NATIONAL NEWS & OPINION Comments turned off

Russian Economy in ‘Shock’ Due to Sanctions (But So Is Ours, Without Them)By Stephen Green

Posted By on March 11th, 2022

https://pjmedia.com/vodkapundit/2022/03/11/russian-economy-in-shock-due-to-sanctions-but-so-is-ours-without-them-n1565674

The Russian economy is in “shock” over what the Kremlin calls “economic warfare” waged by the U.S. and the West… so what’s our excuse?

According to a new Reuters report, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, “Our economy is experiencing a shock impact now and there are negative consequences, they will be minimized.”

Exactly how Moscow would minimize those negative consequences — with much of Russia’s trade and finance halted, sanctioned, or frozen — wasn’t specified.

“This is absolutely unprecedented,” Peskov said. “The economic war that has started against our country has never taken place before. So it is very hard to forecast anything.”

Bloomberg calls the pinch “a domestic toll that’s already comparable to the worst downturns of President Vladimir Putin’s more than two decades in power.”

“Russia is already headed for one of its biggest inflation spikes this century and the risk of shortages is prompting the government to impose restrictions on exports,” according to the report.

A Bank of Russia survey showed that analysts believe the Russian economy will shrink 8% or more in 2022, compared to a pre-Ukraine War consensus of 2.4% growth.

EDUCATION Comments turned off

Florida ‘Parental Rights in Education’ bill gets the old Democrat histrionics treatment By Monica Showalter

Posted By on March 11th, 2022

https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2022/03/florida_parental_rights_in_education_bill_given_the_old_democrat_histrionics_treatment.html

It’s getting to be a pattern with Democrats. A statehouse passes an extremely popular common-sense bill with voters, and Democrats immediately brand it with extremist distortions and say it’s something it’s not. We saw this with voter rights bills, dubbed “Jim Crow 2.0” by the left. We saw it with measures opposing mask and vaccine mandates, dubbed ‘people will die’ laws on the left. We see it with anti-illegal immigration bills, dubbed racist, and with the branding of parents protesting objectionable policies and failure to protect vulnerable students from sexual predators by school boards, as “terrorists.” The histrionics of the left are getting pretty baroque now, but they’re also entirely predictable.

Case in point: Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill, expected to be signed by Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis, states this:

The two bills in the state legislature, HB 1557 and SB 1834, state that a school district “may not encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.” 

Democrats have branded it with the catchy slogan “don’t say gay,” which is found nowhere in the bill. The bill clearly permits age-appropriate discussion for students if there’s a need to use the word ‘gay’ or explain it, but that’s unimportant to the hysterical opponents on the left.

The left is on a tear:

“This would erase LGBTQ+ history and culture from lesson plans and it sends a chilling message to LGBTQ+ young people and communities,” said Melanie Willingham-Jaggers, the executive director of the national LGBTQ youth advocacy group GLSEN.

Apparently, this activist believes that if five-year-olds or seven-year-olds still learning their ABCs aren’t studying and thinking about the Stonewall Riots or the life of Harvey Milk at that tender age, they’ll be scarred for life. 

There’s also the health angle to the hysteria:

“We have to create a learning environment where they feel safe and healthy, or it’s not an effective learning environment,” said Heather Wilkie of the Zebra Coalition, a Central Florida LGBTQ advocacy group.

“When you have laws like this, that directly attack our kids for who they are, it prevents them from learning,” she said. “It prevents them from being able to be healthy.”

FOREIGN POLICY Comments turned off

Biden’s Foreign Policy Inconsistencies Come to a Head in Iran Negotiations By Carine Hajjar

Posted By on March 11th, 2022

https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/bidens-foreign-policy-inconsistencies-come-to-a-head-in-iran-negotiations/

Despite speculations that the Iran deal would drop earlier this week, negotiators in Vienna are still stalling, primarily over Russian demands. EU foreign minister Josep Borrell tweeted that the final text of the agreement is “essentially ready and on the table.” 

Russia continues to demand that U.S. sanctions in response to the brutal invasion of Ukraine do not effect Moscow’s trade with Tehran. 

Given Putin’s needless brutality over the last months, it’s by no means unreasonable to block the Russians from seeking a perk from the proceedings in Vienna. On Tuesday, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland accused Russia of “trying to up the ante and broaden its demands” in Vienna, but said the U.S. is not “playing ‘Let’s Make a Deal.’”

ELECTIONS Comments turned off

Poll: Republicans Beat Democrats among Hispanics, at 27 Percent among Black Voters By Philip Klein

Posted By on March 11th, 2022

https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/poll-republicans-beat-democrats-among-hispanics-at-27-among-black-voters/

There is a lot of grim news for President Biden and Democrats in the latest Wall Street Journal poll (Cliff Notes version is that while more Americans approve of his handling of Ukraine, they give him low marks for his handling of other issues more important to them, particularly inflation). But I just wanted to take a moment to flag this part of the poll, which is remarkable and not something I can recall ever seeing before:

The survey also found Republicans making gains among minority groups. By 9 percentage points, Hispanic voters in the new poll said they would back a Republican candidate for Congress over a Democrat. The two parties had been tied among Hispanic voters in the Journal’s survey in November.

