It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Saturday, May 31, 2025
Trump backers slammed by leading conservative for 'dabbling in Marxism'
Longtime right-wing strategist and commentator Erick Erickson accused President Donald Trump's supporters on Friday of effectively embracing what he called a core trait of Marxism in order to pass their agenda.
NO SUCH THING AS THIS SO CALLED HALLMARK
"One of the hallmarks of Marxism is a redefinition of words and control of language," wrote Erickson on X. "Marxists believe if you control language, you control reality and thereby acquire power. Some on the right are dabbling in Marxism, now insisting tariffs are not tax."
Marxism is an economic and political theory primarily based on rejecting capitalism and free enterprise, and promoting collective ownership of capital. "Control of language" is not inherently a plank of Marxism although, in practice, many countries whose political systems were founded on Marxist ideology ended up repressive of speech, which often had societal consequences even after these countries abandoned their systems.
Trump's aggressive worldwide tariff policy, which was struck down by a federal court earlier this week but is currently still in effect while an appellate court reviews the issue, has been widely criticized by economists and even some conservative politicians for imposing steep taxes that will ultimately be paid by consumers.
The administration has denied this is the case and even put political pressure on retail giants like Walmart not to raise their prices in response to the tariffs.
Erickson, who previously worked on the George W. Bush presidential campaign and advised several GOP politicians in Georgia, has had a fraught relationship with Trump and the MAGA movement, at times endorsing it, but on many other occasions calling out elements of Trump's agenda and inner circle he believes are harmful to the country or the Republican Party.
\
Trump announces he's firing 'highly partisan' art director from Smithsonian
President Donald Trump announced the firing of the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery director.
The president terminated Kim Sajet from the post she's held since 2013, saying the Nigerian-born, Australia-raised Dutch citizen was too in thrall to the ideals of diversity, equity and inclusion to oversee the museum's collection of about 26,000 objects that draws about 2 million yearly visitors.
"Upon the request and recommendation of many people, I am herby terminating the employment of Kim Sajet as Director of the National Portrait Gallery," Trump posted Friday afternoon on his social site, Truth Social. "She is a highly partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI, which is totally inappropriate for her position. Her replacement will be named shortly. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
Sajet said in a recent interview that Trump's portrait has been completed but would remain in storage until 2029, after he leaves office, as is customary, but a 2017 photo is on display with a delicately worded, 161-word caption.
"Impeached twice, on charges of abuse of power and incitement of insurrection after supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, he was acquitted by the Senate in both trials," the caption reads. "After losing to Joe Biden in 2020, Trump mounted a historic comeback in the 2024 election. He is the only president aside from Grover Cleveland (1837-1908) to have won a nonconsecutive second term.”
Experts said the new guidance would likely prevent insurers from refusing to cover the vaccines, but some said mixed messages from the Trump administration could still lead to confusion.
FILE PHOTO: Robert Kennedy Jr., U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to run the Department of Health and Human Services, walks in the U.S. Capitol subway on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., December 17, 2024. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo
Amid reports of a new Covid-19 subvariant spreading in several U.S. states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday failed to update guidance on receiving vaccines against the coronavirus that contradicted a controversial recent announcement from the nation's top health official.
The CDC's schedule for vaccines for children aged 6 months to 17 years retained the Covid-19 shot, advising parents and doctors to engage in "shared clinical decision-making" when determining if a child should be vaccinated—meaning children can receive the shots if their parents and physicians agree.
That guidance contradicts a statement from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. earlier this week. Kennedy claimed Tuesday that there was a "lack of any clinical data to support the repeat booster strategy in children" for Covid vaccines as he announced, alongside National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Martin Makary, that the shots would no longer be recommended for pregnant women or healthy children.
"Where the parent presents with a desire for their child to be vaccinated, children six months and older may receive Covid-19 vaccination, informed by the clinical judgment of a healthcare provider and personal preference and circumstances," the new guidelines read.
"At least how some clinicians perceive it is, 'You guys are the experts, and if you don't know what the right thing to do is, how are we supposed to have that conversation in a 10-minute office visit?'"
