Samantha Dart, Goldman’s co-head of Global Commodities Research, told clients on Tuesday that U.S. natural gas prices appear oversold and reaffirmed a bullish price forecast for the summer period, citing tightening market fundamentals. 

“Upside to Sum25 Henry Hub from here. On net, we continue to see U.S. gas prices as oversold. With net long positions by managed money now more normalized and fundamentals tightening into peak summer as discussed above, we maintain our Bal Sum25 Henry Hub forecast of $3.90/mmBtu,” Dart said. 

Dart noted that NatGas production may remain elevated into the early summer months, longer than she previously anticipated, though she expects a decline to begin in June. She explained that the recent surge in output is primarily due to previously drilled but uncompleted wells (DUCs) and delayed turn-in-line wells (DTILs) now coming online, describing this as a temporary phenomenon: 

The elevated U.S. natural gas production we flagged recently might last longer into this summer than we expect, but production will ultimately move lower. To be sure, we still expect lower Appalachia production sequentially, as a weather-driven decline in Northeast heating demand pressures local wellhead prices lower1 . However, production levels might ultimately remain above our expectations into early summer. To be clear, EQT commented last week during its earnings call that this surge in production has been largely due to wells that had been previously inventoried – as drilled but uncompleted (DUCs) or delayed turn-in-lines (DTILs) – but are now producing, which we think is consistent with a strong price incentive from 1Q25 Henry Hub having averaged in the high $3s/mmBtu, with local Appalachia prices not far behind. This suggests a one-off boost to local production, with heavy declines rates for the new wells likely setting in from June.

In the Northeast, particularly in Appalachia, Dart said production will likely slide as weak local prices, driven mainly through reduced heating demand, put pressure on wellhead economics. She pointed out that U.S. power burns have recovered faster than modeled, with increased coal-to-gas switching:

C2G starting to respond. At the same time, power burns have started to recover vs our modeled expectations, suggesting that utilities are likely increasing C2G switching following the drop in gas prices. The gas share of U.S. thermal generation has started to rise and is now at the highest level year to date at 70%.

She pointed out that NatGas-fired generation now accounts for 70% of U.S. thermal generation, the highest level so far this year. 

It appears that Israel has intelligence which strongly suggests the majority of 59 hostages remaining in Gaza are dead. It has long been acknowledged that at least some of the captives are deceased, but the Israeli government has kept a tight lid on information it has on the numbers.

And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife Sara has unleashed new controversy, heightening tensions and outrage from victims’ families. She was heard on a hot mic at an event on Monday saying that “fewer” than 24 hostages are still alive in Gaza.

It’s unclear whether she intended to be heard by the audience at a moment her husband, PM Benjamin Netanyahu was speaking, but she muttered something key and it was picked up by the microphone.

Below is CNN’s account of what happened and what was said:

“We have of course an important task, not only to win but also to bring home (the hostages),” Netanyahu said at a meeting with Israeli holiday torchbearers on Monday. “Until today we have returned 196 of our hostages, 147 of whom were alive. There are… up to 24 living. Up to 24 living.”

“Fewer,” Sara Netanyahu interrupted quietly, seated to her husband’s right.

“I say up to,” Netanyahu quickly responded. “And the rest are, I’m sorry to say, not alive. And we will return them.”

Lately Israeli officials have issued alarm, saying they believe more hostages may be in danger of dying as the conflict drags on. Ceasefire negotiations with Hamas have been collapsed and nonexistent for months at this point.

Victims’ families and anti-Netanyahu protesters have demanded the resumption of the truce deal, in order to see the remaining captives released. The Netanyahu government has instead opted for a military solution.

“On the eve of Memorial Day, you sowed indescribable panic in the hearts of the families of the hostages – families already living in agonizing uncertainty,” the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement, blasting Israeli leadership.

“If there is intelligence or new information regarding the condition of our loved ones, we demand full disclosure,” the group said, and urged that if the prime minister’s wife has new information she should make it known immediately.

“If the wife of the prime minister has new information about the kidnapped who were killed, I demand from her to know if my Matan is still alive, or if he was murdered in captivity because your husband refuses to finish the war,” Einav Zangauker, the mother of one of the hostages, also said on social media, as quoted in CNN.

