Saturday, December 28, 2024

NATO to boost military presence in Baltic after cables ‘sabotage’

By Raziye Akkoc AFP· 28 Dec, 2024

The Finnish Border Guard's ship Turva (front) and the oil tanker Eagle S on the sea near Porkkalanniemi. Image / poliisi.fi
NATO will bolster its military presence in the Baltic Sea after the suspected sabotage of an undersea power cable linking Finland and Estonia this week, the Western military alliance’s chief Mark Rutte said on Friday.
On Christmas Day, the Estlink 2 submarine cable that carries electricity from Finland to Estonia was disconnected from the grid, just over a month after two telecommunications cables were severed in Swedish territorial waters in the Baltic.
Finnish authorities on Thursday said they were investigating the oil tanker, Eagle S, that sailed from a Russian port, as part of a probe for “aggravated sabotage”.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said on Friday: “We’ve got the situation under control, and we have to continue to work together vigilantly to make sure that our critical infrastructure is not damaged by outsiders.”
Officials suspect the tanker is part of the Russian “shadow fleet”, which refers to ships that transport Russian crude and oil products embargoed because of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The Eagle S vessel, which flies under the flag of the Cook Islands in the South Pacific, was en route to Port Said in Egypt. Police suspect that the oil tanker’s anchor might have damaged the power cable.
Rutte said he spoke to President Stubb about Finland’s probe, adding in a post on X: “I expressed my full solidarity and support. Nato will enhance its military presence in the Baltic Sea.”
Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur earlier on Friday said on X that the country began naval patrols to protect the undersea cable supplying electricity from Finland.
In a separate statement, he said Tallinn wanted to send a clear message it was ready to protect its power connections with Finland with military and non-military means.
Rutte on Thursday promised Nato support to Estonia and Finland, and condemned attacks on critical infrastructure after speaking to Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal.
More EU sanctions
The European Union has also threatened further sanctions against Russia’s shadow fleet after this week’s incident.
The bloc’s 27 member states agreed earlier this month to blacklist around 50 more oil tankers from Russia’s shadow fleet used to circumvent Western sanctions, taking the number targeted to around 80.
Ukraine’s international backers have looked to curb funds going to the Kremlin’s war machine by imposing a price cap and restrictions on Russia’s key oil exports.
To skirt the measures, Russia has resorted to using a so-called “shadow fleet” of often ageing vessels that operate under dubious ownership or without proper insurance.
Tensions have mounted around the Baltic since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In September 2022, a series of underwater blasts ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines that carried Russian gas to Europe, the cause of which has yet to be determined.
In October 2023, an undersea gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia was shut down after it was damaged by the anchor of a Chinese cargo ship.
On November 17 and 18 this year, sections of two telecom cables were cut in Swedish territorial waters. Suspicions have been directed at the Yi Peng 3, which according to ship tracking sites had sailed over the cables around the time they were cut.

Finnish Police Investigate Tanker as Report Says Spy Equipment Was Found

Finnish Coast Guard detaining tanker — Finnish Coast Guard is detaining the Eagle S tanker nine miles offshore (Finnish Police)

The Finnish police authorities provided a brief update on the ongoing investigation into the damage on Christmas Day to the power cable and several internet cables connecting Finland and Estonia. The Finnish Border Patrol is detaining the tanker Eagle S while investigators shuttle on to and off the vessel and begin an underwater investigation at the location of the damage.

“Although the initial investigation has been fast-paced, it is overall a demanding and time-consuming investigation,” said the general director of the investigation, Criminal Inspector Sami Paila. The Helsinki Police is leading the cooperation between the authorities reporting that the effort has continued around the clock for the past two days. The Finnish National Criminal Police is responsible for the elements of the investigation. It termed the investigation as “aggravated vandalism,” but declined to release specific details.

The vessel however is reported to be “loaded with spying equipment,” according to a report published by Lloyd’s List. Lloyds Intelligence is saying that hi-tech equipment was found which its sources termed “abnormal for a merchant ship.” The outlet says that it was told there are transmitting and receiving devices installed that turned the aging tanker into a “spy ship.” They believe the vessel was monitoring and recording transmissions from NATO ships and aircraft and placed sensors in the English Channel. They report there are Russian, Turkish, and Indian radio officers on the vessel.

The Finnish authorities confirmed that they had boarded the tanker which is being detained about nine miles offshore. Customs seized the fuel cargo aboard for an investigation reported Director of Supervision at Customs Hannu Sinkkonen. Customs is looking for an “aggravated regulatory offence.”

Police and investigators were moving on and off the tanker by helicopter (Finnish Police)

The police confirmed that “material has been collected” from the tanker Eagle S and that the analysis has begun. At the same time, they reported interviews have commenced with the crew which is reported to number approximately 20 individuals. Finnish media is saying the crew is from Georgia and India but said the police did not confirm the nationality of the vessel’s officers. Reports said no arrests or detention of the individual crew members have been made so far.

