Consumer Prices Outpace Americans’ Wage Growth As Inflation Surges

Massive government spending has decreased the value of the American dollar and triggered increased consumer prices, which economic experts said will only get worse.

“Over the past few months, we have seen an inflation rate that is much higher than where we’ve become accustomed to,” Heritage Foundation research fellow Joel Griffith told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Peter Schiff, the chief economist and global strategist of Euro Pacific Capital, said there will be “massive inflation,” which will negatively impact Americans’ standard of living.

The price of food, particularly wholesale pork and poultry, gasoline, steel, copper, home appliances, lumber and many other consumer items have increased since President Joe Biden entered office in January.

Massive government spending has decreased the value of the American dollar and triggered increased consumer prices, which economic experts said will only get worse.

Americans will continue to see higher prices across the board, from food and gasoline to home appliances and cars, as the federal government continues to propose more stimulus into the economy without an adequate plan to pay for it, according to several experts. Even if the government doesn’t pass legislation increasing taxes, higher prices ultimately amount to an “inflation tax,” some of the experts said.

“Over the past few months, we have seen an inflation rate that is much higher than where we’ve become accustomed to,” Heritage Foundation research fellow Joel Griffith told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “When we are going to the grocery store, going to the gas station, building our new home, we’re noticing that prices are really accelerating at a much faster clip than what we’re used to.”

Since January, prices have outpaced wage growth meaning Americans’ average salary isn’t keeping up with the cost of goods and services. While wages have grown 1% since the beginning of the year, consumer prices have grown 2.1%, according to government data.

https://dailycaller.com/2021/05/20/federal-reserve-joe-biden-heritage-foundation/

Space Force CO Fired Over Comments About Marxism in the Military Now Subject of IG Probe

The U.S. Air Force has elevated an investigation into a former Space Force commander who was fired for comments made during a podcast promoting his new book, which claims Marxist ideologies are becoming prevalent in the United States military.

A command-directed investigation into Lt Col. Matthew Lohmeier, who last week was fired as commander of 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, will now be investigated by the Air Force Inspector General, officials announced Thursday.

The Space Force falls under the Department of the Air Force.

"The decision was made by the Department of the Air Force Inspector General due to the complexity and sensitivity of the issues under consideration, as well as potential for DAF-wide impact," Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said in the announcement.

The new review supersedes the command-level investigation, overseen by Lt. Gen. Stephen Whiting, head of Space Operations Command, Stefanek said. As a result, that review has been suspended, she said.

Whiting removed Lohmeier last week over a loss of confidence in his ability to lead after Lohmeier made public comments about his military experience to promote the self-published book, "Irresistible Revolution: Marxism's Goal of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military," Military.com first reported.

During a 34-minute taped segment for "Information Operation," hosted by Creative Destruction, or CD, Media, Lohmeier stated that diversity and inclusion training something that the Pentagon has given prominence in order to eradicate extremism in the ranks is "rooted in critical race theory, which is rooted in Marxism."

Lohmeier has been reassigned into a non-leadership role at Buckley, Michael Pierson, spokesman for Space Operations Command, said in an email Thursday.

Lohmeier said he didn't seek to criticize any particular senior leader or publicly identify troops within the book, he said during the podcast. Rather, he said, he focused on the policies service members now have to adhere to to align with certain agendas "that are now affecting our culture."

Regarding Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, he said, "I don't demonize the man, but I want to make it clear to both him and every service member this [diversity and inclusion] agenda, it will divide us, it will not unify us."

Austin on Feb. 5 ordered all military services to observe a one-day stand-down on extremism in the ranks.

"My intent never has been to engage in partisan politics," Lohmeier told Military.com in an email last week.

"I have written a book about a particular political ideology (Marxism) in the hope that our Defense Department might return to being politically non-partisan in the future as it has honorably done throughout history," he added.

During a briefing Tuesday, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby addressed questions about Lohmeier's removal, and whether Lohmeier had consulted the proper officials prior to publication.

"Anytime you're gonna write a book based on your military experiences or about military matters, and you're using your rank and title, and your service, as a credentialing opportunity, as an author, you do have to get a policy review by the Department of Defense," Kirby said.

"I think the Air Force has already addressed the issue that there was no policy review."

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/05/20/space-force-co-fired-over-comments-about-marxism-military-now-subject-of-ig-probe.html

Bahrain Sues 13 Banks for Laundering $1.3bn for Iran

Bahrain’s public prosecutor has referred 13 banks, including Iran’s Central Bank, to court for money laundering and other “unlawful banking practices” carried out between 2008 and 2012 with the goal to circumvent sanctions against Tehran, the country’s state-run news agency said on Tuesday.

After “extensive investigations,” prosecutors found that employees at Bahrain’s Future Bank, which was found to have been involved in “systematic and widespread violations of Bahrain’s banking law,” allegedly worked with Iranian bank officials to transfer over US$1.3 billion through an unregulated alternative system.

The transfers were carried out “with the aim of concealing the source and movement of funds, benefitting Iranian banks and circumventing international sanctions and restrictions on transactions imposed against Iranian entities,” the prosecution said.

This way those banks “empowered” Iranian entities, “including those involved in financing terrorism,” it added.

The probe was carried out by the Financial Investigation Directorate at Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior, the Central Bank of Bahrain, and independent international experts. It involved the review of “tens of thousands of documents,” which helped identify violations in the audit process.

Banks implicated in the scheme and referred for prosecution include Future Bank, Bank Melli Iran, Bank Saderat Iran, and the Central Bank of Iran. Investigations are ongoing to determine further criminal conduct and more individuals are likely to be prosecuted.

This is not the first time employees at Future Bank have been caught manipulating the banking system to help Iranian banks evade sanctions. So far, over $367 million dollars have been confiscated, and all of the accused have been convicted, imprisoned and fined over $900 million.

https://www.occrp.org/en/daily/14449-bahrain-sues-13-banks-for-laundering-1-3bn-for-iran

https://www.occrp.org/en/daily/14449-bahrain-sues-13-banks-for-laundering-1-3bn-for-iran

>>13717078

that's not 8bit

President al-Assad: existence of Israeli entity in the region based on terrorizing its people and assaulting their rights

Damascus, SANA-President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday received a number of leaders and representatives of Palestinian factions and powers.

Talks during the meeting dealt with the latest developments in the Palestinian lands and the Israeli continued aggressions on the Palestinian people, as well as the occupation practices aiming at displacing the Palestinians from their lands in al-Quds in order to change the status-quo and feature of the city.

During the meeting, President al-Assad affirmed that the Israeli entity doesn’t understand the language of peace, nor dialogue, as its existence in the region is based on terrorizing its people and assaulting their rights.

The President renewed Syria’s firm stance towards Palestine as a central issue and supporting the Palestinian peoples’ struggle and their legitimate resistance in self-defense and restoration of their rights.

Members of the delegation, for their part, stressed that Syria’s resilience in the war against Western and Israeli occupation-backed terrorist organizations has helped boost the steadfastness of the Palestinian people, hailing Syria’s support to the Palestinian people.

They said that the latest incidents in Palestine, and the Israeli occupation massacres and destruction of the Palestinian people affirm that the resistance choice is a key for the restoration of the usurped rights and lands.

http://sana.sy/en/?p=233864