Israel’s military has vowed to eradicate Hamas, but that’s easier said than done given the vast tunnel network of the terror group remains in place. It’s also believed there are still tens of thousands of Hamas fighters.

Authored by Jennifer Sweenie via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

From the moment Jess’s infant son transitioned from breastfeeding to baby formula, feeding became a source of distress—for both mom and baby. Every bottle of any U.S.-made brand seemed to trigger a bout of vomiting, his tiny body rejecting each feeding. Jess took to doing her research, and against her doctor’s guidance, made the switch to a European-made formula. The vomiting stopped with the swap, granting a sliver of respite for both baby and mom.

“My pediatrician told me that I was ‘endangering’ him by using a European formula that wasn’t FDA approved,” Jess Davidoff told The Epoch Times.

However, as Jess discovered, her pediatrician’s warning didn’t quite align with reality. The debate over what makes a “good” infant formula is intensifying as American parents increasingly turn to European brands. Interest in overseas products isn’t just about preference—it also highlights significant disparities in regulatory standards, differences in essential fats, controversial carbohydrates, and how transparently formulas are labeled. Understanding these differences empowers parents to make informed choices for their children and supports the health and development of American infants.

‘Good’ Formula

Choosing the best formula requires understanding labels and ingredients, regardless of its country of origin. Several critical factors come into play:

Essential Nutrients

Infant formula serves as the primary source of nutrition for many babies during their first year, making its composition essential for healthy development. Key nutrients found in breast milk to look for in formula include:

DHA and ARA: These long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids are essential for brain and eye development. European regulations have historically mandated minimum levels of DHA in infant formula, whereas the amounts in U.S. varieties may vary and, on average, are much lower than what Europe requires.

Prebiotics and Probiotics: Gut health is vital for babies’ digestion, immunity, and even brain development. Regulations regarding the inclusion of prebiotics and probiotics, and the specific strains and amounts, can vary between the United States and Europe. European standards often impose stricter guidelines.

Vitamins and Minerals: Both the FDA and European authorities set minimum, and sometimes maximum, levels for micronutrients in infant formula to ensure babies receive adequate nutrition. However, the specific requirements for certain vitamins and minerals can differ. A 2023 study published in Nutrients found that the average iron level in U.S. formulas is higher than what Europe allows. Almost 96 percent of the formulas tested in the United States exceeded the European iron limit.

Quality

Ingredient quality and how they are processed can impact the overall nutritional value and potential health effects of infant formula.

Organic formulas, made with milk from cows raised without hormones or routine antibiotics and fed organic feed, are more prevalent and strictly regulated in Europe. European organic formulas are also more likely to be made from grass-fed cows and contain probiotics.

The organic market in the United States is growing, but conventional formulas produced from cows raised according to standard agricultural practices still dominate.

Processing methods can affect the bioavailability of nutrients, such as milk proteins and calcium. Some newer processing methods aim to preserve more heat-sensitive nutrients. While both U.S. and European manufacturers follow safety standards, the specific techniques they use might vary.

Additives, such as emulsifiers, stabilizers, and preservatives, are common in formula, but the types and amounts allowed are more restricted in Europe. Some ingredients found in U.S. formulas might be restricted or banned in Europe due to potential health concerns, including exposure to antibiotics and pesticides.

Macronutrient Content

When it comes to macronutrients, lactose is the primary carbohydrate used in both regions to mimic breast milk. It is generally well digested by infants and supports the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. However, European standard formulas almost exclusively use lactose, while U.S. formulas use corn syrup solids, which may affect blood sugar, weight gain, and gut health. Due to these concerns, European regulatory bodies tend to be more cautious than the United States about allowing corn syrup solids in standard infant formulas.

As for Jess’s son, who regurgitated his formula, it turned out he had a severe corn allergy and was reacting to the corn syrup solids in the U.S. formula.

According to Dr. Michelle Perro, an integrative pediatrician with more than four decades of experience, the corn syrup solids are highly processed, but there may still be residual corn protein in the formula. She told The Epoch Times that producing corn syrup involves extensive processing, which, in her view, may contribute to health issues in some children.