Kennedy's announcement earlier this week alarmed public health experts, as did an earlier statement that the vaccines would only be made available to people over age 65 and those with certain medical conditions.
Kennedy, who baselessly called the Covid-19 vaccine "the deadliest ever made" in 2021—when the shots were estimated to have saved 140,000 lives—said at the time that new clinical trials would be needed to see if the vaccines continued to provide protection to people under 65.
Sean O'Leary, the chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' infectious disease committee, said the CDC's new guidance could still cause confusion among parents and doctors, compared to an across-the-board recommendation like those that exist for other childhood vaccines.
"At least how some clinicians perceive it is, 'You guys are the experts, and if you don't know what the right thing to do is, how are we supposed to have that conversation in a 10-minute office visit?'" O'Leary told The Washington Post.
But the new guidance could stop insurance companies from refusing to cover the shots, as experts were worried they might after Kennedy's earlier statements, and will preserve the shots' availability for about 38 million low-income children who rely on the Vaccines for Children program.
The out-of-pocket cost for a Covid vaccine at a CVS pharmacy—where some patients could opt to go if their doctors don't want to administer the vaccine—is $198.99.
Experts remained concerned on Friday about the CDC's approach to Covid vaccines for pregnant women; the agency said there is officially "no guidance" for people who are pregnant.
Public health experts have warned that research shows pregnant women's risk of death and hospitalization is heightened if they have a Covid infection, and that the illness raises the risk of stillbirth.
The CDC's new guidance—and Kennedy's push to pivot away from Covid vaccines for the general population—come as a new, highly transmissible Covid subvariant has been detected in states including California, Rhode Island, New York, and Washington.
The subvariant, NB.1.8.1, was first detected in January and has been spreading in Europe and Asia since then, with the World Health Organization saying there has been a "concurrent increase in cases and hospitalizations in some countries where NB.1.8.1 is widespread."
Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, an infectious disease expert at Stanford University, told The Los Angeles Times that NB.1.8.1 does not cause more severe illness, "but it is more transmissible, at least from what we’re seeing around the world and also from lab experiments."
Meanwhile, Kennedy's push to reduce the availability of vaccines is "kind of chilling," Dr. Peter Chin-Hong of the University of California, San Francisco, told the Times. "It's out of step with the system we've learned to trust and follow... Most people would agree that kids should be targeted for flu vaccines. It seems kind of weird to have Covid as an outlier in that respect."
O'Leary said in a statement that despite the Trump administration's recent statements, scientific data about the vaccines is clear.
"Pregnant women, infants, and young children are at higher risk of hospitalization from Covid," he said, "and the safety of the Covid vaccine has been widely demonstrated."
White House MAHA report cited ‘invented studies’: analysis
FILE PHOTO: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks in the Oval Office of the White House, on the day he is sworn in as secretary of Health and Human Service in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 13, 2025. REUTERS/Nathan Howard/File Photo
A White House report warning of a national health crisis is drawing fresh scrutiny after a Washington Post analysis revealed signs of not only artificial intelligence but also the apparent use of “invented studies” in the report’s citations.
The “Make America Health Again” report, released this week by the Trump administration, claims to highlight the causes of declining life expectancy among Americans. But the Post reviewed more than 500 citations and found several that appeared to be invented, with AI experts confirming “the use of artificial intelligence in the initial version of the report provided to journalists.”
According to the Post, the MAHA report cited academic studies that don’t exist, referenced “garbled citations,” and used phrases consistent with AI-generated text.
“Trump administration officials have been repeatedly revising and updating the report since Thursday as news outlets, beginning with NOTUS, have highlighted the discrepancies and evidence of nonexistent research,” the Post reported Friday.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, Andrew Nixon, downplayed the issue, which he called “minor citation and formatting errors,” which he said “have been corrected."
“The substance of the MAHA report remains the same — a historic and transformative assessment by the federal government to understand the chronic disease epidemic afflicting our nation’s children,” he said, according to the Post.