The Finnish Border Guard was taking the Finnish National Criminal Police to the site of the incident today, December 27, to begin seabed investigations. They said it would be assisting with the underwater investigation. They were reported at the site of the Estlink 2 power cable today.

“Conditions currently allow for full-scale operations in the Gulf of Finland,” said Commander Mikko Hirvi, Deputy Commander of the Gulf of Finland Coast Guard.

The Finnish news outlet Yle News published details of the investigation into the track of the Eagle S. They reported the vessel’s documents showed it departing Ust-Lugu in Russia and reporting a destination of Port Said, Egypt. On Christmas Day, December 25, at midday, the vessel made a “U-turn” back to Russia and proceeded about half a kilometer and then “hooked back” onto its original route about two hours after the first turn. Grid operator Fingrid reports the interruption on the power cable at 12:26 p.m. and the analysis shows the Eagle S was moving around the cables at that time.

About six hours later, the tanker was in the vicinity of the three data cables that were also damaged.

Pictures leaked on the Internet today showed the vessel missing its port side anchor.

The Finnish authorities said that they were satisfied the situation was under control and that the investigation would be proceeding. Several Baltic nations however reported that they have increased patrols with Finland and Estonia also reporting they agreed to make a request to NATO for additional support to protect the remaining power cable between the two countries.

Estonia reportedly experienced power supply problems shortly after the cable was damaged but the Prime Minister said today the power is stable and communications are functioning despite the damaged cables. Operator Fingrid however said in a statement that the repairs will take months and there is a risk of outages due to power shortages, especially during the peak winter months.

Baltic Countries Increase Infrastructure Patrols and Call for NATO Support

The Estonian Navy patrol ship Raju is protecting the second power cable in the Baltic (Estonian Navy)

The nations of the Baltic region, including Estonia, Lithuania, Sweden, and Finland, all report they have launched new efforts to monitor and protect critical undersea infrastructure in response to the Christmas Day incident which damaged a key power cable between Finland and Estonia as well as internet connections. While the possibility of invoking the mutual protection clauses of the NATO Treaty was mentioned, the EU and NATO immediately said they would also move to increase protection of the critical infrastructure.

Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated that the frequency of the incidents in the Baltic made it difficult to believe they were all caused by accidents or poor seamanship. In addition to this week’s damage to the power and internet cables, they highlighted last month’s severing of two telecom cables in Swedish waters which have been linked to a Chinese vessel. Last year, another Chinese vessel was suspected of damaging a gas pipeline running between Finland and Estonia, and the 2022 damage to the Nord Stream pipelines remains under investigation for sabotage.

The governments of Finland and Estonia each convened meetings and reported that their presidents had discussed the situation as Finland leads the investigation into this week’s damage to the cables. Prime Minister of Estonia Kristen Michal highlighted the close cooperation between the two countries noting Finland’s detention of the tanker Eagle S was the first time a suspect ship has been held.

Michal stressed while the investigation is underway, “the most important thing right now is to increase the level of protection of infrastructure at sea and on land.” The Prime Minister sought to reassure everyone saying that Estonia’s security of electricity and Finland-Estonia communication services are not at risk.

Estonia’s Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur and Commander of the Defense Forces Major General Andrus Merilo announced on Friday, December 27, that the Estonia Navy has sent its patrol ship Raju into the Baltic to protect the Estlink 1 cable, a second but smaller 358 MW cable running between Estonia and Finland.

"The task of the Defence Forces is to repel military attacks against the Republic of Estonia. The Defence Forces are also ready to prevent attacks on our energy infrastructure at sea using non-military means and to organize military cooperation in ensuring maritime security," said Major General Andrus Merilo.

Swedish Coast Guard is increasing its monitoring using aircraft and vessels along with efforts by Estonia, Finland, and Luthiania (Swedish Coast Guard)

Lithuania also reported on Friday that its navy has increased surveillance and patrols in the Baltic. The Swedish Coast Guard said that it is cooperating closely with the Swedish Navy and other government agencies. Sweden said it will increase its presence for maritime surveillance with vessels and aircraft to protect critical undersea infrastructure.

News of the increased patrols came after the European Commission issued a statement on Thursday reporting, “We are strengthening efforts to protect undersea cables.” Among the efforts mentioned were enhanced information exchange, new detection technologies, and undersea repair capabilities.

Estonia’s Prime Minister Michal however issued a call on TV for reinforcements from NATO to act as a further deterrent. He said Estonia, if necessary, would invoke Article 4 of the NATO Treaty that provides for mutual support if any one nation feels threatened.

"We need to create a better picture, together with our allies, of what is happening with our critical infrastructure, both underwater and above water. It is not possible to protect every square kilometer all the time, because the perpetrators only need to succeed once, but the defenders need to succeed every time. The navy, together with various NATO allies, must take a more active stance in guarding and monitoring critical infrastructure," said Prime Minister Michal.

