Lee Fang: Nikki Haley's Sudden Wealth Rooted In Weapons Industry, Pro-War Advocacy Network

When should America deploy its armaments and forces to conflicts around the globe? And how much of the American military intervention abroad is shaped by genuine humanitarian and U.S. interests versus the tangled web of foreign alliances, special interest groups, and defense contractors?

These questions, which have long divided both major political parties, were on display in Milwaukee last night week at the first Republican presidential debate as foreign policy loomed as a key point of contention.

Vivek Ramaswamy, as the only candidate directly against any escalation in the Ukraine-Russia war and against any additional U.S. funds, argued that the conflict represented “another no-win war” like the wars in Iraq and Vietnam. The biotech investor favors a quick negotiated end to the fighting and an alliance with Russia to help contain China against any future aggression, as well as a greater focus on domestic issues, such as immigration.

Several candidates, in contrast, bitterly argued that supporting Ukraine is a moralistic necessity.

Mike Pence, a proponent of increased military support to Ukraine, said that Russian President Vladimir Putin “is a dictator and a murderer, and the United States of America needs to stand against authoritarianism.”

Nikki Haley, who also backs more American funds and military support for the conflict, made similar remarks. “Look at what Putin did today. He killed Prigozhin. When I was at the U.N., the Russian ambassador suddenly died. This guy is a murderer,” said Haley.

But the debate turned personal a moment later, as Haley charged that Ramaswamy is “choosing a murderer over a pro-American country.”

"I wish you well on your future career on the boards of Lockheed and Raytheon," Ramaswamy shot back.

“You would make America less safe. You have no foreign policy experience, and it shows,” countered Haley.

The incendiary exchange, which instantly became a viral, made-for-television exchange clip shared widely, belied a deeper divide in foreign policy and the curious background of Haley, who went from near negligible wealth – with virtually no assets or investments other than a bank account with less than $15,000 in 2017 and up to $1 million in debt – to a sizable fortune.

Over the last year, Haley and her husband reported a vast investment stock portfolio and $12 million of income.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/lee-fang-nikki-haleys-sudden-wealth-rooted-weapons-industry-pro-war-advocacy-network

Xi, Modi agree to 'de-escalate' tensions on disputed Himalayan border

A 2020 clash between Chinese and Indian troops fighting with sticks and clubs on the ill-defined border killed 24

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed on 24 August to seek a resolution to years of tensions along the Himalayan border area between the two nuclear-armed countries.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra stated that Modi had spoken to Xi on the sidelines at the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. Modi highlighted India’s concerns about the unresolved issues along the “Line of Actual Control” (LAC), which serves as the effective India-China border.

“The prime minister underlined that the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the border areas and observing and respecting the LAC are essential for the normalization of the India-China relationship,” Kwatra said.

He added the two leaders had “agreed to direct the relevant officials to intensify efforts at expeditious disengagement and de-escalation”.

Xi added that improved China-India relations are “conducive to peace, stability, and development of the world and the region”.

A joint statement released after the Modi-Xi meeting described the discussion as “positive, constructive and in-depth.”

The statement added that India and China had “agreed to maintain the momentum of dialogue and negotiations through military and diplomatic channels.”

Tensions have remained high since a 2020 battle in the Galwan Valley along the LAC killed at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers.

The battle, fought with sticks and clubs, not guns, was the first fatal confrontation between the two sides since 1975.

India's construction of a new road to a high-altitude air base is seen as one of the main triggers of the clash with Chinese troops.

Both militaries have since fortified positions and deployed large numbers of troops and equipment to the border region.

Another clash in January 2021 took place near India's Sikkim state, between Bhutan and Nepal, leaving soldiers on both sides injured.

The conflict is the result of an ill-defined, 3,440-kilometer-long disputed border.

Rivers, lakes, and glaciers along the frontier mean the line can shift, bringing soldiers face to face at many points, sparking a confrontation.

https://new.thecradle.co/articles/xi-modi-agree-to-de-escalate-tensions-on-disputed-himalayan-border

Romney: America Must Support Ukraine to Stop Putin Rebuilding Soviet Union

Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) sees no downside in the U.S. supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia, arguing Friday any attempt to rebuild the old Soviet Union must be challenged.

Romney’s belief it is in America’s interest to send the funds and supply the materiel of war to Ukraine was made during an interview. Blood and treasure is spent in a worth cause if it foils Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, was his argument.

