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Thu, 09 Jul 2026 22:50:00 +0000 Strongest El Nino In 75 Years Sets Off Food Supply-Chain Alarm Bells
Strongest El Nino In 75 Years Sets Off Food Supply-Chain Alarm Bells
The US Climate Prediction Center has warned that the weather phenomenon El Niño, which only recently emerged across the Pacific, could become the most pow
Read more.....
Strongest El Nino In 75 Years Sets Off Food Supply-Chain Alarm Bells
The US Climate Prediction Center has warned that the weather phenomenon El Niño, which only recently emerged across the Pacific, could become the most powerful in more than 75 years . This raises the risk of adverse weather conditions across the US, Asia, Australia, and South America. The stronger the weather event becomes, the greater the threat to critical food supply chains, which are already vulnerable to drought, flooding, export restrictions, and rising protectionism .
The CPC, a NOAA/National Weather Service unit that issues official US government climate outlooks, wrote in its report that sea-surface temperatures at least 1C above normal have spread across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, with an 81% chance the event becomes "very strong" and ranks among the largest on record since 1950 . Some parts of the Pacific were 2.7C above normal last week.
A negative El Niño Southern Oscillation Index indicates pressure patterns consistent with El Niño, typically associated with weaker Pacific trade winds and warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific. The SOI is now at levels not seen since 2005.
"Even the strongest El Niño events do not lead to typical impacts everywhere, but stronger events can more significantly tilt the odds in favor of expected outcomes," the Climate Prediction Center said . El Niño "will strengthen through the end of the year, with a 97% chance it will last through early spring 2027."
Goldman Sachs commodities research analyst Lina Thomas provided further insight into the looming El Niño threat, warning that global agricultural supply is "highly concentrated geographically ," leaving crop markets "highly vulnerable to localized weather, geopolitical, or policy shocks ."
Thomas warned about weather, geopolitical, and/or policy shocks that may put a bid under food prices:
Global agricultural supply is highly concentrated geographically. Across key crops such as soybeans, corn, rice, sugar, and palm oil, the top three exporting countries account for 60-90% of global trade (Exhibit 1), leaving agricultural markets highly exposed to localized weather, geopolitical, and policy shocks.
Because major agricultural exporters increasingly prioritize domestic food and energy security through export restrictions and biofuel mandates, even modest disruptions—or the fear of disruptions—can trigger policies that reduce exportable supply. In highly concentrated markets, the resulting loss of exportable supply can be much larger than the original production shock, amplifying price volatility. Import-dependent countries may in turn respond by stockpiling and pursuing greater self-sufficiency, often accepting higher domestic production costs in exchange for supply security. While these measures are ultimately aimed at improving resilience locally, they also fragment trade, reduce market liquidity, and increase the sensitivity of prices to future shocks.
We view the risk of protectionist policy responses as a key source of upside risk to crop prices and agricultural volatility, as three near-term supply concerns could trigger precautionary measures even if the underlying disruptions ultimately prove limited.
First , El Niño conditions are already present, with a 63% probability of developing into a "super" El Niño. Because many major exporters of staples such as rice, and crops used for biofuels such as sugar and palm oil, are concentrated in regions that historically experience more adverse weather during El Niño episodes, even a modest weather shock—or the fear of one—could trigger precautionary export restrictions.
Second , higher energy prices in 2026H1 and concerns about fuel security may encourage governments to increase biofuel mandates, further diverting crops from export markets into domestic fuel production.
Third , fertilizer markets also remain exposed to renewed disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz during the critical Q3 procurement season for major nitrogen fertilizer importers ahead of 2H planting.
Already seeing rising vegetable oil prices...
El Niño coverage:
Professional subscribers can read more El Nino coverage here at our new Marketdesk.ai portal.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 07/09/2026 - 18:50 Close
Thu, 09 Jul 2026 22:25:00 +0000 Kentucky Governor Beshear Presses Senator Mitch McConnell To Release Health Update
Kentucky Governor Beshear Presses Senator Mitch McConnell To Release Health Update
Kentucky Governor Beshear Presses Senator Mitch McConnell To Release Health Update
Via American Greatness,
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is calling on Senator Mitch McConnell to publicly disclose more about his health after the longtime Republican lawmaker remained out of public view for nearly three weeks following his hospitalization in Washington.
In a letter released Wednesday , Beshear said Kentuckians deserve more information about McConnell’s condition and his ability to continue serving in office.
“Kentuckians have grown increasingly concerned about the current state of your health and well-being, and ability to hold office,” Beshear wrote.
McConnell, 84, was hospitalized June 14 and has not released a public statement, photo or video since then.
His aides have provided few details beyond saying last week that he “continues to improve, and is working closely with his staff on Kentucky and Senate matters while the Senate is out of session.”