Finland’s President Alexander Stubb and the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy also said after its meeting that “Finland considers it important to increase NATO’s maritime presence in the Baltic Sea in order to secure underwater infrastructure.” Stubb told a news conference that Finland and Estonia had agreed to communicate to NATO a wish for a stronger presence.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte reported that he had spoken with Finland’s president. Rutte posted a message on social media saying, “I expressed my full solidarity and support. NATO will enhance its military presence in the Baltic Sea.”

Estonia also reports it will seek new measures at the International Maritime Organization to strengthen the legal ramifications. The Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Foreign Affairs will lead the effort saying that with the allies, it must strive to ensure that the law of the sea also becomes more modern. “There must be a better way to stop these ships,” said Prime Minister Michal calling for ways to identify the perpetrators more quickly.

Finland has said it believes the tanker Eagle S which damaged the cables this week is part of Russia’s shadow fleet of tankers for the oil trade. Russia has remained silent on the matter saying it was a matter for the Western countries. Russian officials in the past denied involvement in any of the Baltic infrastructure incidents.

Estonia starts naval patrols to protect undersea cables

Finnish Police Carry Out Tactical Boarding of Suspected Sabotage Ship

Oslo Bulk Refutes Russia’s Claims It Refused Aid to Crew of Ursa Major

rescue of seafarers — Oslo Bulk released pictures showing the survivors' lifeboat alongside and the Spanish rescue service taking the crew aboard (Oslo Bulk)

Russian authorities continue to present a wide range of claims associated with the sinking of the cargo ship Ursa Major off Spain at the beginning of the week. After saying that it was an act of terrorism, the shipowner and Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev today extended the accusations to a Norwegian ship linking it to a larger plot by the West and the continuing “Russophobia.”

Oboronlogistics which operated the Ursa Major for the Russian government claimed that there were three explosions aboard the vessel calling them terrorism. Now it extended its accusations to the Norwegian-flagged cargo ship Oslo Carrier 3, which they said was nearby but refused to take the crew aboard. The company claimed the Norwegian ship had Russians in its crew and had some type of ban which caused it to refuse to take the crew aboard. They called it “a gross violation” of international conventions.

Medvedev who is a frequent critic of the West then wrote on his Telegram social media account, “Why so harshly? How else, given such facts? The Norwegian-flagged Oslo Carrier 3 refused to take on board the Russian sailors from the Ursa Major who were drowning in the Mediterranean Sea. Do we need any more explanation? This cannot be forgiven!”

A Kremlin spokesperson tempered it slightly, saying to Reuters “if indeed no assistance was rendered” it was contrary to maritime laws. Dmitry Peskov told Reuters the actions would be “an outrageous case that deserves total condemnation.”

Oslo Bulk which operates the vessel refuted the Russian claims and supported it with pictures from the rescue operation. The company said the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Center in Cartagena, Spain was responsible for the operation. They said the rescue center instructed the Oslo Carrier 3 not to take the survivors from the Ursa Major aboard from the lifeboat as its rescue vessel was on its way to the scene.

Oslo Bulk says and presented photos showing as much, that the lifeboat with the 14 survivors from the Ursa Major was secured alongside the Oslo Carrier 3. It facilitated the transfer of the crew to the Salvamento Marítimo vessel which transferred the survivors to shore.

Further, the company says the crew was in no immediate danger once it had boarded the lifeboat. They point out that the weather was good at the time and none of the crewmembers were injured.

Salvamento Marítimo told the Spanish press that it dispatched two rescue boats and a helicopter when the distress call was received. The ship sank 67 miles from the Spanish coast. Two crewmembers were reported missing and the Spanish authorities highlighted its aircraft continued the search for the missing crewmembers. Today, it was reported that a Spanish aircraft was again seen circling over the shipwreck area.

Vessels Trapped on Saar and Moselle Freed So That Lock Repairs Can Begin

inland cargo ship at Muden — Allegria was the first of 72 vessels freed in an operation requiring 192 hours of continuous operations (WSA)

The Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration reported that as of today all the vessels that had been trapped on the Saar in France and the Moselle in Germany above the lock at Müden, Germany have now been freed. They were able to complete this phase of the recovery effort ahead of schedule and now believe they will be able to reopen the lock by the beginning of February more than a month ahead of the previously announced timeline.

A total of 78 emergency lock operations were carried out in 10 days with a total of 72 vessels that had been stuck along the rivers cleared to continue their journeys. WSA reports it was a Herculean task that required cooperation and coordination.

The lock gates were destroyed when a ship failed to stop during a locking operation on December 8. A temporary solution to free the trapped vessels was worked out, but it required manually placing for each locking operation the removable dam beams which are normally only used to seal and drain the lock chamber for maintenance.

