israel's diabolical schemes, that doesn't mean they will go ahead with it, just yet. -
China blames NATO for 'sowing chaos of war' in Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine
NATO, being a source of discord, has unleashed wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Ukraine, Spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense Zhang Xiaogang told a briefing. "NATO is a machine that sows the chaos of war, it has brought the flames of war and disaster to the regions and people of Ukraine and Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya," the spokesman said commenting on the communique passed at the NATO summit in Washington. In recent years, NATO has continued to "spread its evil hooks" into the Asia-Pacific region, he said, TASS reported. The Alliance is attacking China and encourages certain countries in the region to follow suit, the defense ministry's spokesman said. -
Pentagon finds another $2 billion of 'accounting errors', funds that can now be sent to Ukraine
The Pentagon has found $2 billion worth of additional errors in its calculations for ammunition, missiles and other equipment sent to Ukraine, increasing the improperly valued material to a total of $8.2 billion, a U.S. government report revealed on Thursday. The U.S. Department of Defense has faced challenges in accurately valuing defense articles sent to Ukraine due to unclear accounting definitions, a new Government Accountability Office report showed. In 2023, the Pentagon said staff used "replacement value" instead of "depreciated value" to tabulate the billions in materials sent to Ukraine. The $6.2 billion error created a path for billions more to be sent to Kyiv. -
Deutsche Bahn to cut 30,000 jobs amid massive €1.2 billion losses
Deutsche Bahn, the German rail operator, is set to cut around 9% of its staff following significant financial losses in the first half of 2024. Over the next five years, the company will eliminate 30,000 jobs, with 1,500 of those cuts happening this year, according to an announcement made on Thursday. Extreme weather, strikes, and investments aimed at repairing an aging rail network have severely impacted Deutsche Bahn's profitability. The company reported a net loss of €1.2 billion for the first half of the year, a stark increase from the €71 million loss during the same period last year. Operating losses from its core business also escalated to €1.2 billion, up from €339 million in the first half of 2023. Deutsche Bahn now aims for an annual operating profit, with adjusted earnings before interest and taxes projected to be around €1 billion, slightly less than the previously predicted amount. -
Floods, landslides kill 10, leave 9 missing in northern Vietnam after a foot of rainfall
Flash floods and landslides triggered by tropical storm Prapiroon have killed at least 10 people and left 9 missing this week in northern Vietnam, the government's disaster management agency said on Friday. The storm that made landfall in Quang Ninh on Tuesday has brought torrential rains to most of the country's north over the past few days, with rainfall exceeding 300 mm (11.8 inches) in several parts, according to the agency. The deaths include seven in Son La province, two in Dien Bien province and one in the capital Hanoi, according to the agency. Photos on state media showed flood waters had risen to the roofs of hundreds of houses in Dien Bien Bien province and washed away or buried roads in the area. Floods and landslides have also inundated nearly 30,000 hectares of rice and cash crops and killed nearly 20,000 farmed cattle and poultry, the agency said. Rains have subsided in northern Vietnam, according to the national weather agency, which forecasts a new heatwave in the... -
Ben-Gvir Endorses Trump, Says He's More Likely to Back War on Iran
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir endorsed former U.S. President Donald Trump — the 2024 Republican nominee — for the White House in an interview published Wednesday in which he accused the Biden administration of preventing Israel from winning its war on Gaza. "I believe that with Trump, Israel will receive the backing to act against Iran," Ben-Gvir, who heads the far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, toldBloomberg. "With Trump, it will be clearer that enemies must be defeated." "A cabinet minister is supposed to maintain neutrality," the 48-year-old minister conceded, "but that's impossible to do after [U.S. President Joe] Biden." "The U.S. has always stood behind Israel in terms of armaments and weapons, yet this time the sense was that we were being reckoned with — that we were trying to be prevented from winning. That happened on Biden's watch and fed Hamas with lots of energy," added Ben-Gvir, who was convicted in 2007 of incitement to racism after he... -
BEST OF THE WEB: Paris Olympics: Train station evacuated over bomb threat; 'coordinated' arson attacks paralyze network; Israel's President Herzog 'threatened'
A bomb threat has reportedly led to the evacuation of Gare du Nord, a major Paris train station, just minutes after a Franco-Swiss airport was closed due to security concerns. The entire station perimeter has been cordoned off amid the bomb scare. Local journalist Jean-Baptiste Marty reported that "two suspicious packages" were found at the rail hub. It comes after lines were sabotaged ahead of the opening ceremony. Writing on X, he added, "A bomb threat is in progress at Gare du Nord in Paris. The entire perimeter around the station and within the station is cordoned off." According to the French media outlet Actu17, two calls were made warning of bombs at the station. Meanwhile, Basel-Mulhouse airport, near the Swiss border, experienced a bomb scare, prompting an evacuation of travellers. Initially, Basel-Mulhouse EuroAirport announced on its website, "For safety reasons, the terminal had to be evacuated and is currently closed." However, the airport has since reopened, and... -