“We are seeing an explosion of food sensitivities, intolerances, and allergies—it is off the charts,” said Perro.

Jess’s son’s corn allergy manifested with multiple concerning symptoms, including thinning hair and nails, vomiting, eczema, and hernias—one of which required surgery. Thirty-two doctors dismissed her concerns about a food-related cause, but her mother’s intuition prevailed. She meticulously tracked his food until the culprit revealed itself—all stemming from the introduction of U.S.-based formula containing corn.

“The sugar used has to change. We [the United States] cannot use the synthetic corn syrup derived from GMO corn,” Perro said.

Both European and U.S. formulas typically use a blend of vegetable oils to mimic the fatty acid profile of breast milk. Common oils include palm oil, soy oil, coconut oil, and sunflower oil. European formulas often highlight the inclusion of medium-chain triglycerides, which are easily digestible and provide a quick source of energy. There may also be a greater emphasis on the quality and processing of these oils compared with U.S. standards.

Proteins in formula—usually cow’s milk—aim to match breast milk’s whey-to-casein ratio, often more closely in European formulas than U.S. varieties. Both markets offer formulas with partially or extensively broken down hydrolyzed proteins. Additionally, both the United States and Europe offer formulas made with goat’s milk or soy protein for infants with specific dietary needs. Regulations regarding these alternative protein sources and the extent of processing may differ by region.

Ultimately, transparent labeling is essential for parents making informed choices about infant formula ingredients and nutrient content. European standards often provide more detailed information about ingredient sources and the specific types and amounts of certain components, such as prebiotics and probiotics.

Heavy Metals Are a Concern

Heavy metals can be present in baby formula in the United States and Europe. The European Union generally has stricter limits on heavy metals and contaminants in baby formula than the United States, and continuously updates its regulations to reduce allowable levels. The stricter regulations on heavy metals are a major reason some parents prefer European formulas.

The FDA does not currently require manufacturers to routinely test infant formula for heavy metals. Instead, it has a “Closer to Zero“ initiative that aims to gradually reduce the amount of harmful metals babies and children are exposed to in food. The initiative focuses on conducting research, setting guidelines for the food industry, and monitoring progress over time

Perro referenced the FDA’s Total Diet Study, a program that’s been running since the 1960s and initially focused on measuring radioactivity in food. The study, conducted periodically, monitors the safety and nutritional quality of the U.S. food supply. In its most recent publication, released in 2022, the Total Diet Study analyzed approximately 910 foods to assess contaminant levels. Of the 910 foods, four were infant formulas—and two of those contained toxic metals, including uranium. Despite these findings, Perro said, no public recalls or follow-up investigations were announced, raising concerns about regulatory oversight.

“To think that the FDA is protecting us is a stretch,” she noted, voicing frustration over what she sees as inadequate action regarding contamination in infant formula

Perro suggested that potential sources of toxic metals could include cow feed, processing methods, and environmental factors such as geoengineering—large-scale climate interventions like solar radiation management. While further research is needed to pinpoint the source in the U.S. formula manufacturing system, the presence of these metals is alarming due to the potential health effects.

Heavy metals found in infant formula and their effects include:

Lead: Per the FDA, there is no known safe level of exposure to lead. It poses the greatest risk during brain development and can cause neurological impairments, including learning and behavioral difficulties, and lower IQ.

Mercury: Mercury exposure during active brain development may cause reduced intelligence, memory and cognitive problems, and motor skill difficulties. Emerging evidence also suggests attention may be affected, according to the FDA.

Arsenic: The FDA links arsenic exposure with adverse neurological effects such as learning disabilities, behavioral difficulties, and reduced IQ. Fetuses, infants, and children are especially vulnerable because of their smaller bodies and rapid development.

Cadmium: Because the body eliminates cadmium slowly, long-term exposure can weaken bones and may contribute to kidney and reproductive problems, heart disease, and diabetes, according to the FDA.