It required 192 hours of continuous operation in all weather conditions with the first vessel passing through the lock on December 16. The beams with the help of a crane were placed over 1,000 times and chain hooks were attacked over 4,000 times. Divers had to enter the chamber 1,840 times to hook the chains into the eyelets.

After eight days, the WSA reports a total of 70 ships had passed through the lock. The final two vessels had scheduled their transit for today, December 27. A small passenger ship, Sunisha arrived at the lock around 0800 local time and when the fog lifted it made the transit. Three hours later a river cargo vessel Tunica became the last to leave the lock. No vessels had been able to use the lock to enter Luxembourg and France since the accident.

“At the moment, the Saar and the German Moselle are completely empty of cargo ships, tankers, or passenger ships,” WSA reported today. Only a few ships which spend the winter on the rivers remain.

The lock is now closed with the beams to be set into place and the chamber drained. Scaffolding will be required, and the concrete will be sandblasted. Two new sealing strips, each measuring 12 meters, had to be fabricated and installed, and new concrete poured to repair the damage. Two gate frames that were manufactured in 2005 need to be prepared and panels installed plus four new neck bearing blocks also have to be manufactured. The timeline now calls for moving all the components to the lock at Müden on January 15 and then starting to reassemble the operation.

The lock is now closed until the repairs can be completed. Steelmaker ArcelorMittal with operations in Luxembourg was forced to plan alternate routes to move its material. The authorities in Luxembourg worked with the company to temporarily change rules for the transit of heavy goods by road.

The Müden lock provides a vital link for the movement of goods, fuel, and passengers coming from the Rhine and traveling into Western Germany, Luxembourg, and France.

Video: Tugs Fail to Free Bulker Grounded in the St. Lawrence

bulker stuck in St. Lawrence — Tugs attempted to free Maccoa (CTV News)

A first effort was undertaken today in an attempt to pull the bulker Maccoa (30,898 dwt) free from its position north of Montreal. The vessel veered out of the channel early on December 24 and has remained stuck with Coast Guard officials saying the recovery was being slowed by the Christmas holiday.

The Canadian Coast Guard reported Tuesday that the 607 feet (185 meters) in length vessel is “sideways outside the navigation channel.” It is not obstructing traffic on the river.

The reports said there were no injuries, no damage to the ship’s hull, and no pollution spotted in the water from the grounding which may have been caused by a blackout shortly after the vessel left the dock in Montreal. Conditions, however, had grown harsh as winter weather spread over the region.

Authorities sent generators, heaters, and supplies to the 20 crew members aboard.

The Canadian Coast Guard reported the refloating effort would begin at approximately 11:00 a.m. local time on Friday, December 27. They were planning to put drones overhead and possibly a helicopter they told the Canadian Press to monitor the efforts.

Three tugs, Ocean Serge Genois, Ocean Charlie, and Ocean A. Gauthier, were seen alongside the vessel today and they apparently made several attempts but were unsuccessful. As of the end of the day, the vessel’s AIS signal reports it is still aground. The Coast Guard has not yet commented on the possible next steps.

The Maccoa was bound for Ireland and from the pictures appears to be sitting about its waterline. There are no reports if any cargo is aboard.

Earlier in the month another Laker bulker was stuck further south on the river below Montreal. Initial efforts to refloat the Tim S Dool were also unsuccessful. They had to bring in a crane and barges to partially offload the vessel before they were able to free it.

How George Orwell was right — and Steve Jobs was wrong

Thom Hartmann,

AlterNet
December 28, 2024

Screenshot of Apple SuperBowl ad, 1984

A fascinating article in The New York Times this week by Kurt Gray, professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, gives us the beginnings of an understanding of how and why social media is so destructive to society.

Gray points out that most people assume humans have historically been predators, the metaphorical big cats of the jungle. In fact, Gray says, we’ve historically been prey, the victims of predators:
“This picture of fearfulness is consistent with our understanding of human psychology. We’re hard-wired to detect threats quickly and to stay fixated on places where threats once appeared, even after they have vanished. We fear that ‘child predators’ will abduct our kids even when they are safer than ever.
“Modern humans, ensconced in towns and cities, are now mostly safe from animal predators, but we are still easily frightened. Whether we’re scrolling social media or voting for a presidential candidate, we all still carry the legacy of our ancestors, who worried about big cats lurking in the darkness.”

Thus, if you could invent a drug that would cause people to be fearful — and thus stimulate the rage that comes from fear — you could have incredible control over a population if you could simply tell them where and against whom to direct that fear-induced rage.

We all have opiate receptors in our brains that modulate our response to pain. Compounds that bind to these receptors are produced naturally by our body in response to extreme pain and shock, and numerous plants—most famously, opium poppies—naturally produce chemicals that bind to and activate our opiate receptors.