The lack of public updates has fueled speculation over whether the former Senate Republican leader will return when the Senate reconvenes next week.
Republican leaders sought to tamp down those concerns Tuesday.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota and Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming both said they had spoken with McConnell and described him as alert and engaged in discussions about current events.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he had not spoken with McConnell since the senator’s hospitalization.
“I have no idea how he’s doing,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while returning from the NATO summit in Turkey.
McConnell has announced he will retire when his current term expires in January, but questions about his health have intensified interest in what could happen if he is unable to complete the remainder of his term.
Kentucky law no longer allows the governor to appoint a temporary replacement to the U.S. Senate.
Republican lawmakers changed the state’s succession process in 2021 and again in 2024, removing the governor’s appointment authority and instead requiring a special election if a vacancy occurs.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 07/09/2026 - 18:25 Close
Thu, 09 Jul 2026 22:00:00 +0000 This State Is Ground Zero For The "Explosive" Diarrhea Parasite As Cases Explode 400%
This State Is Ground Zero For The "Explosive" Diarrhea Parasite As Cases Explode 400%
Michigan is getting hit hardest in a fast-spreading nationwide outbreak of a stomach parasite, with cases exploding more than fou
Read more.....
This State Is Ground Zero For The "Explosive" Diarrhea Parasite As Cases Explode 400%
Michigan is getting hit hardest in a fast-spreading nationwide outbreak of a stomach parasite, with cases exploding more than fourfold in a matter of days.
The state saw infections skyrocket from 170 to 681 by Monday, the biggest single jump reported anywhere in the country, according to health officials.
New York has logged 120 cases since May 1, a state official told The Post, while Texas has confirmed 48 cases as of Monday. Illinois has also seen a sharp rise, with reports ranging from 11 to 80 cases through mid-June, according to CDC data.
Michigan health authorities, who are investigating what they call a "large and growing outbreak," now put the state's count at roughly 700 as of Monday - about 13 to 14 times Michigan's typical annual total of 40 to 50 cases. Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, the state's chief medical executive, said the cases are concentrated in eight southeast Michigan counties: Monroe, Lenawee, Washtenaw, Wayne, Shiawassee, Jackson, Oakland, and Livingston.
Federal officials have urged caution about linking the spikes together. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there is "no evidence of a single, multistate Cyclospora outbreak linking cases" being reported now, and the Food and Drug Administration said it was "not in a position at this time to characterize the current numbers as definitively unusual" while its investigation continues. Nationally, the CDC counted 145 cases across 17 states between May 1 and June 16 - a tally that excludes Michigan's surge - with 20 hospitalizations and no deaths, in patients ranging in age from 5 to 86. Ohio, not among the states the outbreak was first reported in, has separately confirmed at least 177 cases this year.
Many people who catch the parasite - called cyclosporiasis - show no symptoms at all. But for those who do, it's brutal. Those who catch the parasite experience watery, "explosive" diarrhea that can leave victims running to the bathroom dozens of times a day, along with severe cramping, vomiting, nausea, fatigue and fever .
VIDEO
The illness is caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis, a microscopic parasite that spreads through food or water contaminated with feces - most often fresh produce - and is not known to spread from person to person, because the parasite needs one to two weeks outside the body to become infectious. It is treated with the oral antibiotic trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, sold as Bactrim, typically over a 10-day course; untreated, symptoms can last from a few days to more than a month and may relapse. The CDC advises washing all fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water before eating, cutting, or cooking.
Cristy Cooper spoke to The Post from her hospital bed as she battles the infection.
"This is worse than like any flu I've ever gotten or anything, it's just so... it's miserable. I'm worn out from it. I really am," she said.
Cooper's nightmare started June 25 with what she described as "unbearable" diarrhea.
VIDEO
Within days came crushing gas, exhaustion, vomiting, nausea, painful cramps and a 100.2-degree fever. Doctors are treating her with a sulfa-based antibiotic, and she's now on the road to recovery.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 07/09/2026 - 18:00 Close
Thu, 09 Jul 2026 21:40:00 +0000 Feared Free-Market Activist Warns Texas Stock Exchange Against Going Woke
Feared Free-Market Activist Warns Texas Stock Exchange Against Going Woke
Feared Free-Market Activist Warns Texas Stock Exchange Against Going Woke
Authored by Will Hild via The Center Square ,
As the Texas Stock Exchange begins its launch, Texans have every reason to celebrate. Soon, the TXSE will join Nasdaq Texas as a fully functioning venue , and the NYSE has signaled a strong commitment to Texas as well. It is clear that Texas is emerging as a serious challenger to New York as the nation's financial capital.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott rings the Closing Bell of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in celebration of the launch of NYSE Texas in Arlington, Aug. 20, 2025. Photo: Texas Office of the Governor via Facebook / Used with Permission
Texas earned this moment by embracing lower taxes, lighter regulation, and, perhaps most importantly, better governance laws and more favorable proxy rules designed to make the state the best place in America to do business.