Typhoon Gaemi lashes China after pounding Taiwan, Philippines
Typhoon Gaemi pummelled towns on China's coastal Fujian province on Friday with heavy rains and strong winds as the most powerful storm to hit the country this year began its widely watched trek into the populous interior. The storm has affected almost 630,000 people in China's Fujian so far, with almost half of them having to be relocated, Xinhua news agency reported. Earlier this week, it killed dozens of people as it swept through Taiwan and worsened seasonal rains in the Philippines. Gaemi was packing winds of up to 100.8 kph (62.6 mph) near its centre, easing slightly from 118.8 kph logged on Thursday night when it landed in the Fujian city of Putian. While Gaemi has been downgraded to a tropical storm because of slower wind speeds, its vast cloud-bands remain a significant flood risk, particularly to rivers in central China already elevated due to summer rains. Hours ahead of the typhoon's arrival, the Standing Committee of the Communist Party's politburo, helmed by President... -
Tennis ball-sized hail falls in Lacombe County, Alberta
Lacombe County residents reported tennis ball-sized hail during Wednesday evening's storm that prompted a tornado warning from Environment and Climate Change Canada. Originally, a watch was issued for much of Central Alberta at about 2:30 p.m., because atmospheric conditions area were favourable for the development of thunderstorms that could produce tornadoes. Around 7:15 p.m., a tornado warning was issued for North Central and South Central Alberta, with "extra care and attention should be exercised in and around the following localities: Clive, Alix, Eckville and Lacombe." -
FLASHBACK: Record number of 16 deaths caused by dog attacks in 2023 in UK - 5 or less killed per year between 1991 and 2021
Fatal dog attacks have surged to a record high in the last two years as campaigners, victims' families and animal charities warn changes to the law do not go far enough. There have been 16 deaths by dog bites recorded so far this year, more than double the six fatalities in 2022. Between 1991 and 2021, the number never went above five, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. The increase has been blamed on a rise in dog ownership sparked by Covid - 11 million in 2023 compared to 9.6 million in 2021, according to charity PDSA - with puppies bred and smuggled from abroad with little care for their welfare. The overall number of dog attacks has also soared. Figures obtained by The Independent from police forces in England and Wales show there has been an almost 60 per cent rise in the last five years. -
Waterspouts spotted over Lake Erie, Cedar Point
As waterspouts are being spotted in the waters of Lake Erie, FOX 8 meteorologists are warning that although they are amazing to look at, they are dangerous. One waterspout was spotted churning above Lake Erie near Cedar Point on Thursday at about 8:30 a.m. by Joe Burkhardt, the National Weather Service reported. "While they're cool to look at, they are in fact dangerous to watercrafts," FOX 8 meteorologist Alexis Walters said. "People should avoid being on the water during a time when waterspouts become likely." According to Walters, waterspouts typically occur when cooler air comes over the lake. They also usually last just a few minutes. -
Shocker! Study reveals that giving Americans $1,000 per month has negative consequences
A new study reveals what common sense could have predicted - giving Americans $1,000 per month disincentivizes them from working, causing them to work less - and earn less, over time. According to the 3,000-participant, three-year study from the National Bureau of Economic Research, giving people $1,000 per month increased leisure time, as recipients spent less time on sleeping, child care, community engagement, caring for others, and self-improvement. The study also found that recipients' income, not including the free money, reduced their incomes significantly, as "for every one dollar received, total household income excluding the transfers fell by at least 21 cents, and total individual income fell by at least 12 cents." "The takeaway from the best study done so far about UBI in the United States is that handing out money isn't the solution to all our problems," Daniel Di Martino, a economics researcher and graduate fellow at the Manhattan Institute, told The Center Square. "In... -
Valery Zaluzhny's message is pleasing for Western elites, but terrifying for Ukrainians
Kiev's former commander-in-chief, now ambassador to the UK, wants to turn his country into a weapons testing lab Valery Zaluzhny, Ukraine's former commander-in-chief, has given his first public speech in his new role as his country's ambassador to Britain. The occasion - surely carefully chosen - was the annual Land Warfare Conference at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), the UK's oldest and still premier military and geopolitical think tank. It was a high-level setting; other speakers included General Roland Walker, Chief of Britain's General Staff and Admiral Tony Radakin, Chief of the Defence Staff. Zaluzhny of course, was a high-level guest too: De facto exiled to Britain after losing a power struggle against Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky, rumors about a future return to Ukraine and a powerful position there have never died down. -