Panama launches maintenance work at contested mine
Central America's biggest copper mine, the Cobre Panama pit, closed in 2023 following crippling protests over its environmental impact - Copyright AFP/File MARTIN BERNETTI
Panama’s government said Friday it would start maintenance work at a major mine forced to shut by protests, but insisted the project was not tantamount to the pit reopening.
Central America’s biggest copper mine, the Canadian-owned Cobre Panama pit, closed in 2023 following weeks of crippling protests over its environmental impact.
Maintenance will be carried out by a subsidiary of Canada’s First Quantum Minerals “to prevent environmental damage” from materials stored at the mine, Trade and Industry Minister Julio Molto told a news conference.
“This decision (…) does not imply the reactivation of the mine,” Molto said.
First Quantum Minerals said it would finance the work by exporting 121,000 tonnes of copper concentrate stored at the site since it closed down.
Panama’s President Jose Raul Mulino said last month that his government was working toward reopening the mine, without clarifying how he plans to tackle legal hurdles.
The country’s Supreme Court ruled in November 2023 that a contract allowing First Quantum Minerals to continue operating the site was unconstitutional.
Environmentalist Raisa Banfield criticized Friday’s announcement as the Canadian giant “can’t manage the mine.”
She called for an external audit to “establish the definitive closure plan.”
Cobre Panama, which began operations in 2019, had produced about 300,000 tonnes of copper concentrate a year, representing 75 percent of the country’s exports and about five percent of its national economic output.
It employed around 37,000 workers directly and indirectly.
Revelations on the history of leprosy in the Americas
Leprosy existed in America long before the arrival of Europeans: a new study reveals the history of a neglected pathogen
From this type of sample, ancient DNA techniques enable the reconstruction of human and pathogen genomes from the past. In the back, a Wiphala flag representing Indigenous communities of South America.
Long considered a disease brought to the Americas by European colonizers, leprosy may actually have a much older history on the American continent. Scientists from the Institut Pasteur, the CNRS, and the University of Colorado (USA), in collaboration with various institutions in America and Europe, reveal that a recently identified second species of bacteria responsible for leprosy, Mycobacterium lepromatosis, has been infecting humans in the Americas for at least 1,000 years, several centuries before the Europeans arrived. These findings will be published in the journal Science on May 29, 2025.
Leprosy is a neglected disease, mainly caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae, affecting thousands of people worldwide: approximately 200,000 new cases of leprosy are reported each year. Although M. leprae remains the primary cause, this study focused on another species, Mycobacterium lepromatosis, discovered in the United States in 2008 in a Mexican patient, and later in 2016 in red squirrels in the British Isles. Led by scientists from the Laboratory of Microbial Paleogenomics at the Institut Pasteur, also associated with the CNRS, and the University of Colorado, in collaboration with Indigenous communities and over 40 scientists from international institutions including archaeologists, this study analyzed DNA from nearly 800 samples, including ancient human remains (from archaeological excavations) and recent clinical cases presenting symptoms of leprosy. The results confirm that M. lepromatosis was already widespread in North and South America long before European colonization and provide insights into the current genetic diversity of pathogenic Mycobacteria.
"This discovery transforms our understanding of the history of leprosy in America," said Dr. Maria Lopopolo, the first author of the study and researcher at the Laboratory of Microbial Paleogenomics at the Institut Pasteur. "It shows that a form of the disease was already endemic among Indigenous populations well before the Europeans arrived."
The team used advanced genetic techniques to reconstruct the genomes of M. lepromatosis from ancient individuals found in Canada and Argentina. Despite the geographic distance of several thousand kilometers, these ancient strains dating from similar periods (approximately 1,000 years ago) were found to be surprisingly genetically close. Although they belong to two distinct branches in the evolutionary tree of the genus Mycobacterium, these branches are genetically closer to each other than to any other known branch. This genetic proximity, combined with their geographical distance, necessarily implies a rapid spread of the pathogen across the continent, likely within just a few centuries.
The scientists also identified several new lineages, including an ancestral branch that despite having diverged from the rest of the known species’ diversity over 9,000 years ago, it continues to infect humans today in North America — a discovery suggesting an ancient and long-lasting diversification on the continent, as well as a largely unexplored diversity that likely remains to be found.