A 2024 meta-analysis published in Science of the Total Environment concluded that cadmium exposure is strongly associated with an increased risk of developing chronic kidney disease. Researchers reviewed 31 studies and found that even small amounts of cadmium exposure pose a long-term concern due to its persistence in the body.

Perrro said one of the most troubling effects of heavy metal exposure in infants is its effect on gut health and the subsequent lifelong repercussions.

She explained that toxic metals can disrupt the microbiome, potentially preventing babies from developing a healthy innate immune response. According to Perro, this kind of gut disruption could set the stage for conditions such as eczema, gut-induced asthma, autoimmune disorders, and food allergies, possibly setting the stage for additional health challenges later in life.

She also emphasized the neurological effects of toxic metals, which she believes may play a role in the development of neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, sensory processing disorders, sleep disturbances, and other behavioral challenges. Additionally, Perro expressed concern about possible metabolic disruptions and the long-term risk of kidney disease, particularly from cadmium exposure.

“Whatever happens to baby is setting up that baby for their immunologic well-being for the rest of their lives,” she said.

Read the rest here…

Amazon’s Kuiper officially entered the space communications race on Monday evening, with its first 27 satellites launched into orbit aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

These satellites will deliver high-speed, low-latency broadband internet to customers worldwide and form the foundation of a much larger planned constellation of 3,200 satellites in low Earth orbit, expected to be rolled out in the coming years.

Nominal start to our KA-01 mission. We’ve already established contact with all 27 Kuiper satellites in orbit, and initial deployment and activation sequences are proceeding as planned. Thanks to @ULAlaunch for a successful launch – the first of many missions together. pic.twitter.com/XyG0UCgjuX

— Project Kuiper (@ProjectKuiper) April 29, 2025

Monday’s milestone marks a long-awaited step for Jeff Bezos’ Kuiper, which now enters the race six years behind Elon Musk’s Starlink, operated by SpaceX.

Notably, it wasn’t Blue Origin—Bezos’ rocket company—that launched the 27 satellites. Instead, it was ULA doing the heavy lifting, while Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket has so far been better known for celebrity suborbital joyrides than serious work. 

US Gov’t: Katy Perry “Doesn’t Meet FAA Astronaut Criteria” https://t.co/vDzQkCOJEI

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) April 19, 2025

Meanwhile, SpaceX has already launched over 8,000 Starlink satellites into orbit and offers service in more than 125 countries. With more than 5 million users worldwide, Starlink remains the dominant player in the global space-based communications market.

SpaceX’s space dominance has turned Goldman analysts into believers. Earlier this year, analysts provided clients with a list of Starlink’s suppliers to capitalize on, as tens of thousands of these satellites will be catapulted into low Earth orbit by the decade’s end. 

Goldman Turns Bullish On Starlink Satellite Parts Supplier As Space Race Accelerates https://t.co/GyooFrcg0x

— zerohedge (@zerohedge) February 18, 2025

Just last night…

Falcon 9 launches back-to-back @Starlink missions from California and Florida and completes our 50th mission of 2025! pic.twitter.com/t2tYvM6ctD

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 29, 2025

Democrats have waged war against the guy who is catching skyscraper-sized rocket boosters. 

Super Heavy catch on Starship’s eighth flight test pic.twitter.com/oC80r7CZ4L

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 8, 2025

Talk about efficiency: 

Summary:
Over $250B spent with no new domestic human launch system until SpaceX delivered one.
Meanwhile, SpaceX built Falcon 1, Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, Dragon, and Starship — all for less than 3% of NASA’s total spend. pic.twitter.com/rraK1yPccX

— Sam (@futurenomics) April 22, 2025

Bezos uses Starlink terminals on his very own yacht. 

The hope is that competition will innovate the space communications race, yet Starlink doesn’t really have strong competitors – not Bezos, not China, not Russia. Just wait until SpaceX’s mega-rocket begins launching Starlink satellites.

Via JonFleetwood.com,

Scientists are proposing to modify Boeing 777 aircraft to spray sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere in an attempt to cool the Earth in the name of debunked, so-called “climate change”—despite fully acknowledging the serious risk of acid rain and other environmental disasters.