GIGO: AI produces gibberish when trained on too much AI-generated data
As junk web pages written by AI proliferate, the models that rely on that data will suffer. AI models work by training on huge swaths of data from the internet. But as AI is increasingly being used to pump out web pages filled with junk content, that process is in danger of being undermined. New research published in Nature shows that the quality of the model's output gradually degrades when AI trains on AI-generated data. As subsequent models produce output that is then used as training data for future models, the effect gets worse. Ilia Shumailov, a computer scientist from the University of Oxford, who led the study, likens the process to taking photos of photos. "If you take a picture and you scan it, and then you print it, and you repeat this process over time, basically the noise overwhelms the whole process," he says. "You're left with a dark square." The equivalent of the dark square for AI is called "model collapse," he says, meaning the model just produces incoherent... -
Komodo dragons discovered to have teeth coated in iron
The fearsome Komodo dragon, native to Indonesia and the world's largest living lizard, has a coat of iron on its razor-like teeth to help it kill its prey, scientists found in a study published Wednesday. A study led by researchers from King's College London, who carried out their work with advanced chemical and structural imaging, revealed protective iron coats in orange pigment found in the tips and serrations of Komodo dragon teeth. "This feature has never been reported before in a carnivorous reptile," said the study published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. -
Humpback whale topples boat, throws fishermen into sea off New Hampshire coast
Whale, they didn't see that coming. A pair of fishermen were tossed into the chilly New Hampshire waters Tuesday when a "p***** off" humpback landed squarely on their boat. The thrilling video shows the magnificent beast soar out from the surface just beyond the stern of the small vessel anchored a half-mile off the coast of Portsmouth. -
Inside the EU's war on free speech: Elon Musk can't win this battle
The latest salvo in the ongoing battle between between Elon Musk and the EU came courtesy of the X owner. He revealed that in the run-up to the European elections, X was offered "an illegal secret deal": if the platform would agree to secretly censoring online speech, then the European Commission wouldn't fine it for violations of its new online content moderation law, the Digital Services Act (DSA). X refused to cooperate, but all the other major platforms accepted the deal. Musk's revelation came shortly after Thierry Breton, the EU's censorship czar, announced the Commission's preliminary findings that X's new "blue check" verification system was in violation of the DSA. Given that anyone can now subscribe and obtain a "verified status" — unlike before Musk when the platform arbitrarily decided who was worthy of the coveted blue check — this, he stated, undermines users' ability to make informed decisions about account authenticity. -
Netanyahu requests meeting with Trump - Politico
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has requested a meeting with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump while on an official visit to Washington this week, Politico reported on Monday, citing sources familiar with the discussions. The Israeli leader is expected to meet with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and other top US officials during his trip. He is also scheduled to deliver a speech in front of Congress on Wednesday, addressing the ongoing war in Gaza. According to Politico's sources, Netanyahu's team has also been in contact with Trump, attempting to schedule a face-to-face meeting, potentially in Florida. Trump, who has become increasingly critical of the Israeli prime minister in recent years, has not yet agreed to the meeting but has not rejected it outright either, the outlet reported. -
Ukrainian FM says Kiev ready for talks with Russia - China
According to the Foreign Ministry in Beijing, Kiev is ready to hold peace talks with Moscow to end their long-running conflict. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba has told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, negotiations should be "rational" and seek to achieve "lasting peace". Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning offered a glimpse into the agenda of Kuleba's visit to China - the first since the start of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022 - as well as his talks with Wang. According to Mao, the hostilities between Moscow and Kiev were high on the agenda, with Kuleba making it clear: "Ukraine is ready and willing to engage in dialogue and negotiations with Russia. Of course, the negotiations should be rational and substantive, aimed at achieving a just and lasting peace." Mao said Wang had warned that there was a "risk of escalation and spillover" of the conflict, adding: "China believes that the resolution of all conflicts must... -
Harris would purge Biden's team - WSJ