Notably, the analyses also suggest that the strains found in red squirrels in the UK in 2016 are part of an American lineage that was introduced to the British Isles in the 19th century, where it subsequently spread. This discovery highlights the recent ability of the pathogen to cross continents, likely through human or commercial exchanges.
"We are just beginning to uncover the diversity and global movements of this recently identified pathogen. The study allows us to hypothesize that there might be unknown animal reservoirs," said Nicolás Rascovan, the lead author of the study and head of the Laboratory of Microbial Paleogenomics at the Institut Pasteur. "This study clearly illustrates how ancient and modern DNA can rewrite the history of a human pathogen and help us better understand the epidemiology of contemporary infectious diseases."
The project was conducted in close collaboration with Indigenous communities, which were involved in decisions regarding the use of ancestral remains and the interpretation of results. Ancient DNA and remaining materials were returned when requested, and the generated data was shared via ethical and adaptable platforms designed to allow data sharing that meets the specific expectations of Indigenous communities.
Journal
Science
Method of Research
Survey
Subject of Research
Human tissue samples
Article Title
Uncovering pre-European contact leprosy in the Americas and its enduring persistence
Article Publication Date
29-May-2025
Rice anthropologists spotlight human toll of glacier loss
Credit: Photo courtesy of Dominic Boyer/Rice University
In an important contribution from the social sciences, Rice University anthropologists Cymene Howe and Dominic Boyer examine the societal consequences of global glacier loss in a commentary published today in Science.
Their article appears alongside new research that estimates that more than three-quarters of the world’s glacier mass could disappear by the end of the century under current climate policies. While the study projects the physical outcomes of glacial melt, Howe and Boyer highlight the social impacts and human stories behind the statistics — from disrupted ecosystems and endangered cultural heritage to funeral rites held for vanished ice.
“Often statistics about glacier loss can feel abstract and distant. But glaciers have literally shaped the ground we walk on, and they provide crucial water resources to about 2 billion people. For people who have lived near glaciers, their cultural meanings are often profound, representing the fundamental relationship between social and natural worlds ” said Howe, professor of anthropology and co-director of Rice’s Program in Science and Technology Studies.
The commentary draws from the authors’ ongoing work on the Global Glacier Casualty List, a Rice-based digital platform that documents glaciers that have melted or are critically endangered. The project blends climate science, social science and community narratives to memorialize a rapidly disappearing part of Earth’s cryosphere.
“The past five years have been the worst five years for glaciers since ice loss has been tracked scientifically. We’re now losing 273 billion tons of ice globally each year, but there’s a feeling that even these staggering losses aren’t enough to motivate needed climate action,” said Boyer, professor of anthropology and co-director of the Center for Coastal Futures and Adaptive Resilience. “This is where we think the social sciences can work together with glaciologists and climate scientists to explain why these losses matter and how many lives and communities are impacted when these amazing landscapes disappear.”
Their publication marks an uncommon appearance by social scientists in Science, which primarily features research in the natural and physical sciences. The authors argue that addressing the impacts of climate change requires not only scientific measurement but also cultural understanding, public memory and collective action.
“As glacial loss accelerates, so do the social and emotional responses to environmental change,” they write.
The United Nations has designated 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation. Howe and Boyer emphasize that global climate goals, such as limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, could still preserve a significant portion of the world’s glaciers and prevent the erosion of ecosystems, economies and cultural lifeways connected to them.
“Most people on Earth will never have a chance to be in the presence of a glacier, but their loss affects us all. We still have a chance to preserve half the world’s remaining glaciers if we act together — and immediately — to reduce global warming,” Howe said. “We have lost a lot, but there is still so much that can be saved for us and the generations that will come after us: They deserve to know the magnificence and meaning of these great bodies of ice.”
The commentary was supported by the National Science Foundation’s Office of Polar Programs.