A new study published today in Earth’s Future openly admits that this method, called stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI), would sharply increase dangerous side effects like acid rain because it requires “three times more” aerosol to achieve the same cooling effect compared to previous high-altitude schemes.

“However, this low‐altitude strategy requires three times more injection than high‐altitude SAI, and so would strongly increase side‐effects such as acid rain,” the study’s authors warn​.

Rather than developing new, specially-designed aircraft to reach the ideal 65,000 feet altitude, researchers from University College London and Yale now propose dumping sulfur at just 42,000 feet—within the existing capabilities of modified 777s​.

The ironic catch?

At lower altitudes, sulfur particles would rain out of the sky much faster—meaning a massive increase in the amount of pollutant dumped into the atmosphere.

Instead of solving anything, their plan could flood the atmosphere with even more toxic material, accelerating the very environmental destruction they claim to be fighting.

The study projects injecting 12 million metric tons of sulfur dioxide per year​—comparable to the volume released by the Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991, which famously cooled the planet temporarily but also triggered severe acid rain​.

In fact, the researchers admit outright that this new strategy would mean “a proportionate increase in the side-effects of SAI per unit cooling, such as human exposure to descending particulate matter.”

The new proposal to retrofit Boeing 777s to spray sulfur mirrors the large-scale atmospheric modification that anti-geoengineering expert Jim Lee shows is already being carried out daily through commercial aviation’s sulfur-doped emissions.​

A Blueprint for Accelerated Environmental Collapse?

Billed as a “shortcut” because it could use existing jets instead of waiting a decade for new aircraft, the UCL-Yale plan effectively opens the floodgates for rapid, poorly regulated deployment.

The study concedes this alarming possibility, saying:

“This could imply an increase in the number of actors able to deploy SAI, an earlier potential start date, and perhaps a greater risk of unilateral deployment.”​

Translation: Anyone with a modified fleet of cargo planes could start spraying the skies without global oversight.

This echoes warnings from our past reporting: geoengineering is being normalized as an “emergency solution”—without serious consideration of the unintended, irreversible damage it could unleash on ecosystems, agriculture, and human health.

Acid rain, after all, devastates forests, poisons waterways, and corrodes infrastructure.

Even the authors admit that injecting sulfur at lower altitudes would be “a sub-optimal SAI deployment, with strongly increased side-effects, reduced cooling efficiency, and a more polar cooling profile.”​

Yet despite these known dangers, the plan is moving forward—with government agencies like Britain’s Aria already preparing field experiments​.

Global Weather Control by Cargo Plane

This is the continuation of a pattern we’ve exposed before: global elites quietly pushing militarized weather control schemes under the cover of “climate crisis” narratives.

First it was experiments on cloud seeding, now it’s mass-scale sulfur dumping using commercial airliners.

“Our results suggest that a deployment of low‐altitude, high‐latitude SAI could halt the increase in global mean temperature under current warming rates by redirecting a small fraction of the production of existing large jets (~2 new jets per year),” the researchers wrote​.

In other words, they are planning for a future where the skies are permanently hazed with chemical aerosols, maintained by a growing fleet of retrofitted jets.

Once this kind of geoengineering begins, it can’t be easily stopped.

The sudden cessation of sulfur injection could trigger abrupt, catastrophic warming—known in scientific literature as the “termination shock.”

This isn’t a solution.

It’s engineering dependence on a dangerous, destructive atmospheric intervention.

The Bottom Line

Geoengineers are openly admitting that they want to retrofit Boeing 777s to spew toxic sulfur dioxide into the sky, risk widespread acid rain, and destabilize the global climate—all to patch over the failures of industrial policy.

If the public doesn’t push back, the same establishment that wrecked the environment with reckless industrialization will now finish the job under the guise of “saving” it.

With the full liberation of Kursk having been declared by President Putin days ago, both Moscow and its recent defense treaty partner North Korea are much more openly touting the fact that North Korean troops are operating alongside Russian forces against the Ukrainian army.

For the first time, Russia’s Defense Ministry has released official footage showing North Korean soldiers undergoing combat training in Russia. The video was reportedly captured soon after reports began circulating that over 10,000 DPRK troops had been deployed to Russia, where they later fought in Kursk region in particular.