Lloyd Austin, Antony Blinken and Jake Sullivan could lose their jobs come January. Kamala Harris is unlikely to keep the current crop of national security officials, should she win the US presidential election in November, according to sources quoted by the Wall Street Journal. President Joe Biden dropped out of the re-election race on Sunday, endorsing his vice-president for the top of the ticket. While the Democrats still need to officially confirm Harris as their nominee, media speculation about her presidency is already rampant. "Key Biden appointees, including national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin wouldn't likely be extended in their current roles," the Journal claimed late on Monday, citing anonymous current and former US officials. While Harris "hasn't had an opportunity to define her own brand of foreign policy," the Journal claimed that she "might ultimately align herself more closely with the... -
Japan and US expand military activity near Russian border - Moscow
Tokyo is helping Washington to spread its influence in the Asia-Pacific, Russia's deputy foreign minister has said. The US and Japan have ramped up naval activity near the Russian border, posing a threat to the country's national security, Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has said. In an interview with TASS on Wednesday, he said Tokyo had embarked on a course of "accelerated re-militarization" as it continues to beef up its military capabilities. Japan has expanded its joint naval activity with the US in close proximity to Russia's border in the Far East, Rudenko noted. He pointed to Washington and Tokyo's effort to involve countries from regions outside the Asia-Pacific in this activity, in particular NATO member states. "Tokyo acts as a key promoter of Washington's initiatives and concepts, including the creation of narrow bloc associations in the Asia-Pacific region aimed at 'dual containment' of Russia and China." The deputy foreign minister also highlighted Tokyo's... -
The Conservative Case for a Transhuman Future™
Donald Trump is all in on the gray gods of artificial intelligence. In retrospect, I suppose this was inevitable. "It is a superpower and you want to be right at the beginning of it, but it is very disconcerting," Trump told the algo-boosted elder-abuser Jake Paul last month. "It's going to happen. And if it's going to happen, we have to take the lead over China." Technology is power, so naturally, most politicians will gravitate to it. For decades, Silicon Valley and the Pentagon have appealed to "competition" and "survival" to justify total digitization. During the contactless Covid panic, digitized survival was a core principle of the global Great Reset agenda: unplug at your own peril. As we saw during that debacle, the real world manifestation of tech fantasies looked more like sorry hominids crippled by algorithmic parasites than an archaeofuturist blend of starships and classical architecture. But optimists insist technology is "neutral" and can ultimately be steered toward... -
The U.S. deep state's policy - Kill them all and let God sort them out
The United States of America, my beloved homeland, has been taken over by an elite mafia capable of anything and everything. I do not think many of my countrymen would disagree, given the events of the past couple of decades. Today, it seems as if killing has become the key to our leadership's domestic and foreign policy. The recent attempt on Donald Trump's life, and accusations the U.S. is backing attempts to kill Russia's Vladimir Putin, are two prime examples of someone, or a group of someone(s) who have sanctioned murdering any opposition. The Deep State of Fumbling Idiots When the U.S. Secret Service detail surrounding former President Donald Trump huddled to cover the wounded candidate, the world watched an unbelievable drama unfold. Some claim the service dedicated to protecting presidents purposely allowed 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks a window for killing Trump. Most reading this will have read the stories and seen the memes about a pimple-faced assassin climbing a... -
Civil unrest is the next most predictable crisis for America now
For the past six months I've been writing about the clear uptick in civil war rhetoric within the establishment media in the US, and we all know that the coming presidential election is the reason for it. The bottom line is that no matter who ends up in the White House in 2025 there will be mass violence, but most of this violence will be reserved for the possibility of Donald Trump's return. Set aside the recent attempted assassination (and how the Secret Service made it possible) for a moment and let's consider the common leftist response to it - Around 30% of Democrats believe the attack was "staged" (virtually impossible given the circumstances and evidence). The rest are enraged that the shooter missed. No event has exposed the political left for what they truly are more than the near-murder of Donald Trump. We are dealing with bloodthirsty mental deficients that will do anything to win. -
False flag anyone? Israel warns that 'Iranian terrorist proxies' plotting attack on Israelis at Olympics
The 2024 Paris Olympics will officially open on the night of Friday, July 26 - but already there are warnings that terrorists are looking to disrupt the games. Israel is now loudly warning that its athletes are prime targets. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Friday has sent an alarming letter to his French counterpart, Stéphane Séjourné, informing the French side of an alleged Iranian-backed plot to attack the Israeli delegation of athletes. "There are those who seek to undermine the celebratory nature of this joyous event," wrote Katz in the message. "We currently have assessments regarding the potential threat posed by Iranian terrorist proxies and other terrorist organizations who aim to carry out attacks against members of the Israeli delegation and Israeli tourists during the Olympics." -