Democratic margins also eroded among Black voters, who favored a Democrat for Congress by 35 percentage points in the new survey, down from 56 points in November. Support for a Republican candidate rose to 27% among Black voters, up from 12% in November.

It’s fair to say that if these numbers are anywhere close to the actual results, Democrats will be massacred in November.

ISRAEL Comments turned off

Amnesty International: Hell Yes, We Want to Destroy the Jewish State By David Harsanyi

Posted By on March 11th, 2022

https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/amnesty-international-hell-yes-we-want-to-destroy-the-jewish-state/?utm_

Amnesty International’s fixation on Israel veered into antisemitism with the publication of a “report” accusing the liberal democracy of employing “apartheid.” This ludicrous accusation — Arab Israelis, not without their own troubles, are perhaps the freest Arabs in the Middle East — is meant to associate the Jewish state with the defunct racist South African regime in mind of Westerners to help spark an effort to isolate and economically destroy it.

If you think this is an exaggeration, let Amnesty International’s United States director Paul O’Brien set you straight. Speaking to the Women’s National Democratic Club last week, O’Brien argued that Israel “shouldn’t exist as a Jewish state,” and that the purpose of Amnesty’s report was to “collectively change the conversation,” which “needs to start first and foremost with the Jewish community.”

O’Brien contends that “we are opposed to the idea — and this, I think, is an existential part of the debate — that Israel should be preserved as a state for the Jewish people.” Though polls still show support for Israel among Jews, O’Brien told the group, his “gut” tells him that most do not actually support the Jewish state, per se, but a “safe Jewish space” that is predicated on “core Jewish values.”

NATIONAL NEWS & OPINION Comments turned off

Ukraine Worked With Democrats Against Trump in 2016 to Stop Putin. The Bet Backfired Badly.Then came collusion against Trump. By Paul Sperry

Posted By on March 11th, 2022

https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2022/03/10/how_ukraine_conspired_with_dems_against_trump_to_

Six years ago, before Russia’s full-scale invasion of their country, the Ukrainians bet that a Hillary Clinton presidency would offer better protection from Russian President Vladimir Putin, even though he had invaded Crimea during the Obama-Biden administration, whose Russian policies Clinton vowed to continue.

Ukraine worked with Hillary Clinton and the Democrats against Donald Trump as protection against President Vladimir Putin of Russia … 

… but Ukraine’s bet backfired both when Trump won in 2016 — and when Russia invaded after the Democrats regained power under Joe Biden.

Working with both the Obama administration and the Clinton campaign, Ukrainian government officials intervened in the 2016 race to help Clinton and hurt  Donald Trump in a sweeping and systematic foreign influence operation that’s been largely ignored by the press. The improper, if not illegal, operation was run chiefly out of the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington, where officials worked hand-in-glove with a Ukrainian-American activist and Clinton campaign operative to attack the Trump campaign. The Obama White House was also deeply involved in an effort to groom their own favored leader in Ukraine and then work with his government to dig up dirt on – and even investigate — their political rival.

FOREIGN POLICY, NATIONAL NEWS & OPINION Comments turned off

The End of the Unipolar Moment The global chess pieces are moving. Josh Hammer

Posted By on March 11th, 2022

https://spectator.org/the-end-of-the-unipolar-moment/

“Effective statesmanship calls for recognizing the world as it is, not in wish casting what it could, or should, be. That means recognizing the end of the uni-polar era. Never before has clear-eyed, American national interest–centric realist diplomacy mattered more. But first let’s avoid getting sucked into World War III in Ukraine.”

The defeat of Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan in World War II ushered in the Cold War era. For the four and a half decades between the defeat of fascism and the collapse of communism, global affairs unfolded within a bipolar backdrop of “mutually assured” destruction between the two nuclear superpowers: the United States and the Soviet Union. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the formal dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 ushered in a unipolar moment of unquestioned American economic, diplomatic, military, and geopolitical supremacy on the world stage.