In the footage, Russian instructors teach the North Korean soldiers in shooting techniques and formations with Kalashnikov assault rifles. Anti-drone measures are also featured, as well as hand grenade training. Several live-fire exercises are featured, including firing RPGs and some sniper training.

Russia did not comment on precisely where the training took place, but it confirms that the terms of the Russian-North Korean mutual defense treaty – inked last summer between Presidents Putin and Kim Jong-Un, had been enacted fairly quickly once Ukraine forces crossed the border and entered Kursk.

The latest international reports have said 14,000 or more North Korean soldiers were sent to Russia amid the Kursk operation. The bulk of these are said to be from special forces units. Putin thanked them and Kim Jong-Un this week, in a first such public acknowledgement.

Ukraine is meanwhile urging Washington to take more serious action in light of this confirmation, and is also calling on South Korea, per regional media:

“If the Kremlin sends North Korean troops to the territory of Ukraine it would mean that North Korea is in a state of all out war with Ukraine,” Oleksandr Merezhko, chair of the parliament’s foreign affairs committee, told the Kyiv Independent.

The lawmaker from the ruling Servant of the People explained that such a deployment would cause “serious legal, political, and military consequences for Russia and North Korea,” prompting a stronger reaction from countries such as South Korea and the U.S.

“(Russian President Vladimir) Putin understands that if he does it (U.S. President Donald) Trump will have to react rather strongly,” Merezhko said.

Watch: video issued by Russian military showing training of DPRK troops at a prior date:

“We won’t invade Ukraine.”
“No North Koreans are fighting for Russia.”
“We want peace talks with Ukraine.”

How many times does the West need to hear Russia lie before it finally learns? pic.twitter.com/a8spASlnLl

— Shaun Pinner (@olddog100ua) April 28, 2025

Ukraine had reportedly breached the Russian border in Belgorod too, so it’s possible North Korean troops might be deployed that region as well. Whether or not they are actually inside Eastern Ukraine is an open question.

As for North Korea’s Kim, KCNA quoted him Monday as saying, “They who fought for justice are all heroes and representatives of the honor of the motherland.” North Korea “regards it as an honor to have an alliance with such a powerful state as the Russian Federation,” he added. Ukraine has claimed to have captured a handful of both North Korean and even Chinese troops over the past month.

Authored by Thomas Brooke via Remix News,

Only one in eight Afghans who entered Germany through special protection programs, such as for local staff and human rights activists, was fully vetted by German security authorities beforehand, according to a new report from Bild.

Over 31,000 Afghans, including family members, reportedly arrived without complete security checks, the report claims, revealing major security lapses in Germany’s handling of the Afghan admission program.

The federal government has been importing Afghan migrants from its reception center in Pakistan’s capital of Islamabad since the return to power of the Taliban, insisting those being received were former collaborators with the German army against the new regime.

However, in reality, only a fraction of those on board these flights met these criteria as former Bundeswehr employees or their family members.

Last month, Remix News reported on a chartered flight carrying 157 Afghan nationals, of which just two individuals were former collaborators, along with 13 of their relatives.

The remaining 142 individuals have been selected under broader humanitarian programs, such as the Federal Admission Program (BAP), which prioritizes Afghans identified as at risk due to their “commitment to democratic values.”

Germany’s federal police union (DPolG) has long called for the suspension of Afghan refugee flights from Pakistan, citing security risks and identity verification issues among those on board. Last month, the union penned a letter to outgoing Chancellor Olaf Scholz urging an immediate halt.

“The current procedure, in which, despite the identity not being determined without any doubt, travel ID cards are issued for foreigners, is highly risky and irresponsible,” said DPolG federal president Heiko Teggatz.

“Against the background of the currently highly tense security situation in relation to Islamist terrorism, I think such a procedure is unacceptable,” he added.

The lax security measures have sparked outrage among police officials and politicians. There are now loud calls for the establishment of a special asylum task force (“Soko Asyl”) to re-examine all cases and, if necessary, deport individuals who do not pass renewed security screenings.