Purported Biden insider: Obama hasn't endorsed Kamala because he doesn't believe she can beat Trump
Obama doesn't believe Kamala Harris can beat Trump, which is why he hasn't endorsed her: sources By Social Links for Isabel Vincent and Social Links for Jon Levine Published July 24, 2024, 5:09 p.m. ET Former President Barack Obama hasn't endorsed Kamala Harris' presidential bid because he doesn't think she can beat Donald Trump, according to a source close to the Biden family. Following President Biden's shocking exit from the race on Sunday, and his immediate endorsement of the vice president, most of the Democratic elite have been quick to rally behind Harris — but Obama is a notable exception. "Obama's very upset because he knows she can't win," the Biden family source told The Post. -
Leftie head-spin: BLM says Dems are 'party of hypocrites' for 'installing' Harris sans 'public voting process'
'We do not live in a dictatorship. Delegates are not oligarchs,' says Black Lives Matter The left-wing organization Black Lives Matter is resisting the installation of Vice President Kamala Harris as the presumptive Democratic nominee and are calling on the Democratic National Convention "to create a process that allows for public participation in the nomination process, not just a nomination by party delegates." In a statement Tuesday, the group, which rose to prominence in 2020 for organizing nationwide protests in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, said that "a 24-hour process of talking to party bosses is not democratic, nor is it a process Democrats should be proud of." For weeks after his disastrous debate performance last month, internal party pressure mounted against President Biden to drop out of the race — though he resisted those calls and insisted he was "in it to win it." -
Fans storm field, throw objects at Argentina soccer players after stunning Olympics equalizer that was disallowed
Fan behavior has caused more chaos at a soccer match involving Argentina. Ten days after fans without tickets crashed the Copa America final in Miami, Morocco supporters stormed the field and threw objects at Argentina players after Argentina scored what appeared to be a tying goal in the 16th minute of stoppage time during the 2024 Olympics opener Wednesday in Saint-Etienne, France. The match was officially suspended before the final whistle as Cristian Medina's apparent equalizer sparked outrage from the Morocco fans in attendance, and at one point a flare appeared to be tossed toward Argentina players in the ugly aftermath that saw bottles and cups litter the field. -
BEST OF THE WEB: Engineering a crisis: How political theater helps the Deep State stay in power
"The two 'sides' of mainstream politics are not fighting against one another, they're only fighting against you. Their only job is to keep you clapping along with the two-handed puppet show as they rob you blind and tighten your chains while your gaze is fixed on the performance." — Caitlin Johnstone A failed assassination attempt on a presidential candidate. An incumbent president withdrawing his re-election bid at the 11th hour. A politicized judiciary that fails to hold the powers-that-be accountable to the rule of law. A world at war. A nation in turmoil. This is what controlled chaos looks like. This year's election-year referendum on which corporate puppet should occupy the White House has quickly become a lesson in how the Deep State engineers a crisis to keep itself in power. Don't get so caught up in the performance that you lose sight of what's real. This endless series of diversions, distractions and political drama is the oldest con game in the books, the magician's... -
Kamala Harris doesn't answer whether Biden is fit for office
Vice President Harris will not say whether she is confident President Biden is currently capable of serving as commander-in-chief amid calls by lawmakers to invoke the 25th Amendment. Biden withdrew from the presidential race on Sunday after his performance at the first presidential debate sparked concerns over his fitness and mental competency. After the sudden announcement, several lawmakers began to question the president's ability to serve the remainder of his term if he is not able to seek re-election. After the announcement, Harris was quickly positioned as the Democrat replacement for Biden on the 2024 ticket, but some lawmakers - including Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C. - don't want to wait until January for Biden to leave office. Fox News Digital asked Harris whether she believes Biden is able to serve as president but did not receive a response despite several attempts to reach her office. -
'Harbinger of Doom' Oarfish swims past stunned tourists off Mexican coast on July 17, day before earthquake
Shocked tourists were treated to a rare sighting of a giant oarfish swimming past their tour boat just one day before an earthquake struck. The rare fish - known as the harbinger of doom - usually lives at depths of between 656 and 3,280 feet (200 and 1,000 metres). The only times they are usually spotted are after they have been washed up on a beach following a storm or when they have suffered an injury. It is very rare to see one of the massive creatures swimming alive and well in shallow water. When they do make an appearance it is typically considered bad luck by locals, who traditionally see it as a sign that disaster is about to strike. So it was a mixed blessing when the astonished tourists encountered the live oarfish in shallow waters off the Mexican coast on Wednesday (July 17). -