But Texans should remember why those reforms became necessary.
For years, some of Wall Street's largest financial institutions embraced Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) activism, using their enormous influence to pressure companies on political and social issues far beyond their fiduciary responsibilities. Many Texans viewed those efforts as an attempt to use financial power to reshape industries that are foundational to the state's economy and culture.
These companies came after oil and gas, cattle and coal. They pushed racist diversity standards and forced companies to hire based on factors they proclaimed were more important than simply focusing on who was best suited for the job.
This was met in Texas with significant contempt, and the backlash was swift. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton opened investigations into Net Zero Banking and Asset Manager alliances led by the likes of Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, BlackRock and State Street, among others. He also sued BlackRock, State Street, and Vanguard alleging antitrust violations. The state comptroller divested significant assets from BlackRock and the Texas Board of Education did the same .
The message from Texas was simple: financial institutions should focus on delivering returns, not political agendas. That's why as the TXSE becomes an operational venue, Texans must pay close attention to who's financing the exchange.
BlackRock, one of the most recognizable champions of ESG investing, is the founding institutional investor of the TXSE. Its CEO Larry Fink has argued that companies must address issues ranging from climate change to racial and gender inequality and famously said BlackRock would "force behaviors ." In his 2021 letter to CEOs, Fink proclaimed that "no issue ranks higher than climate change." Texans saw his actions as evidence that America's largest asset manager was using its market power to influence policy rather than simply maximize shareholder value.
J.P. Morgan is also a major investor . This is the same bank that faced serious backlash for de-banking gun companies and manufacturers, and even President Donald Trump himself. JPMorgan Chase has also made aggressive climate finance commitments, including a pledge to finance a $1 trillion Green objective, to help transition to a lower-carbon economy.
Bank of America, another institutional investor in the exchange, likewise committed hundreds of billions of dollars toward sustainable finance initiatives . The bank has also embraced Critical Race Theory, requiring race-training for workers that calls America a system of "white supremacy" and encourages employees to be "woke at work."
The list goes on and the pattern is clear. The very companies helping to finance an alternative finance hub in response to a politicized marketplace are, in many cases, the ones that helped create the conditions that made such an alternative appealing in the first place. In other words, the demand for a more business-focused exchange did not emerge in a vacuum , but arose in large part as a reaction to the conduct of the very firms now seeking to capitalize on it.
That doesn't mean Texans should oppose the Texas Stock Exchange. Texas positioning itself as a market center is a major victory for Texans and for free enterprise. It demonstrates that companies are choosing Texas because it has created a better environment for business than New York, New Jersey or Delaware.
But success should never replace vigilance.
Texans should welcome every company that wants to invest in Texas, provided they respect the principles that made Texas attractive in the first place. If Wall Street firms have truly returned to prioritizing shareholders over politics, Texans should applaud that change.
If not, Texans shouldn't forget history.
Texas built an environment to free businesses from political activism. The companies investing in TXSE should understand that Texans expect them to leave their activist agendas behind.
And they'd be smart to remember, everything is bigger in Texas, including accountability.
Will Hild is the executive director of Consumers' Research, the nation's oldest consumer protection organization.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 07/09/2026 - 17:40 Close
Thu, 09 Jul 2026 21:20:00 +0000 Trans-Ex Lover Says Robinson Confessed To Charlie Kirk Shooting; Widow Presses Court To Release Evidence
Trans-Ex Lover Says Robinson Confessed To Charlie Kirk Shooting; Widow Presses Court To Release Evidence
Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, asked a Utah judge Thursday to make all evidence
Read more.....
Trans-Ex Lover Says Robinson Confessed To Charlie Kirk Shooting; Widow Presses Court To Release Evidence
Erika Kirk, the widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, asked a Utah judge Thursday to make all evidence in the preliminary hearing for her husband's accused killer available to the public - the same day prosecutors played a recorded statement in which the suspect's former roommate said he confessed to the shooting.
Tyler Robinson speaks with his attorney Kathryn Nester during a hearing for Robinson, accused in the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, in 4th District Court in Provo, Utah, on April 17, 2026. Trent Nelson/Pool via Reuters
In a filing submitted as the fourth day of proceedings began, Kirk requested that any exhibits admitted during the hearing for Tyler Robinson be published in real time. The request came hours before prosecutors introduced a redacted video interview with Lance Twiggs, Robinson's former roommate and romantic partner, in which Twiggs told investigators that Robinson confessed to shooting Kirk and said he "wishes he hadn't done it."