When we lived in Germany back in the late 1980s, I loved to visit a nearby castle in Kulmbach and order mohnkuchen, a piecrust filled with poppy seeds ground into a paste with sugar and a few spices. I always felt so good after eating a slice or two of the pie; when we had a glass of a fresh German Riesling with it, my smile went from ear to ear for hours.

The mohnkuchen seemed to constipate me a bit, and when I noticed one afternoon that my pupils were pinned so small as to nearly vanish, the same as I’d noticed whenever I’d taken narcotic painkillers after injuries and surgery, the penny dropped. Turns out I was enjoying opium in that little German café in a way that people around the world have for millennia.

Similarly, I once shared a few days with a shaman from Peru; he had a bag of coca leaves, and we each chewed a few along with a tiny piece of alkalized ash to release its active ingredient as an afternoon pick-me-up. The buzz I experienced was considerably less strong than what a two or three cups of coffee provide.

Mountain-dwelling Andean tribes have been doing this for as long as there have been people in the region; they consume coca the way people in India and parts of China consume local tea leaves. We consumed coca leaf extract here in the US, too, from 1886 to 1929, in a drink called Coca Cola.

Somewhere on the spectrum from these drugs’ original state to their becoming increasingly concentrated and purified, a toxic/addictive threshold or tipping point is reached. I never experienced withdrawal symptoms from mohnkucken, but I did from the highly concentrated opiate painkiller (Oxycontin) I took for a few weeks for severe sciatica prior to spinal surgery and for a week after. It wasn’t terrible; a few nights of trouble sleeping and sensitivity to pain and touch, but there it was.

Heroin is concentrated opium poppy. Cocaine is concentrated coca leaf. Substances that are otherwise benign become both potent and deadly when they’re super-concentrated.

Which is exactly what the algorithms deployed in secret by social media do: they purify and concentrate hate and spread fear across the broader social media site, distilling the most potent memes and messages to the top and shoving them into people’s brains.

But that’s just the beginning of the damage these top-secret algorithms are doing to our societies and politics. By increasing our individual levels of fear and rage, they create a broader social sense of fear and rage, making these emotions far more easy to exploit.

Enter stage right “populist” politicians and media sites who push people’s now-sensitized fear and rage buttons for political gain. (Not to mention the billions earned by social media billionaires pushing this psychological heroin while absolutely refusing to publish their algorithms.)

Numerous studies show that when people believe crime is a serious problem in their own communities and lives, they measurably shift toward the political right of the spectrum. Law-and-order campaigns and promises of severe punishment acquire a sudden appeal, as Joe Biden and Bill Clinton discovered in the early 1990s and politicians everywhere since the pandemic have seen.

Fear of crime — and fear more generally (of your kids being victims of trans people or renegade surgeons in public schools, for example, or of immigrants raping your wife or taking your job) — push people toward an embrace of conservative and then authoritarian politics and governance.

When media promote narratives about crime being out of control — whether true or not — they measurably drive acceptance of more reactionary crime control legislation along with rejection of efforts at rehabilitation and reform.

There may be an even wider impact of social media’s promotion of fear and rage.

The Transcendental Meditation group reported in the Journal of Mind and Behavior on several 1970s and 1980s studies showing that when a certain relatively small threshold number of people in a particular community meditated daily, crime and violence went down.

Another report in Social Indicators Research found that when a group of meditators moved to Washington, DC between 1988 and 1993 that over those following years crime went down by an impressive 23.3%.

A comprehensive study was run during the 1883 Lebanon war, when a group of meditators took up residence in Jerusalem and meditated daily for two years. The result, almost certainly exceeding any possibility of coincidence, was:

— A 76% reduction in war deaths in Lebanon on days when there was high participation in the meditating group,

— A 71% decrease in war-related fatalities,
— A 68% reduction in war-related injuries,
— A 48% drop in the level of conflict, and
— A 66% increase in cooperation among antagonists.

If a certain threshold of people being intentionally peaceful for a year or two can lower crime rates, what happens when a certain threshold of people are daily enraged by the injection of fear and hate into their psychological bloodstreams?

Could it be that social media is directly (or indirectly) responsible for much of the swing we’re seeing around the world toward bigotry, hate, and violence? That rightwing movements are emerging as a result of the impact of social media, rather than social media merely and passively reflecting the trend as the social media companies argue?

The meditation studies are controversial, but it’s hard to dispute the assertion that as more and more individuals in a given society are racked with fear and rage, the result, as I lay out in The Hidden History of Big Brother, will be more hate and violence.

Republican Senator Josh Hawley has been thinking along the same lines. In his book The Tyranny of Big Tech, he wrote:

“Big tech has embraced a business model of addiction. Too much of the ‘innovation’ in this space is designed not to create better products, but to capture more attention by using psychological tricks that make it difficult to look away.”