How the U.S. legalizes its criminal global surveillance of communications
A brief look at Section 702 for warrantless tapping The U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) consists of 17 federal agencies. The best known are the CIA, the FBI, and the NSA. Briefly, the task of the CIA is human intelligence, the FBI operates domestically with the main focus on terrorism, foreign intelligence operations, and espionage, while the NSA deals with electronic intelligence. Initially, Congress enacted Section 702 due to the evolution of technology in the years after the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) was passed in 1978. By the mid-2000s, many terrorists and other foreign adversaries were using email accounts serviced by U.S. companies. Because of this change in communications technology, the government had to seek individual court orders, based on a finding of probable cause, to obtain the communications of non-U.S. persons located abroad. That proved costly. The new procedure under Section 702 involved the Attorney General (AG) and Director of National... -
Man attacked by shark in Port Macquarie, Australia
A surfer in his 20s is in hospital after being mauled by a shark at a popular beach in northern NSW. Emergency services were called to North Shore Beach in Port Macquarie about 11am on Tuesday after the man was attacked in the water. He was treated at the scene for leg injuries. Paramedics then rushed the man to Port Macquarie Hospital, where it's understood he is in a critical but stable condition. -
Four dead in Pune, India as incessant rains cause severe flooding, evacuations
Incessant rains in Pune, Maharashtra, have caused severe flooding, resulting in the deaths of four people and the evacuation of residents from low-lying areas. The India Meteorological Department issued a 'red alert' for the district, prompting school closures. Areas like Sinhagad Road, Bavdhan, Baner, and Deccan Gymkhana faced significant inundation. Water release from Khadakwasla dam increased flooding along the Mutha river. Three men were electrocuted in Deccan, and a landslide in Mulshi killed one person and injured another. Disaster management and NDRF teams are deployed, and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has instructed authorities to aid affected citizens. -
Waterspout seen on Sebago Lake, Maine on July 23
Many people saw it spinning above Sebago Lake and on Wednesday, the National Weather Service confirmed that it was a waterspout that formed Tuesday night. Tuesday evening showers and downpours were passing through the state. Interestingly enough, there was one particular storm that developed over Sebago Lake that had minor rotation with it. Here's a look at the video that David Nappi took around 8 p.m. According to the National Weather Service out of Gray, this was confirmed a waterspout. You can see minor rotation developing over the lake which eventually evolved into this brief waterspout over the east side of Sebago Lake near Raymond and Casco. -
Russia's Putin meets Syrian president Assad in Moscow to discuss 'escalation' in Middle East
Vladimir Putin met Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in Moscow to discuss what the Russian leader described as an "escalation" in the Middle East, images on television showed Thursday. The meeting late Wednesday comes at a time when Russia, which saved Assad's government through its military intervention in 2015 during a civil war, could mediate to defuse tensions between Syria and Turkey. The first meeting of the two men since March last year comes after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan evoked the possibility of the three leaders meeting to try and normalise ties between Ankara and Damascus. -
Argentina's football team robbed in Paris before Olympics match
The Argentine national football team was robbed before their Paris 2024 Olympics match, the head coach said on Wednesday. "Yesterday (Tuesday), thieves entered our training place and we were robbed. Thiago Almada had his belongings, a watch and jewels stolen," Head Coach Javier Mascherano, a former Barcelona and Argentina midfielder, said. "We didn't want to say anything after training," the 40-year-old added. Argentina lost to Morocco 2-1 in a Wednesday Paris 2024 match at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium in Saint-Etienne, a French city near Lyon. -
NIH's latest desperate attempt to incite fear
The response to the Covid-19 pandemic revealed many concerning aspects of how government functions and how committed individuals and institutions are to maintaining their preferred narratives. Truth, data, science, evidence...apparently none of those matter relative to the importance of ensuring the public complies with their desired behavior. Perhaps no single individual has been a better representation of the symbiotic relationship between government officials and media members, as well as their ceaseless commitment to ideological priorities, than Dr. Anthony Fauci. Fauci's NIAID and its parent organization, the National Institutes of Health, have been two of the most prolific spreaders of ideologically motivated misinformation ever during the pandemic. But Fauci is no longer part of NIH, having departed for the considerable financial rewards available from the private sector. So as a result of his timely exit, we must finally be witnessing improvements regarding government...