Prosecutors also presented text messages between Robinson and Twiggs discussing the aftermath of the Sept. 10, 2025, shooting at Utah Valley University, including efforts to retrieve a rifle and Robinson's stated intention to turn himself in.
Full video with timestamps here
Kirk was fatally shot in the neck while speaking at a Turning Point USA event on the Utah Valley University campus. Robinson was arrested after a short manhunt and turned himself in following conversations with family members.
The developments unfolded in 4th District Court before Judge Tony Graf, as the weeklong hearing to determine whether there is probable cause to send the case to trial nears its conclusion. Robinson, 23, faces aggravated murder and other charges in Kirk's killing. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty if he is convicted.
Robinson appeared in court Thursday in a grey suit and tie, with one arm shackled to his waist. He remained seated quietly at the defense table as the evidence was presented. Erika Kirk and Charlie Kirk's parents were present in the courtroom.
Defense attorneys raised multiple objections during the playing of Twiggs' recorded statement , though the judge allowed the evidence to proceed. Twiggs was granted use immunity for his cooperation with investigators.
Thursday's session continued a pattern from earlier days of the hearing, which has included surveillance video placing Robinson on the UVU campus and the rooftop from which prosecutors allege the fatal shot was fired , as well as forensic testimony on DNA recovered from items near the scene.
The hearing is expected to wrap up as early as Friday, after which Graf will decide whether to bind Robinson over for trial. If the case proceeds, it would move toward a capital trial in Utah County.
Unanswered Questions
The official story leaves a lot of unanswered questions that will never be aired in court .
Lapel mic bomb / exploding lavalier microphone / shrapnel from device in mic (not a bullet) : Close-up video footage of the moment Kirk is hit contains what has been described as an "explosion," flash, or disruption at his chest/lapel area; mic allegedly shattered in the SUV afterward; wound trajectory allegedly inconsistent with a distant sniper shot and instead from a device on or in the mic. Some tie it to "exploding pagers" precedent or call it a targeted device.
Trap door / shot from below the stage/tent : Some have suggested a "trap door " is visible or implied in footage/crime scene photos under or near where Kirk was speaking; claim the shot originated from below rather than the roof; some say the area was quickly covered/filled in. Owens urged government investigation into this.
Drones / multiple drones or UFOs involved in the hit or surveillance : Videos showing "unknown flying objects" or small aerial devices in the sky claim up to three different drones visible; suggest drone-assisted assassination, coordination, or cover. Prominently pushed by Crowdsource the Truth (Jason Goodman) in X posts and streams, including clips shared in Ben Swann threads.
Bullet caliber / ballistics mismatch or wrong weapon : Robinson's attorneys noted in March that they had received an ATF summary report with an unexpected finding. "Regarding the firearm evidence, the defense has been provided with an ATF summary report which indicates that the ATF was unable to identify the bullet recovered at autopsy to the rifle allegedly tied to Mr. Robinson. Authorities recovered an old German bolt-action Mauser Model 98 .30-06 caliber rifle used in both World Wars from a forested area near the shooting site - which, according to many, would have popped Kirk's entire head like a watermelon.
VIDEO
Pissing off Israel / Mossad or Israeli government hit : In the weeks leading up to his death, Kirk had become increasingly critical of Israel, and prominent Zionists had been 'clapping back' to to speak (Gaza handling, hosting critics like Tucker Carlson, comments linking Epstein to Mossad/Israeli intelligence). According to leaked/private WhatsApp/group texts - Kirk claimed the loss of major Jewish donor(s) (~$2M annual), pressure to stay pro-Israel or condemn critics, and top donors reportedly demanded name removed from building or pulled funding days/weeks before.
Weaving much of this together is Ben Swann - who famously reported on Pizzagate, only to disappear for several years from public view.
Also, this was weird:
Tyler Durden
Thu, 07/09/2026 - 17:20 Close
Thu, 09 Jul 2026 21:00:00 +0000 Trump Admin Targets Medicare Fraud After 7,100% Surge In Transplant Claims
Trump Admin Targets Medicare Fraud After 7,100% Surge In Transplant Claims
Trump Admin Targets Medicare Fraud After 7,100% Surge In Transplant Claims
Via American Greatness,
The Trump administration says it has uncovered a dramatic increase in Medicare claims for tissue and organ transplants, resulting in a broad crackdown on suspected fraud that officials say has already blocked hundreds of millions of dollars in questionable payments.
Administration officials said Medicare claims for tissue and organ transplants, known as allografts, climbed from $200 million in 2019 to $14.4 billion in 2025—a 7,100 percent increase.