“All Afghans who have not undergone a full security check must either be transferred back to Islamabad or deported to Afghanistan, unless they can definitively verify their identity on-site with official documents and pass a security screening,” Federal Police Union Vice President Manuel Ostermann told the German tabloid. “A complete re-examination of the cases is essential.”

Several CDU/CSU politicians, whose parties will dominate the incoming coalition government in Berlin, have demanded action.

“What is now coming to light is inconceivable. At a time when Germany is burdened by migration pressures and rising violent crimes by individual asylum seekers, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock showed no awareness of Germany’s security needs,” noted Hesse’s Minister for International Affairs Manfred Pentz. “Her approach was amateurish, ideological, and a threat to national security.”

“The governing coalition is responsible for these frightening security risks. The Afghan admission programs must be terminated immediately,” said Alexander Hoffmann, parliamentary manager of the CSU in the Bundestag.

“This must not be repeated. Germany’s security interests must always come first,” added CDU MP Christoph de Vries in a stark warning to chancellor-to-be Friedrich Merz, who vowed to tackle the immigration crisis in Germany but whose coalition with the Social Democrats (SPD) has raised questions about his commitment.

Read more here…

Via Middle East Eye

“Mossad agents” and “warmongers” are pushing the US into a conflict with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Those lines aren’t coming from state-run news agencies in Tehran, but some of US President Donald Trump’s closest media allies and supporters. 

Last week, conservative talk show host Tucker Carlson featured a senior Department of Defense official who he claimed was ousted because he was seen as an obstacle to the US bombing Iran.

Dan Caldwell, a top advisor to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was removed from the Pentagon earlier this month on charges that he allegedly leaked classified information about Hegseth’s use of a Signal chat, according to several media outlets.

Not so by Carlson’s telling, who has unparalleled access to Trump. “You did make maybe one career mistake by giving on-the-record interviews describing your foreign policy views…that are out of the mainstream among warmongers in Washington,” Carlson said to Caldwell, adding, “Then I read all of a sudden that you are a traitor.”

On Sunday, another conservative podcaster, Clayton Morris, a former Fox News anchor, said pro-Israel voices were “working overtime” to destroy the “anti-war team” that Trump has assembled at the Pentagon.

“We’ve learned here at Redacted that former Israeli Mossad agents are working overtime on social media and behind the scenes trying to discredit Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth,” Morris said, referring to his show. He didn’t name the so-called former agents. 

Trump’s administration is divided between more traditional Republicans like US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security advisor Mike Waltz, and “America First” isolationists like White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and director of national intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

Some of Trump’s most vocal defenders in the media, who exercise unprecedented influence in communicating his worldview, are media figures like Carlson and former advisor Steve Bannon.

The firing of Caldwell and two other senior Pentagon officials appears to have energized America First anti-interventionists. Their slamming of the pro-Israel voices and former Mossad agents is unprecedented within the Republican Party. It reflects just how far Trump has taken the party from its traditionally hawkish worldview. 

Pro-Trump media personalities have singled out Merav Ceren, who was nominated to head Iran and Israel at the White House National Security Council, for criticism. 

Ceren was born in Haifa, Israel, and worked in the Israeli Ministry of Defense. On his show, Morris, who co-hosted a Fox morning news show with Hegseth, said that, “Neo-con Mike Waltz has now hired basically a dual citizen and former IDF official to work under him.”

The coverage reflects a growing trend in the US to view Israel with skepticism, which has intensified since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks on southern Israel, which sparked the Israeli invasion of Gaza and a simmering Middle East war. 

According to a Pew Poll published in April, 53 percent of Americans now express an unfavorable opinion of Israel, up from 42 percent in March 2022. The shift in negative sentiment has been notable among young Republicans under 50, who are more likely to tune into podcasts like Morris’s Redacted and Carlson’s show.

Dan Caldwell, a top advisor to Defense Chief Pete Hegseth, was escorted out of the Pentagon after being named in a Department of Defense leaks investigation.