The Utah senator, and failed presidential candidate, declared:

The single most important thing we can do to strengthen America relative to China is to see Russia defeated in Ukraine. A weakened Russia deters the CCP’s territorial ambition, and halts Putin’s vision of reestablishing the old Soviet Union. Supporting Ukraine is in our interest.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/08/27/romney-america-must-support-ukraine-to-stop-putin-rebuilding-soviet-union/

‘Staggering Security Breach’ — London’s Metropolitan Police Officer Database Hacked

London’s Metropolitan Police force says it has stepped up security after a company that holds details of its officers and staff was hacked.

The force said late Saturday that there had been “unauthorized access to the IT system” of one of its suppliers. It said the company, which it did not name, had access to names, ranks, photos, vetting levels and payroll numbers for officers and staff, but did not hold personal information such as addresses, phone numbers or financial details.

The force said it was “working with the company to understand if there has been any security breach relating to Metropolitan Police data,” and had referred the incident to the National Crime Agency.

The Metropolitan Police Federation, a staff association for officers, said the breach had caused “incredible concern and anger.”

“This is a staggering security breach that should never have happened,” said federation Vice Chair Rick Prior. “Given the roles we ask our colleagues to undertake, significant safeguards and checks and balances should have been in place to protect this valuable personal information which, if in the wrong hands, could do incalculable damage.”

The breach follows an incident last month in which the Police Service of Northern Ireland acknowledged it had inadvertently published personal information of more than 10,000 officers and staff in response to a freedom of information request.

Officials fear the information has been obtained by Irish Republican Army dissidents who continue to mount occasional attacks on police, 25 years after Northern Ireland’s peace accord.

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2023/08/27/staggering-security-breach-londons-metropolitan-police-officer-database-hacked/

Chicago teacher charged with child pornography after being arrested with minor at Miami airport

A Chicago-based private school teacher has been charged with attempted production of child pornography after federal agents became curious after he tried to re-enter the country with a 17-year-old Argentinian boy. The two were found at Miami International Airport.

Court documents recently revealed that Emilio Vrdoljak was stopped by authorities in Miami on June 29, while he was with a 17-year-old Argentinian boy. The two had just arrived in the U.S. from Buenos Aires, according to WFLD.

The boy said Vrdoljak was his school teacher, and that he was staying with him for two weeks in the U.S. as part of his education. The boy allegedly added that Vrdoljak had asked him to sleep in the same bed while in Argentina, but he refused.

When the authorities searched Vrdoljak's phone, they found sexual comments and photos that had been sent to a different boy who identified himself as 16 years old.

According to the affidavit, Vrdoljak sent the unidentified male an explicit video and requested one back. Officials said that the teacher and the alleged 16-year-old had chatted and exchanged images and videos over a period of several days.

When Vrdoljak was asked why he continued to communicate with the minor, he allegedly told investigators that he was "thinking with his butt."

CWB Chicago reported that Vrdoljak was ordered by a U.S. Magistrate Judge to post $250,000 bail and remain under house arrest at his home in South Loop on July 13.

The president of DePaul College Prep in North Center emailed school employees and parents about the arrest on Friday, noting Vrdoljak is a "former, short-term employee" who no longer works there.

Though the allegations do not involve anyone from the school, the email was reportedly sent "out of an abundance of caution."

DePaul is a "Catholic and Vincentian high school, sponsored by the Congregation of the Mission," and it is has close ties with DePaul University, which is also based in Chicago.

It appears Vrdoljak was previously involved in Sprouts Academy Preschool, where he taught Spanish. On the Chicago-based preschool page, there is a short biography of Vrdoljak, which states: "My name is Emilio Vrdoljak. I am from Northern Argentina, a place called Chaco. I have been living in Chicago since 2002. I am a school teacher and have been teaching kids since 1992. I taught English in Argentina in my hometown for 10 years before moving here. I love travelling and photography."

http://www.stationgossip.com/2023/08/chicago-teacher-charged-with-child.html

WHO Demands Global Vaccine Mandates to Fight ‘Climate Change’

The World Health Organization (WHO) is demanding that governments around the globe enforce vaccine mandates, claiming that the move is vital in mitigating the impact of “climate change.”

The WHO argues that the threat of diseases being spread by mosquitoes migrating to new regions is rising due to “global warming.”

Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead for COVID-19, made the disturbing comments at a recent press conference while sitting next to WHO chief Tedros Ghebreyesus.