The surge led the White House Anti-Fraud Task Force, headed by Vice President JD Vance, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to intensify their review of claims. Since March, the agency has denied 96 percent of allograft claims identified during the review.
CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz said the agency identified 4,200 potentially fraudulent allograft claims totaling $224 million through May.
“That’s a lot of money,” Oz said during a Wednesday news conference in Milwaukee.
“And that bankrupts not just hospital systems and physician groups, but it causes major problems across the entire landscape.”
The agency also announced enforcement actions involving Durable Medical Equipment (DME) including wheelchairs, walkers, hospital beds and other medical equipment.
According to CMS, payments have been suspended to 102 suppliers, while billing privileges have been revoked for another 725 suppliers. The agency said those suppliers accounted for 8.6 percent of all Medicare-funded DME in 2025.
CMS officials reported they identified suspected fraud involving claims for equipment that was not medically necessary or ordered, equipment that was more expensive than prescribed, and equipment that was never delivered.
“In just six months, the task force has effectively wiped out Durable Medical Equipment fraud in America,” a spokesperson for Vance’s office said.
“After the vice president and Dr. Oz announced a moratorium on new DME companies, paired with aggressive enforcement actions by DOJ and HHS, this kind of fraud has effectively ended.”
Oz said the administration’s efforts have already prevented significant losses.
“Thanks to the whole-of-government approach spearheaded by the White House Anti-Fraud Task Force, we stopped nearly $220 million in fraudulent skin substitute claims and suspended or revoked billing privileges for over 800 DME suppliers,” Oz told Fox News Digital . “We are keeping our promise to the American people: we will root out corruption, protect vulnerable patients, and hold every bad actor accountable.”
Oz also warned those engaged in health care fraud that the administration intends to continue its enforcement campaign.
“To anyone out there, and I’m talking to you if you’re a fraudster, for anyone out there who thinks they can get away by stealing from the American people, especially American patients, I’ve got a bit of advice for you: Do not walk away from this press conference. Don’t walk away from us. You start running because the vice president and this task force are coming after you,” Oz said.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 07/09/2026 - 17:00 Close
Thu, 09 Jul 2026 20:40:00 +0000 US, Japan, And South Korea Push SMR Exports For "Energy Security Needs"
US, Japan, And South Korea Push SMR Exports For "Energy Security Needs"
The American nuclear buildout is not just about the climate or powering data centers. It's a Read more.....
US, Japan, And South Korea Push SMR Exports For "Energy Security Needs"
The American nuclear buildout is not just about the climate or powering data centers. It's a geopolitical war against the export of nuclear technology from Russia and China, mixed with a new demand for national energy security.
On the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Ankara, the United States, Japan, and South Korea signed a trilateral Memorandum of Cooperation aimed at accelerating small modular reactor (SMR) deployments in other countries , with an initial focus on the Indo-Pacific. The agreement is designed to bring together the complementary strengths of the three countries’ civil nuclear industries.
The US State Department also notes, “The MOC advances our mutual security interests and paves the way for partner countries to meet their energy security needs. ”
In addition to deploying reactors in the Indo-Pacific, the initiative is also supported by the U.S. committing over $10 million in new funding to the State Department's Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) Program.
Lastly, the U.S. also announced an industry initiative agreed upon with GE Vernova and their partner Hitachi, with Samsung C&T and SGE to deploy the BWRX-300 SMR in Europe .
The U.S. is continuing its trend, started after the executive orders were signed last year, of deploying American nuclear technology in foreign countries. In the executive orders, the State Department was directed to renew or start 20 civil nuclear cooperation agreements , sometimes referred to as “123 Agreements ”.
The goal is to strengthen U.S. political ties with allies and other countries in Europe and Asia by supporting those countries' domestic energy security needs.
The reactor export story also has a fuel-chain counterpart. More allied SMR deployments would eventually require more allied fuel supply, and that is where companies like Centrus Energy and General Matter become relevant.
Centrus already has a direct South Korea connection . In 2025, Centrus announced that it had expanded its agreement with Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power and POSCO International, including higher low-enriched uranium supply volumes tied to new enrichment capacity at the American Centrifuge Plant in Ohio.
The supply commitment remains contingent on Centrus receiving the necessary federal funding to build that capacity, but as we clearly identified just last week, Centrus should reasonably expect to receive whatever financial support they ask for from the federal government at this point.
General Matter adds another piece to the same puzzle. In March, the Export-Import Bank of the United States issued Letters of Interest supporting up to $4.2 billion in potential financing for nuclear fuel sales by General Matter to nuclear power operators in Japan and South Korea.
The new US-Japan-Korea framework does not name a reactor developer, but it can be reasonably expected that GE Vernova (GEV) will lead the pack given its connection to all three countries. The framework does create a backdrop for additional US-aligned advanced reactor developers trying to work with Asian industrial partners.