Caldwell didn’t toe the usual line on foreign policy. He openly challenged the Washington consensus on Israel, saying the… pic.twitter.com/O2ZoVSNmXd

— Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) April 15, 2025

The criticism comes as Trump tries to square his muscular foreign policy instincts with his pledge to refrain from starting new Middle East wars. On Iran, Trump’s closest envoys have been left contradicting themselves. 

Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Middle East envoy who has emerged as his go-to global troubleshooter, suggested earlier this month that Washington would allow Iran to enrich uranium at low levels. After backlash from pro-Israel voices, he flipped, saying that Tehran “must stop and eliminate” its nuclear enrichment program fully.

This week, Secretary Rubio said the US could re-enter a deal that sees Iran keep a civilian nuclear programme – so long as it halts enrichment, and instead ships it in from abroad. 

American and Iranian technical teams met in Oman on Saturday for their third round of talks. Trump told reporters on Monday that the talks are going “very well” and that “a deal is going to be made there”. “We’ll have something without having to start dropping bombs all over the place,” he said.

For some in Chicago, Universal Basic Income came early…

Such was the case when approximately $300,000 was reported stolen last week after bags of cash tumbled from a Brinks Home Security Company truck in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, according to a police complaint, the New York Post and NBC. 

Brinks stated that the truck’s rear door opened by “unknown means,” causing three bags filled with U.S. currency to spill out. 

While driving south on Austin Boulevard last Tuesday, a Brinks driver lost three bags of cash, according to a police complaint. When the driver returned, 50 to 100 people were seen grabbing money and fleeing. Brinks estimated the loss at $300,000. As of Friday, Oak Park officials said no arrests had been made.

We’re sure whoever opened the door was “just looking for bread to feed their family”, to borrow AOC’s parlance…

…and hey – wait til they found out those dollars have already lost 9% of their purchasing power…but we digress.

Authored by Jack Phillips via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Congressional Democrats said on April 29 that the Trump administration has blocked about $430 billion in federal funding and that they are chronicling how it is stopping the flow of funds.

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the top Democrats on the Senate and House appropriations committees, released a tracker on April 29 to “shine a light on President Trump’s vast, illegal funding freeze and how it is hurting people in every zip code in America.”

“Instead of investing in the American people, President Trump is ignoring our laws and ripping resources away,” said Murray and DeLauro. They said the funding that was cut or frozen by the Trump administration had been approved by Congress.

The powerful Appropriations committees in the House and the Senate, where Republicans have majority control of both chambers, draft the annual funding bills that Congress passes and sends to the president’s desk for his signature to become law.

Since taking office in January, Trump has said that he wants to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse in the federal government while seeking to terminate various programs that don’t align with his administration’s priorities.

The Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was created via an executive order in January by the president and is tasked with those efforts. According to its website, DOGE says it has saved an estimated $160 billion, or around $993 per taxpayer.

The White House, which has not responded to the Democrats’ claims, did not immediately respond to an Epoch Times request for comment.

In a news release on Tuesday, Democrats highlighted some programs that were slashed under the Trump administration, including $1 billion for HeadStart, which provides early childhood education, health, and nutrition services.

They noted $12 million in canceled funding for the Fair Housing Initiatives Program that gives grants to nonprofits to “prevent housing discrimination.” They also cited nearly $1 billion for the Green and Resilient Retrofit program; $10 million for the Citizen and Integration Grant program; $80 million in grants and contracts to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and more.

The Trump administration is in court fighting to keep many of the administration’s cuts to federal agencies.

“The people voted for major government reform, and that’s what the people are going to get,” said Musk, a senior presidential adviser and special government employee, in an appearance at the White House in February. “That’s what democracy is all about.”

This past week, after Musk’s electric vehicle company Tesla posted lower-than-expected profits and revenue for the first quarter of 2025, Musk told investors on a call that his work with DOGE will drop significantly in the next month or so. In any case, as a special government employee, Musk can work only 130 days for the government before departing.

Musk said he will continue to support the Trump administration and DOGE “to make sure that the waste and fraud that we stop does not come roaring back.”

In a statement released by the White House, Trump said that DOGE is designed to bring “accountability and transparency to federal spending, ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and effectively,” which he said, “has already saved taxpayers billions of dollars.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.