The past two years have shown America and the world what happens when a social media company is captured by an unaccountable billionaire with a specific political goal. The site that was once Twitter is now a veritable sewer, filled with hate and Nazi-level extremists.

Is it possible this is making the world less stable, less peaceful, and more violent through a reverse “Maharishi Effect”? Are wars around the world and the recent assassination of a healthcare CEO demonstrations of the power social media has over society? School shootings? The rise of Nazi-adjacent militia groups here and in Europe?

The simple reality is that we won’t know until government steps in and requires these companies to both publish and moderate their algorithms and monitor/control the naked hate on their platforms. And that day can’t come too soon.

Roar: Is Lion’s mane a new superfood?

By Dr. Tim Sandle
December 28, 2024

DIGITAL JOURNAL

Hericium erinaceus (commonly known as lion's mane). Image: Alison Northup, CC 3.0

Superfoods come and go. The latest is the mushroom Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus), which may have benefits for the immune system as well as reducing inflammation and improving sleep. This is according to the food producer Urban Farm.

Lion’s Mane plus Shiitake mushrooms have health benefits, according to mushroom expert Elliot Webb (author of Growing Mushrooms at Home: The Complete Guide to Knowing, Growing and Loving Fungi).

Lion’s Mane: A Brain-Boosting Fungi?

“Lion’s Mane mushrooms (Hericium erinaceus) are showing incredible promise for their potential to support mental health and cognitive function,” Webb has told Digital Journal. “They may encourage the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, which could strengthen the immune system while also positively impacting brain health.”

Webb highlights studies suggesting that lion’s mane could help with anxiety and mood: “In research involving participants with mild mental health complaints, those who consumed Lion’s Mane extract reported lower levels of anxiety and irritation compared to those who didn’t. This suggests lion’s mane may have calming properties, although more studies are needed to confirm this.”

Native to North America and Eurasia, the mushrooms are common during late summer and autumn on hardwoods.

For older adults, Lion’s Mane could be particularly beneficial. Here Webb explains: “There’s evidence that Lion’s Mane may help with cognitive decline. In one study, older participants with mild cognitive impairment who consumed Lion’s Mane over 16 weeks showed improved scores in cognitive function tests compared to those on a placebo.”

Shiitake mushrooms may also be of benefit, indicates Webb: “Shiitake mushrooms contain beta-glucans, a type of dietary fibre that could support immune health and help reduce inflammation,” Webb says. “Their natural compounds may also help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, offering potential cardiovascular benefits.”

Webb adds: “Shiitake mushrooms could help protect against chronic diseases associated with inflammation. They’re not just a culinary favourite but also a valuable addition to a balanced diet.”

H. erinaceus contains diverse phytochemicals, including polysaccharides, such as β-glucan, as well as hericenones and erinacines.

Both Lion’s Mane and Shiitake mushrooms may provide antioxidant benefits. Webb finds: “These mushrooms contain compounds that could protect cells from oxidative stress and reduce inflammation,” Webb explains. “This makes them a potential ally in maintaining overall health.”

Proceed with Caution

While the potential of these mushrooms is exciting, Webb advises caution: “Always consult with your doctor before introducing medicinal mushrooms to your diet, particularly if you have existing health conditions or take medication. It’s essential to ensure they’re suitable for you.”

Digital Journal note: Many alternative medical practices are pseudoscientific, with the majority of treatments having no robust evidence of effectiveness or logical mechanism of action. The reader is advised to always seek professional medical advice.

US deported record 61,680 Guatemalans in 2024: agency

By AFP
December 28, 2024

A Guatemalan migrant deported from the United States waits at the Returnee Reception Center upon arrival at the Guatemalan Air Force Base in Guatemala City - Copyright AFP STRINGER

The United States sent back a record 61,680 Guatemalans in 2024, the state-run Guatemalan Migration Institute said after the last deportee planes arrived in Guatemala City.

Four aircraft touched down at an air force base in the Guatemalan capital on Friday, arriving from Texas. AFP journalists saw around 100 people disembark from one of the planes, most of them women with small children.

The stepped-up returns from America happened ahead of Donald Trump returning to the White House as president in late January 2025. Trump has vowed mass deportations.

Guatemala’s government estimates there are 2.7 million Guatemalans living in the United States, but that only 400,000 of them have documents to legally stay and work.

A total of 508 planes carrying 61,680 Guatemalan deportees arrived from the United States in 2024, according to officials.

In 2023, a total 55,302 Guatemalans were sent back, higher than the previous record registered in 2019 of 54,599.

Thousands of Guatemalans irregularly enter the United States each year to escape violence and widespread poverty at home.

Their remittances to families back home are often a vital financial lifeline. Guatemala’s central bank estimates that a record of nearly $21 billion was sent back in 2024 — equivalent to 19 percent of the country’s GDP.