NANO has already started building that lane in South Korea. In January, the company signed an MOU with DS Dansuk to advance potential deployment of its KRONOS MMR system in South Korea. Under the agreement, DS Dansuk is expected to help with site identification, supply-chain localization, regulatory engagement, and institutional partnerships.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 07/09/2026 - 16:40 Close
Thu, 09 Jul 2026 20:20:00 +0000 Why Have Central Bankers Gone Radio Silent On The Digital Currency Agenda?
Why Have Central Bankers Gone Radio Silent On The Digital Currency Agenda?
Why Have Central Bankers Gone Radio Silent On The Digital Currency Agenda?
Authored by Brandon Smith via Alt-Market.us
During the 2020 pandemic hysteria there was a mad rush by globalist institutions like the WEF, IMF, BIS and numerous national central banks to speed-run the concept of “CBDCs” (Central Bank Digital Currencies) into the mainstream consciousness. The idea of digital currencies rooted to a blockchain ledger was presented as a solution to the pandemic. A number of globalists asserted that digital exchange would be necessary because “paper money carries the covid virus.”
This was, of course, complete nonsense. There was zero evidence that shifting to digital would prevent the spread of the virus in any way. But, as I’ve said for years now, covid was their big play. It was intended to become a nexus point for a global coup; the “New World Order” takeover. The elites figured the population was so terrified that they would agree to anything without a logical reason.
They were wrong, at least in the long run. The virus was a dud (which seemed to catch them by surprise) and the death rate was minimal (0.23% median IFR). The public eventually woke up to the deception and the agenda was forced to dissolve, largely due to nearly half of all US states blocking the mandates. If Americans could live just fine without restrictions, then the rest of the world was going to follow.
I mention the pandemic once again because the attempted coup gave the general public a once in a lifetime insight into the plans and motives of the globalists. This event changed everything. Millions of people who once thought that “conspiracy theorists” were crazy just had their eyes opened to a dark reality. There really is an international cabal. They really do make evil plans in smoky rooms. They really do want a “New World Order.”
And, a big part of this new order is a global digital currency scheme.
As researchers, all of our suspicions were confirmed. Seeing the intended plans of the elites across Europe and developing nations like China and India, it’s clear that CBDCs are the ultimate economic control mechanism. Why? Because without physical money, the populace can no longer engage in trade without governments and central banks acting as the middle man.
Look at it this way: During the pandemic mandates the Biden Administration and many other governments sought to institute the first stages of what would ultimately become a vaccine passport system.
First, employers would be required by law to check workers for updated vaccination, or face endless fines. Once this became the norm, then mandatory covid tracking apps would be introduced as the only way to enter government buildings and mass transit. Eventually, everyone would be forced to use their phones (and a QR code) to get access to public places or purchase anything anywhere.
The final domino would be CBDCs and a cashless society, but Biden and friends did not have this technology in place.
Without CBDCs the control system falls apart. With physical cash, there’s no way for the government to control transactions. They can de-bank individuals who refuse to comply (as the Canadian government did), but with physical exchange there is always a path to rebellion.
Even without cash, the public could use gold and silver or barter. People could create their own black markets and survive. However, with CBDCs widely entrenched, participation in the wider economy would be impossible.
The globalists asserted that de-banking and economic banishment was not a program of “forced vaccination” (although that was the ultimate endgame). Rather, they argued cynically that people still had a “choice” – They could take the vax and live a somewhat normal life within the system, or, they could refuse the vax and be cut off from the economy, and thus cut off from most of society and likely die from abject poverty.
This is the political left’s “consequence culture” argument.
I really hope people never forget the insanity of this era and how close we came to an Orwellian hellscape. Never forget; the globalists and the political left tried to extort you into becoming a medical slave for the rest of your life. And their plan was to use economic access as the leverage to force you into submission.
So what happened? Where did all the rhetoric about CBDCs go? It was everywhere for four years and then, it was dust in the wind. Why have central banks gone radio silent?
Sadly the plan has not been canceled, it has only been moved to the background and it continues to develop behind the curtain. The Bank for International Settlement (BIS) seems to be at the helm, for now, and is pushing forward with various projects to test CBDCs in cross border trade and tracking. Currently, they are working on “Project Agora”.
VIDEO
Project Agora is testing the process for “tokenization” of central bank reserves – Meaning, they want to make it possible for central banks to trade assets with each other using a blockchain ledger without complications. This would be a primary step in the eventual tokenization of all central bank transactions, including transactions with corporate banks and governments.
It should be noted that the Trump Administration and the US Senate has been issuing executive orders and legislation to block the Federal Reserve from engaging in CBDCs until at least 2030. However, the Fed seems to be ignoring these demands. According to the BIS, the Fed is STILL participating in Project Agora and the Fed has not announced any withdrawal from that program.