“A lot of this is also about other uses of tools that exist,” she said, “in instances where we have interventions like medical interventions, therapeutics or vaccines depending on the pathogen.”

“We need to be able to prepare for that.”

Van Kerkhove further said that countries need to “look at how the changes in climate change and the dynamics of spillover and amplification are changing — and prepare for that.”

In recent months, mosquitoes across the US have been testing positive for extremely rare and deadly viruses, some of which have never before been reported in the United States.

The unprecedented situation comes months after a Bill Gates tech start-up released millions of genetically modified mosquitoes into the wild.

Various states across the country have reported a sharp increase in mosquito-borne viruses.

In the Midwest, cases of the mosquito-borne Jamestown Canyon Virus are on the rise.

Jamestown Canyon virus can cause severe disease, including infection of the brain (encephalitis) or the membranes around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).

Health officials say two mosquito pools in South Georgia have tested positive for Eastern equine encephalitis which has a 30% fatality rate in humans.

And it’s not just humans in the firing line.

https://newsaddicts.com/who-demands-global-vaccine-mandates-fight-climate-change/

>>19442501

Minister compares Palestinians to prisoners in justifying curbs on their movement

Amichai Eliyahu backs Ben Gvir, the head of his far-right Otzma Yehudit party, insists restrictions on West Bank residents are not apartheid

Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu on Sunday compared curtailing Palestinians’ rights to freedom of movement in the West Bank — in order to boost safety for Israeli settlers — to putting dangerous criminals behind bars.

“As soon as someone threatens my rights to live, I slightly reduce his civil rights and enable the law-abiding person to continue to operate,” Elihayu told Ynet.

“In a prison, I take someone and revoke their civil rights so that the rest of society can live in a better way,” he continued. “Is that apartheid?”

Eliyahu, a member of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, asserted, “It is not apartheid even if you shout it a thousand times.”

Last week, his party leader, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, provoked outrage when he said that his family has more of a right to travel on roads in the West Bank than Palestinians do, in the wake of a spate of deadly terror attacks on Israeli settlers in the area. The Biden administration and American Jewish groups denounced his comments, with the US State Department in a rare move calling him out by name. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later in the week countered Ben Gvir’s comments, declaring that Israel strives to allow the greatest possible freedom of movement for both the Israeli and Palestinian populations in the West Bank.

“We need to help the good Israeli Arabs and also the good Israeli Arabs” in the West Bank “to travel freely, and impact their lives as little as possible in order to allow us a normative life,” Eliyahu continued.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/minister-compares-palestinians-to-prisoners-in-justifying-curbs-on-their-movement/

Biden energy chief claims wiping out 60% of oil imports will help, not harm, energy security

America's grid has faced mounting challenges under Biden's energy transition. Critics say Biden's energy plans threaten our national security interests.

In a speech to a Seattle crowd Wednesday, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm made the claim that lower oil imports improves U.S. energy security.

Praising Biden’s historic green energy funding and 100% clean electricity goal by 2035, Granholm said “With all this electrification, we could slash our net crude oil imports by almost 60%, and that strengthens energy security.”

Granholm, who appeared with Vice President Kamala Harris also said Harris "has been amazing inside the White House as the champion for clean energy."

One of the most common critiques of Biden’s green agenda is that it has thus far achieved the opposite of energy security. Regulators claimed in May that more than 66% of the country is vulnerable to summer blackouts because of “new environmental rules” cracking down on fossil fuels.

The regulators explained that the government is causing a spike in energy demand at a pace faster than renewables can match.

Widespread concerns about national security have also come into question under Biden’s transition, since much of the materials for renewables like wind and solar are sourced from China.

Center for Industrial Progress President and founder Alex Epstein wrote that "Joe Biden's escalating bans on domestic fossil fuel production, combined with mandates of unreliable solar and wind overwhelmingly produced by unreliable China, are an existential threat to our energy security and therefore our national security."

This isn’t the first time Granholm has made this claim. In April, she also stated of her trip to Japan that Biden’s green agenda will "address how the acceleration of the clean energy transition will help strengthen global energy security."