Trump just announced which side he's taking in fight splitting MAGA base in half: report

David McAfee
December 28, 2024

RAW STORY

Donald Trump on Saturday sided with appointee Elon Musk over MAGA influencers including Laura Loomer, a report suggests.

Loomer is among those who have picked a fight with Musk over certain immigration visas, which he says are necessary for him and other executives to conduct their regular business. Far-right Trump supporters argued that big businesses should instead rely upon talented workers from the United States.

The GOP rift has taken over the news cycle for days, but Trump over the weekend finally gave his perspective, according to a report.
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Jon Levine, a political reporter at the New York Post who has investigated Hunter Biden and worked on the 2020 and 2024 presidential elections, said he spoke to Trump about the visas for skilled workers in a phone call.

"President-elect Trump told The Post Saturday he supports immigration visas for highly skilled workers, appearing to side with Elon Musk in the roiling intra-MAGA debate on the issue," the Post reported. The article quotes Trump as saying, "I’ve always liked the visas, I have always been in favor of the visas. That’s why we have them."

Trump reportedly also said, "I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program.”

The Post notes that Trump actually "restricted access to foreign worker visas in his first administration and has been critical of the program in the past."

Read the report here.

Trump sides with Musk in right-wing row over worker visas

By AFP
December 28, 2024

Cracks have emerged in US President Donald Trump's right-wing coalition, which combines those seeking immigration restrictions with more restrained pro-business groups - Copyright AFP/File Kena Betancur

Donald Trump weighed in Saturday in a bitter debate dividing his traditional supporters and tech barrons like Elon Musk, saying that he backs a special visa program that helps highly skilled workers enter the country.

“I’ve always liked the (H1-B) visas, I have always been in favor of the visas, that’s why we have them” at Trump-owned facilities, the president-elect told the New York Post in his first public comments on the matter since it flared up this week.

An angry back-and-forth, largely between Silicon Valley’s Musk and traditional anti-immigration Trump backers, has erupted in fiery fashion, with Musk even vowing to “go to war” over the issue.

Trump’s insistent calls for sharp curbs on immigration were central to his election victory in November over President Joe Biden. He has vowed to deport all undocumented immigrants and limit legal immigration.

But tech entrepreneurs like Tesla’s Musk — as well as Vivek Ramaswamy, who with Musk is to co-chair a government cost-cutting panel under Trump — say the United States produces too few highly skilled graduates, and they fervently champion the H1-B program.

Musk, who himself migrated from South Africa on an H1-B, posted Thursday on his X platform that luring elite engineering talent from abroad was “essential for America to keep winning.”

Adding acrimony to the debate was a post from Ramaswamy, the son of immigrants from India, who deplored an “American culture” that he said venerates mediocrity, adding that the United States risks having “our asses handed to us by China.”

That angered several prominent conservatives who were backing Trump long before Musk noisily joined their cause this year, going on to pump more than $250 million into the Republican’s campaign.

“Looking forward to the inevitable divorce between President Trump and Big Tech,” said Laura Loomer, a far-right MAGA figure known for her conspiracy theories, who often flew with Trump on his campaign plane.

“We have to protect President Trump from the technocrats.”

She and others said Trump should be promoting American workers and further limiting immigration.

– ‘MAGA civil war’ –

Musk, who had already infuriated some Republicans after leading an online campaign that helped tank a bipartisan budget deal last week, fired back at his critics.

Posting on X, the social media site he owns, he warned of a “MAGA civil war.”

Musk bluntly swore at one critic, adding that “I will go to war on this issue.”

That, in turn, drew a volley from Trump strategist Steve Bannon, who wrote on the Gettr platform that the H1-B program brings in migrants who are essentially “indentured servants” working for less than American citizens would.

In a striking jab at Trump’s close friend Musk, Bannon called the Tesla CEO a “toddler.”

Some of Trump’s original backers say they fear he is falling under the sway of big donors from the tech world like Musk and drifting away from his campaign promises.

It was not immediately clear whether Trump’s remarks might soothe the intraparty strife, which has exposed just how contentious changing the immigration system might be once he takes office in January.

'They deserve to be eaten': Ex-GOP GOV has no sympathy for MAGA billionaires

On the Abandonment of Political Prisoners in the Pro-Palestine Movement

anarchistnews.org

We create the anarchy we'd like to see in the world

Dec

2024

From Chicago Anti Report

Original title: "#FreeCaseyNow: On Casey Goonan and the Abandonment of Political Prisoners in the Pro-Palestine Movement"

Casey Goonan is the only US political prisoner from the 2024 pro-Palestine student encampments. They are an abolitionist and anarchist who has dedicated themselves to multiple forms of prisoner support work and directly engaging with incarcerated comrades. The impact they’ve made inside is prevalent, as indicated by statements from their comrades Stevie Wilson and Hybachi Lemar. They’ve always pushed to ensure an understanding of Black struggle and revolt as central to their abolitionist work, and through understanding the totality of anti-Blackness the importance of an anti-police and anti-prison perspective was brought into any and all of their efforts towards liberation.