Interestingly, the BIS avoids using the acronym “CBDC” in most of their latest project announcements. But, this is exactly what they are working on. They do mention all national legal frameworks still apply within their ledger transactions. To translate, that means that central banks and allied governments will retain tracking and control of all assets that are traded through the system (No anonymous transactions and all transactions can be frozen).
This should be worrying for everyone and the implications are staggering. The BIS and its central banking partners are quietly building the framework for national digital currency systems to interact with other national digital currency systems.
In the end, the BIS and its allies will become the middlemen for all the world’s transactions. Furthermore, once national CBDCs become the norm, the elites are only one step away from introducing a GLOBAL CBDC: A one-world digital currency.
I continue to believe that the introduction of this system will require the collapse of the US dollar. But, this event may not happen the way many of us originally imagined. I and many other economists initially believed that the alternative digital currency system to unseat the dollar would be introduced through the BRICS economic bloc, which has been working closely with the IMF.
We also argued that a crash would have to occur through internal sabotage, clearing the path for a dollar collapse.
Something seems to have changed. The influence of the BRICS has been greatly diminished in the past five years. The plan may not be to crash the dollar from within the US through domestic mishap or sabotage, at least not right away. Rather, the plan might be to introduce CBDCs in every western country that is politically cooperative with the globalists and cut out the dollar over time as the world reserve.
Recent announcements from the European Union and the European Central Bank suggest that they are preparing to bring in CBDCs regardless of what the US does.
In other words, it looks as though far-left governments in Europe, Australia and Canada plan to build a global currency network that cuts out the dollar in order to crash its reserve status. They can then say it was entirely the fault of backwards conservative Americans who “live in the past and refuse to go digital…”
Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve continues to work with the BIS and the globalists to make the dollar ready for tokenization with the expectation that Americans will eventually be forced to go along with the agenda, or risk being left in the dust.
Will this strategy work? It’s hard to say. The pandemic plan failed and only ended up radicalizing millions of people against the globalists by default. On top of that, the mass immigration agenda in Europe is not going over well and it’s driving the citizens to replace liberal governments with hard-right parties like Restore and AFD. But, when money becomes the weapon, things can turn ugly fast. CBDCs could create unprecedented social and political leverage for the globalists.
Luckily, the public is already well aware of the existence of CBDCs and many of the threats they pose. The globalists can try to hide their projects in a fog of obscurity and they can try to change the terms by using words like “tokenization”, but the populace is still going to recognize the dangers because their radar is now up.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 07/09/2026 - 16:20 Close
Thu, 09 Jul 2026 19:40:00 +0000 Jack Smith's Team Exposed Classified Materials, Senator Finds
Jack Smith's Team Exposed Classified Materials, Senator Finds
Jack Smith's Team Exposed Classified Materials, Senator Finds
Authored by Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times,
Prosecutors with the office of former special counsel Jack Smith left classified materials unsecured and provided materials to at least one person without confirming that person needed to see them, a senator said on July 8.
A set of messages from Smith’s team showed that in 2024, the team left a facility designated for the review of sensitive information open overnight, and potentially longer.
“Who opened the [facility] yesterday?” one member of the team asked in a message.
“No one opened it yesterday because no one closed it the day before,” another member replied.
A second set of messages from 2024 outlined how the team provided classified materials to an unidentified person despite not having confirmation that the person needed to see the materials.
The incidents took place as Smith’s team, which was part of the Department of Justice (DOJ), was prosecuting then-presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump for allegedly mishandling classified materials during his first term as president.
“Talk about the pot calling the kettle black,” Grassley said in a statement.
“According to these messages, Biden DOJ personnel may have committed the very offense for which Jack Smith was prosecuting President Trump. These records expose yet another double standard of justice.”
Grassley also wrote in a post on X that the messages “indicate hypocritical [and] careless behavior” and “merit further investigation.”
He pointed to how some former officials, such as former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, mishandled classified information but were not charged.
Grassley asked Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general, for more records, including whether the facility that was left unlocked contained any material that was part of Smith’s prosecution of Trump, and whether the DOJ investigated Smith’s team for giving classified information without the need-to-know confirmation.
“The Department is aware of the concerns raised in Senator Grassley’s letter and takes the safeguarding of classified information very seriously. Every official entrusted with sensitive materials must follow strict security protocols without exception — a standard Jack Smith’s team apparently failed to meet as they pursued a politically weaponized prosecution of President Trump ,” a DOJ spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email.
“As with any alleged security lapse, the Department reviews such matters through established internal processes to determine whether protocols were followed, whether classified information was compromised, and whether any corrective steps are warranted. The Department will continue to apply those procedures rigorously, consistent with our longstanding commitment to protecting national security and maintaining the integrity of our operations.”