Her Tuesday remarks came just hours after Biden received a coalition letter urging Granholm to resign for what the groups claimed to be numerous ethics violations while in her position.

https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/energy/granholm-claims-wiping-out-60-oil-imports-will-help-not-harm-energy-security

Top US general caught on hot mic claiming USA likely bombed Nord Stream Pipeline…

The mystery surrounding the Nord Stream Pipeline bombing remains unsolved, and interestingly, there’s a widespread belief among some analysts that the U.S. may have been involved in some capacity. And contrary to what some might argue, this isn’t some wild conspiracy theory. As a matter of fact, a rather distinguished military figure has suggested that the United States could bear a degree of responsibility for the attack. This bombshell revelation emerged when retired US General Stanley Allen McChrystal, who led the Joint Special Operations from 2003 to 2008, inadvertently got busted on a hot mic.

Here’s what General McChrystal says in the clip:

BREAKING: Footage obtained by Valuetainment captures General Stan McChrystal (Ret.) confirming neither Russia or Ukraine blew up the Nord Stream pipeline.

“United States made more money off that deal than anybody else.”

The general’s observations are indeed damning, but he’s not alone in believing that Russia isn’t to blame. In fact, Revolver’s own Dr. Darren Beattie recently made the case for why Russia couldn’t possibly have conducted this act of self-sabotage. After all, they’re still dealing with significant fallout and ramifications from the infrastructure loss on a pretty intense level.

Another theory floating around and getting a great deal of traction is that Ukraine was behind the attack, and if that was the case, it only makes sense that the US was involved in some capacity.

Voice of Europe

The Trails Lead in One Direction – to Ukraine. A year ago, a secret team destroyed the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. Investigations are focused on determining who is responsible. An old sailing boat named “Andromeda” appears to play a crucial role. Experts are examining whether this was an attack on Germany and whether it holds political consequences, as reported by Spiegel.

The “Andromeda” is a run-down vessel. It was used to sabotage the pipelines. Investigations are delicate and classified due to high stakes. Suspicions surround the perpetrators, but there’s no clear evidence. The inquiries are intricate and involve intelligence agencies from different nations.

Debates arise over whether the attack constitutes an act of war, whether Ukraine or other countries were involved, and if the US had any role. Vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure security are concerning. These attacks could set a precedent for others. Investigations are challenging, but some clues point towards Ukraine.

Theories suggest the action might be a deliberate misdirection. Some doubt Ukraine’s involvement. The story resembles a spy thriller with numerous secrets and conspiracies. An old sailing boat named “Andromeda” takes center stage. Investigators found evidence on the boat indicating the presence of explosives.

Investigators are convinced that “Andromeda” holds a pivotal link to the crime. This could mark a turning point in the Nord Stream case. Uncovering the truth is crucial, given the potentially significant global repercussions.

https://revolver.news/2023/08/top-us-general-caught-on-hot-mic-claiming-usa-likely-bombed-nord-stream-pipeline/

NATO Says “War Started in 2014”. “Fake Pretext” to Wage War against Russia? To Invoke Article 5 of Atlantic Treaty?

Statements of NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg

https://www.globalresearch.ca/bombshell-nato-says-war-started-in-2014-nato-war-against-russia-fake-pretext-to-invoke-article-5-of-atlantic-treaty/5828312

Honduran president vetoes transgender education law for schools following huge protests

The law would have mandated that, from their first day in school, children would be taught that their biological sex is no longer important and that a fundamental ingredient of 'their sexual and reproductive rights' is access to contraceptives, and even to abortion, without the knowledge or consent of their parents.

https://www.lifesitenews.com/analysis/honduran-president-vetoes-transgender-education-law-for-schools-following-huge-protests/

NEW: Pres. Biden issues statement on Jacksonville shooting https://breaking911.com/breaking-jacksonville-shooter-who-targeted-black-shoppers-ided-as-ryan-palmeter/

"We must refuse to live in a country where Black families going to the store or Black students going to school live in fear of being gunned down because of the color of their skin. Hate must have no safe harbor. Silence is complicity and we must not remain silent."

https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1695877367237865623

The A.I. Surveillance Tool DHS Uses to Detect ‘Sentiment and Emotion’

Internal DHS and corporate documents detail the agency’s relationship with Fivecast, a company that promises to scan for “risk terms and phrase📄s” online.

This article was primarily reported using public records requests. We are making it available to all readers as a public service. FOIA reporting can be expensive, please consider subscribing to 404 Media to support this work.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP), part of the Department of Homeland Security, has bought millions of dollars worth of software from a company that uses artificial intelligence to detect “sentiment and emotion” in online posts, according to a cache of documents obtained by 404 Media.