ISRAEL Comments turned off

GOOD NEWS FROM AMAZING ISRAEL FROM MICHAEL ORDMAN

Posted By on March 11th, 2022

I missed last week’s good news from Israel. In an avalanche of grim world news, it is heartening to know how Israel’s outsize contributions to every aspect of human endeavor bring succor to those struggling with the ravages of illness, famines, epidemics, and wars…..rsk

https://verygoodnewsisrael.blogspot.com/

ISRAEL’S MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Stopping cancer spreading during chemotherapy. A Technion doctorate student has discovered that the LOX enzyme plays a major role in helping cancer spread (metastasis) when the patient is having chemotherapy. Inhibiting LOX protects the patient from this deadly effect.

https://www.technion.ac.il/en/2022/02/world-cancer-day-chemotherapy-metastasis/ 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34666995/

Hope for when cancer has spread. Israel’s New Phase has developed hyperthermic treatment that kills up to 50% of metastatic cancer. In animal and human trials, iron-oxide nanoparticles, produced in a lab managed by three Druze Arab women, are injected into stage 4 cancer patients, and then heated to 45º C using RF radiation.

https://www.israel21c.org/novel-hyperthermic-treatment-offers-hope-for-stage-4-metastatic-cancer/

https://newphase.co.il/   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ6h6szr4eM

Prostate cancer treatment is saving lives. (TY Don) Although not an Israeli treatment, Israel’s Sheba Medical Center is one of the few global hospitals treating prostate cancer patients with Lutetium-177 therapy. It attaches to prostate-specific membrane antigens (PSMAs) on tumors and emits beta radiation to neutralize them.

https://www.shebaonline.org/how-does-lutetium-177-therapy-work/ 

We have the cure inside us. Scientists at Israel’s Technion Institute have found that misfolding proteins in the brain cells of ALS and Huntingdon’s sufferers can be corrected by other proteins already in the cell, called “chaperones”. But the cell doesn’t activate them or activates the wrong ones! New treatments are anticipated.

https://www.technion.ac.il/en/2022/02/huntingtons-als-chaperone/

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-27982-w

Longer-lasting heart valves. An Israeli-led team of researchers has prevented the deterioration of bioprosthetic heart valves (of animal origin). These last only 10 years due to calcification of the tissues. They used hearts from pigs that were engineered to stop expressing foreign sugars and this prevented calcification.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-01682-w

Repairing heart valves without replacing. The calcification of heart valves is currently resolved by transplanting a new prosthetic valve (see above). Israel’s Pi-Cardia (see here previously) has been developing the Leaflex system to treat the calcification, and is currently conducting human clinical trials across Europe.

https://www.israel21c.org/novel-non-surgical-solutions-for-aortic-valve-stenosis/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NXQQ-Zqnes

Gut bacteria could prevent heart attacks. Scientists from Israel’s Rabin Medical Center and the Weizmann Institute studied the microbiome of 200 patients just hours after a heart attack. They found most were missing a Clostridiaceae family bacterium that was present in a control group. They are now isolating it into pill form.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-study-mines-donor-poop-for-bacteria-that-could-avert-heart-attacks/

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-01686-6

Helping preemies absorb food. The ELGN-GI insulin formulation developed by Israel’s Elgan can save the lives of preterm babies with immature stomachs that cause feeding intolerance. It will avoid the adverse effects of intravenous nutrition, which often leads to infection and liver problems. A Phase 3 trial is being planned.

https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/pregnancy-and-birth/article-699123 https://www.elganpharma.com/

http://www.ngt3vc.com/elgan-pharma/

A physical therapist on your smartphone. Israel’s OneStep uses the power of the smartphone to analyze gait (how you walk) and provide feedback directly to patients and their physical therapists. OneStep is partnering with Kinomatic in the US to bring OneStep’s app to all patients using Kinomatic’s Virtual Reality solution.

https://www.prnewswire.com/il/news-releases/digital-physical-therapy-company-onestep-partners-with-smart-surgery-provider-kinomatic-to-enhance-physical-therapy-for-surgery-patients-301477411.html

https://www.onestep.co/   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=335FEpK2y7Y

Successful trials for portable eye test. Israel’s AEYE Health (see here previously) has just completed Phase 3 clinical trials of its hand-held retinal analysis system. The hand-held fundus camera and single-image AI software detected diabetic retinopathy with high accuracy, far better than current expensive specialist cameras.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/spotlight/seeing-straight-with-the-help-of-artificial-intelligence/

The best partners for innovation. Israel’s Sheba Medical Center has again been ranked as the 10th best hospital in the world by Newsweek Magazine. Sheba also announced a partnership with GE Healthcare to develop digital healthcare solutions in cardiology, remote pregnancy monitoring and molecular imaging.

https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/323198 

https://www.jns.org/israels-sheba-ge-team-up-to-advance-digital-healthcare/

Global DNA sequencing center. Illumina – the world’s leading DNA sequencing company, worth over $50 billion, is opening a Center of Excellence in Tel Aviv. It will develop Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions that dramatically shorten genome analysis time for diagnosing rare diseases and transform lives.