Smith, who has said his investigation was proper, was appointed in November 2022 by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland to manage investigations into Trump, who at the time was out of office.
Federal prosecutors later charged Trump with violations of federal law governing the handling of classified information, as well as other charges such as illegally interfering in the 2020 presidential election.
Prosecutors dropped the cases after Trump won the 2024 election, noting that he would soon be president.
Part of Smith’s final report was released to the public prior to the start of Trump’s second term, outlining how Smith believed the evidence against Trump would have resulted in a conviction . A federal judge later ruled that the other part shall never be made public.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 07/09/2026 - 15:40 Close
Thu, 09 Jul 2026 19:20:00 +0000 Starbucks Using AI To Build Software Replacing Applications It Buys From Microsoft, IBM
Starbucks Using AI To Build Software Replacing Applications It Buys From Microsoft, IBM
Corporate America has been desperate to see a burst of productivity (i.e., cost cutting) emerging from the latest flood of agentic AI euphoria,
Read more.....
Starbucks Using AI To Build Software Replacing Applications It Buys From Microsoft, IBM
Corporate America has been desperate to see a burst of productivity (i.e., cost cutting) emerging from the latest flood of agentic AI euphoria, and it is slowly starting to get it. Not everyone will be pleased.
Starbucks is developing in-house tools with the help of artificial intelligence that could replace some software applications it now buys from companies such as Microsoft and IBM.
According to Bloomberg, the coffee chain, whose stock price has gone nowhere in the past 3 years, is building alternatives to a Microsoft system that tracks inventory and an IBM tool that manages maintenance . Some of the Starbucks-developed software could roll out by the end of next year, pending the results of testing, the report notes.
Before the advent of advanced AI models, businesses were tethered for years to their technology vendors due to fear of business disruption and the complexity of building in-house tools. But AI is shifting that calculus as it makes it easier to develop applications from scratch and as companies push workers to use the technology (especially when it means those very same workers are teaching AI models how to do their work for them).
This is hardly new: at the start of 2026 the software sector cratered as Wall Street expressed doubts about the "terminal value" of business models that can easily be disrupted by AI. Since then, sentiment has stabilized but leading software companies still face concerns about whether they’ll be able to fend off competition from products built by upstarts, or their own customers, using AI. This phenomenon has weighed on software stocks this year, with Microsoft and IBM both trailing the S&P 500.
Shares of both companies fell during trading on Thursday, with Microsoft down 2.4% and IBM sinking 5.2% at 9:30 a.m. in New York, following the Bloomberg report..
Starbucks spends about $400 million a year on software alone, CTO Anand Varadarajan told workers in an internal forum earlier this year. “There’s clear opportunities to reduce the spend in software,” Varadarajan said. In-house software can be cheaper, an incentive for companies such as Starbucks, which is looking to cut $2 billion in costs as part of a broader turnaround effort . That said, in the long run, building can lead a company to pay higher maintenance and labor costs.
When it comes to technology, Starbucks company is reviewing “every contract and service,” according to the presentation seen by Bloomberg. In some cases, that includes building products to replace software that its engineers have to heavily tailor anyway. As an example, the company has been working for several years on building a point-of-sale system that would take the place of Oracle Simphony. In a blog post earlier this year, the company said AI and other technology advancements will support its long-term growth and free up baristas to focus more on customer service.
AI-assisted coding was also key to developing the platform that could replace the IBM tool. Starbucks has been pushing tech workers to use artificial intelligence, even factoring usage into their bonuses, which is ironic since the better the model, the less need for the person who created it meaning the bonus will likely be their last.
To be sure, there’s skepticism about how much, or how quickly, AI can speed up and automate work. Starbucks recently pulled an AI-powered system to track inventory at stores, reverting to manual counting; According to Reuters , that tool was part of CEO Brian Niccol's efforts to fix the coffee chain's persistent product shortages that he has blamed for hurting sales. The app - designed to improve Starbucks’ visibility into shortages at stores - frequently miscounted and mislabeled items, such as confusing similar milk types or ?missing them altogether. It also continues to use software from third-party vendors, including from companies such as Microsoft.
The Starbucks enterprise technology team is on track to reduce its budget by about $30 million in the fiscal year ending in late September, according to the internal presentation. That includes cutting about $10 million in software spending. Another $13 million will be saved mostly by cutting back on contractors from professional services firms and backfilling some roles with its own staff. Starbucks is setting up offices in Nashville and India that will house some tech workers, while others will remain at its Seattle headquarters. The company has cut about 2,300 jobs since February of last year, including many in tech.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 07/09/2026 - 15:20 Close