In June of 2024, they were arrested by a task force comprised of the FBI and other law enforcement agencies in connection with an alleged direct action which took place in solidarity with the UC Berkeley encampments which had been brutalized by police and zionists earlier in the year* . If convicted, they could face up to 20 years in prison with a minimum sentence of 5. The investigation and court proceedings are currently ongoing but a non cooperative plea deal is pending in which Casey will plea guilty to one charge to allow additional charges to be dropped. This plea deal does not include information or testimony against anyone else.

While Casey has received a great amount of support from decentralized community in New York, Chicago, California, and elsewhere, the pro-Palestine movement needs to be publicly and actively supporting them. Right now, their primary accomplices are those who personally know them, those who prioritize prisoner support, and fellow anarchists. Despite vague assertions of the interconnectedness of repression and struggles between the American policing and prison apparatuses to that of Israel, there has been little material manifestation from that understanding within the US pro-Palestine movement. Meanwhile, coordinated struggle between prisoners and outside militants has been a key point of success for Palestinian liberation.

We must recognize the necessity of attacking the infrastructure of occupation domestically. Amidst calls for escalation, it is of vital importance to defend those experiencing repression from the legal system. To not do so is to allow one of the state’s most well-funded and structured counterinsurgency tactics to take complete hold of movements. If people are abandoned to incarceration, the fear of repression will throw everyone towards inactivity. This need for defense is especially true for those facing charges beyond the more palatable ways of dissent, like marches and encampments.

State repression must be met with expanding our community resources to reach those inside. Bravery must be met with support.

It’s not surprising that, despite the large presence of the Palestinian diaspora in the American pro-Palestine movement, tactics focus primarily on vocalizing dissent through marches and making demands of the state, which are a far cry from the struggle within Palestine itself. This is partially attributed to the class character of the diaspora — a petty bourgeois group would have no investment in attacking infrastructure they partially benefit from even if that same infrastructure perpetuates the genocide of indigenous groups including Black people and Palestinians both domestically and globally. Equally, the motivations and interests of the community organizations and student groups that are largely in control of the movement not only harbor that class character but also rely on funding from the infrastructure they refuse to attack. Despite the student movement being referred to as an intifada, it’s activity is incomparable to what has occurred during the numerous intifadas leading up to the Al-Aqsa Flood.

Considering pro-Palestinian community groups and political organizations like USPCN, CJP/SJP, Dissenters, NAARPR, JVP and PSL are supplied with enough funds to bus people in for marches, plan conferences, and campaign for local policy, certainly donating money towards legal fees for those facing repression would be no issue.

Even with all the attention and credibility being given to the pro-Palestinian student movement and despite the numerous pro-Palestine student groups on university campuses, there have been no publicly circulated student-led support efforts for Casey. Outside of participants of the Columbia University encampment, there has been no mention of them from any other university space, most likely attributed to groups aligning themselves with certain tactics, a hesitancy towards anarchists, and the fear of repression.

Beyond the bare minimum of ensuring people are supported in obtaining adequate legal counsel, any revolutionary horizons with teeth require long term prisoner support. This practice is key to the current struggle that led to the Al-Aqsa Flood as exhibited by the rich history of organizing within prisons and the ongoing liberation of those being held hostage by Israel. In Khalida Jarrar’s words, “[t]he ongoing conquest to liberate prisoners is in tandem with the Palestinians’ constant and multifaceted struggle against colonialism. Hence, the slogan “emptying the prisons” is derived from and a core component in the Palestinian struggle through various stages in its history.”.

Those of us living under a plantation economy already have our own reasons to ensure incarceration is a central site of struggle. But if one does insist upon taking guidance from elsewhere and if one intends to “bring the Intifada home” or “escalate for Gaza”, Palestinians have provided plenty of methods for how carcerality can be attacked.

Casey understood this prior to their incarceration and there’s no doubt this knowledge influenced their own political horizons. If the pro-Palestine movement wants to also tote itself as an intifada they should take note of the militant organizing and support infrastructure within and between prison walls that occurrs in Palestine. Abandonment of prisoners is where revolutionary ideals die.

Empty The Prisons Free Casey Goonan

For More Info and Updates on Casey
cscommittee@proton.me
freecaseynow.noblogs.org
IG: @freecaseynow

Ways to Support Casey
– Organize a fundraiser for legal fees, commissary, or a nutritional package

– Host a letter writing night

– Form a defense committee

– Make + put up some propaganda

– Write to Casey

Readings Recs
A Practical Guide to Prisoner Support

Practical Abolition From The Inside Out

More Effective Prisoner Support

The Soledad Brothers Defense Committee: A Brief Consideration

San Quentin Six Defense Committee