https://www.calcalistech.com/ctechnews/article/ryfdj7ce5

Advanced Materials. Several issues of the international journal Advanced Materials, including cover pages, feature the breakthrough skin patches developed in the lab of Israel’s Technion Arab Professor Hossam Haick (see here previously). They include Strain sensors, Wound dressing (and cover), Micro-needles sensor, Electronic skin and more.  https://www.technion.ac.il/en/2022/02/hossam-haick-diagnosis-micro-needles/

WORLD NEWS Comments turned off

Turkey: Occupies Northern Cyprus, Goes for the Rest by Uzay Bulut

Posted By on March 11th, 2022

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/18228/turkey-cyprus-agression

“The air and sea invasion yesterday devastated the resort strip of tourist hotels on the north coast of Cyprus. Greek Cypriots and foreigners huddled under mattresses in the cellars of ruined buildings.” — The New York Times, July 22, 1974.

“But back in Ankara today, the newspapers were full of photos of smiling Turkish troops clustered in front of tanks draped with the star and crescent flag, holding their weapons high, and of Greek Cypriot hostages being given water by Turkish soldiers.” — The New York Times, July 28, 1974.

Currently, Turkey appears to be targeting the rest of the Republic of Cyprus, a member of the European Union. The government of Cyprus is now dealing with an “illegal immigration crisis” which it says Turkey is orchestrating. Government authorities state that the majority of migrants entering the free part of Cyprus are being smuggled illegally through the Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus.

Meanwhile, according to Turkish media, Turkey is planning to construct a military naval base in the Karpasia Peninsula in the Turkish-occupied north.

Despite the uncountable war crimes Turkey has committed in Cyprus, the Turkish government has condemned the UN for having its “peacekeeping forces” there.

The West, however, remains silent — not merely empowering Turkey to commit further atrocities but rewarding it. The US recently killed, at Turkey’s request, the EastMed natural gas pipeline project, which would have transported gas from US allies Israel and Cyprus, via Greece, to Western Europe. The EastMed pipeline would have been particularly important in light of Russia’s ability, with the Nord Stream and other pipelines, to blackmail the continent in winter by cutting off much of its gas supplies.

Turkey will now be able to continue its crimes against the Yazidis in Iraq, the Kurds in Syria and the Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh with no repercussions.

“Turkey’s occupation of Cyprus has now become the first modern Islamist fundamentalist attempt to capture Western world territory and resources.” — Philip Christopher, president of the International Coordinating Committee – Justice for Cyprus, Ekathimerini, May 20, 2018.

FOREIGN POLICY Comments turned off

Palestinians: US Weakness Facilitates the Rise of Jihad and Fundamentalism by Khaled Abu Toameh

Posted By on March 11th, 2022

https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/18310/palestinians-jihad-fundamentalism

“America is unable to decide on war against Russia, and therefore the US will not be a decision-maker in international politics.” — Musa Abu Marzouk, member of the Hamas “politburo,” Twitter, February 26, 2022.
As far as Hamas is concerned, the weaker the US the greater are their chances of fulfilling their goal of replacing Israel with an Islamic state.
Articles 13 of the Hamas Charter states “There is no solution to the Palestinian problem except by Jihad.”
Washington’s image in the Arab world has been battered to the point at which even its allies are beginning to challenge its policies and decisions, Atallah said.
“Biden [in his State of the Union speech] ignored the Afghanistan issue, especially in light of the confused [US] withdrawal. He was also cautious not to talk about relations with China so as not to provoke it. Biden’s speech confirms with full clarity the loss of a consistent strategic vision with regard to central issues globally. This is a sign of the loss of the prestige of the great country [the US]. Biden’s speech was a message of a historical recognition of the upcoming political defeat and the beginning of the birth of a new international order.” — Hassan Asfour, former Palestinian Authority minister, Khbrpress.ps, March 2, 2022.
“When two Gulf countries refuse to support the US, this means the image of America in the region is deeply tarnished, and that there is a changing mood.” — Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas official, Khbrpress.ps, March 4, 2022.
The Americans need to understand that no matter how many gifts they give to the Palestinians, that will not stop Hamas and many others from continuing to hate the US and look at it as an enemy.
Some Arabs hate the US because of its support for corrupt Arab dictatorships and its war against Islamist terrorist groups. Others see the US as a country that represents the anti-Muslim “infidels” in the West.
The only way for the Americans to deal with these Muslim extremists is by not showing any sign of weakness or appeasement. The weaker you are and the more you try to appease them, the bigger their appetite becomes to fight against the US.
Such voices coming from the Palestinians corroborate claims of the erosion of the US standing, especially among the Arabs. They are responding to an anemic US under the Biden administration that has forfeited its credibility as well as its capacity to stand behind its allies and friends. This US approach does not bode well for the future of the region. The pattern of weakness and inaction are being interpreted as a sign of cowardice posing as “caution,” and as a green light to pursue jihadi and terrorist schemes and establish yet another Islamic fundamentalist state.