CBP told 404 Media it is using technology to analyze open source information related to inbound and outbound travelers who the agency believes may threaten public safety, national security, or lawful trade and travel. In this case, the specific company called Fivecast also offers “AI-enabled” object recognition in images and video, and detection of “risk terms and phrases” across multiple languages, according to one of the documents.

Become a paid subscriber for unlimited, ad-free articles and access to bonus content. This site is entirely funded by subscribers and you will be directly powering our journalism.

Marketing materials promote the software’s ability to provide targeted data collection from big social platforms like Facebook and Reddit, but also specifically names smaller communities like 4chan, 8kun, and Gab. To demonstrate its functionality, Fivecast promotional materials explain how the software was able to track social media posts and related Persons-of-Interest starting with just “basic bio details” from a New York Times Magazine article about members of the far-right paramilitary Boogaloo movement. 404 Media also obtained leaked audio of a Fivecast employee explaining how the tool could be used against trafficking networks or propaganda operations.

The news signals CBP’s continued use of artificial intelligence in its monitoring of travelers and targets, which can include U.S. citizens. In May, I revealed CBP’s use of another AI tool to screen travelers which could link peoples’ social media posts to their Social Security number and location data. This latest news shows that CBP has deployed multiple AI-powered systems, and provides insight into what exactly these tools claim to be capable of while raising questions about their accuracy and utility.

“CBP should not be secretly buying and deploying tools that rely on junk science to scrutinize people's social media posts, claim to analyze their emotions, and identify purported 'risks,'” Patrick Toomey, deputy director of the ACLU's National Security Project, told 404 Media in an email.

404 Media obtained the documents through Freedom of Information Act requests with CBP and other U.S. law enforcement agencies.

One document obtained by 404 Media marked “commercial in confidence” is an overview of Fivecast’s “ONYX” product. In it Fivecast says its product can be used to target individuals or groups, single posts, or events. As well as collecting from social media platforms big and small, Fivecast users can also upload their own “bulk” data, the document says. Fivecast says its tool has been built “in consultation” with Five Eyes law enforcement and intelligence agencies, those being agencies from the U.S., United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Specifically on building “person-of-interest” networks, the tool “is optimized for this exact requirement.”

https://www.blacklistednews.com/article/85308/the-ai-surveillance-tool-dhs-uses-to-detect-sentiment-and.html

==Florida surgeon general slams renewed mask mandates, urges people to refuse to participate

Some schools and companies are implementing mask mandates amid a rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations.

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo harshly criticized COVID-19 mask mandates and lockdowns, and urged people to consider "refusing to participate."

"What do you call re-imposing mask policies that have been proven ineffective or restarting lockdowns that are known to cause harm? You don't call it sanity," Dr. Ladapo posted last week on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. "These terrible policies only work with your cooperation. How about refusing to participate…"

Some schools and companies are implementing mask mandates amid a rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations, even though some peer-reviewed research has suggested that face coverings may cause more harm than good.

The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that COVID-related hospitalizations hit more than 12,600 during the week ending Aug. 12, up 21.6% from the previous week, but it is still far below the high of more than 150,000 in January 2022.

Research scientist Dr. Robert Malone told Just the News last week that he is against implementing further COVID-19 mandates.

"I personally believe that this is more fear porn. It's not justified," he said.

Florida dropped all COVID-19 restrictions early in the pandemic, in September 2020. The state legislature earlier this year considered legislation that would ban COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates.

https://justthenews.com/government/state-houses/florida-surgeon-general-slams-renewed-mask-mandates-urges-people-refuse

FEMA Alert System Will Sound Alarm On EVERY Cellphone, TV and Radio on October 4th

Per USA Today:

On Wednesday, October 4 at 2:20 p.m. ET, every TV, radio and cellphone in the United States should blare out the distinctive, jarring electronic warning tone of an emergency alert, accompanied by a notice along these lines:

“This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.”

On Wednesday, October 4, a test is planned of the entire nation’s Emergency Alert system, a tryout to ensure everything is working correctly in the event of a big, national disaster or attack.

The move by FEMA comes weeks after authorities in Maui refused to sound their world renown alarm system to warn residents of the deadly fire that swept through the island.

Many Maui residents believe if authorities sounded the alarm then the lives of many could have been saved.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/08/fema-alert-system-will-sound-alarm-every-cellphone/