In Switzerland, the Morteratsch-Pers glacier complex is rapidly shrinking. This ice cave, formed in 2023, marks a glacier gate where meltwater emerges. Without decisive climate action, Swiss glaciers could disappear entirely by 2100.
Credit: Lander Van Tricht / ETH Zurich and Vrije Universiteit Brussel
In brief:
Even if the rise in global temperatures were to stabilise at its current level, it is projected that the world would lose around 40 per cent of its glaciers.
If global warming can be limited to +1.5 °C, it may be possible to preserve twice as much glacier ice as in a scenario where temperatures rise by +2.7 °C.
This conclusion was reached by a research team with participation of ETH Zurich researchers, based on a new, multi-centennial analysis of global glacier evolution.
The findings, published today in the prestigious journal, Science, are striking. Even if global temperatures were stabilised at today’s level of 1.2°C, an estimated 39 per cent of global glacier mass would still be lost compared to 2020 levels—contributing over 10 centimetres to global sea-level rise.
In the new study, an international team of 21 scientists from ten countries used eight glacier models to calculate the potential ice loss from more than 200,000 glaciers outside of Greenland and Antarctica. The team evaluated a wide range of global temperature scenarios, assuming that temperatures would remain constant for thousands of years in each scenario.
“The choices we make today will resonate for centuries, determining how much of our glaciers can be preserved,” says Harry Zekollari, co-lead author from Vrije Universiteit Brussel, who began this research as a postdoctoral fellow at the Chair of Glaciology in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering (D-BAUG) at ETH Zurich.
Looking beyond 2100 reveals new insights
In all scenarios, the glaciers lose mass rapidly over decades and then continue to melt at a slower pace for centuries — even without additional warming. This long-term response means glaciers will continue to feel the effects of today’s heat far into the future, gradually retreating to higher altitudes before reaching a new equilibrium.
“One of the key strengths of our study is that we were able, for the first time, to project global glacier evolution over multi-centennial timescales, and did so using eight models instead of one or two,” explains Harry Zekollari. “Most glacier studies stop at 2100, which is problematic when simulating the long-term impact of today’s climate policies, given the long-term response of glaciers over time.”
For example, while studies limited to the year 2100 estimate that around 20 per cent of today’s glacier mass will be lost regardless of future warming, the new study reveals that nearly twice as much would vanish under present-day conditions when multi-centennial timescales are considered. “We find that around 40 per cent of glacier mass is effectively ‘doomed’ to disappear,” says co-lead author Harry Zekollari.
Melting glaciers reveal the reality of global warming
"Glaciers are good indicators of climate change because their retreat allows us to see with our own eyes how climate is changing. However, since they adjust over longer timescales, their current size vastly understates the magnitude of climate change that has already happened. The situation for glaciers is actually far worse than visible in the mountains today," says co-lead author Lilian Schuster from the University of Innsbruck.
Beyond contributing to sea-level rise, glacier loss has far-reaching consequences. It threatens freshwater availability, increases the risk of glacier-related hazards such as floods and landslides, and jeopardizes glacier-fed tourism economies. These cascading impacts will be felt across regions and generations.
“These effects underscore the critical importance of present-day climate policies,” says Harry Zekollari. “Our study makes it painfully clear that every fraction of a degree matters. If we manage to limit global warming to +1.5°C instead of +2.7°C, we could still save twice as much glacier ice.”
Current policies are projected to lead to an average global warming of around +2.7°C. As Zekollari emphasizes, the degree of warming between +1.5°C and +3.0°C plays a decisive role in glacier loss. Put simply: for every additional 0.1°C of warming, the world risks losing approximately 2per cent more of its glacier ice.
Contributing to the UN-Year of Glaciers' Preservation
“This study is a major contribution to the United Nations International Year of Glaciers' Preservation, emphasizing the urgent need for global climate action to protect the world’s glaciers,” says Daniel Farinotti, Professor of Glaciology at ETH Zurich and the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL.
His research group at the Laboratory of Hydraulics, Hydrology and Glaciology (VAW) played a central role in producing the new findings. The entire study led by Zekollari and Schuster was conducted as part of the Glacier Model Intercomparison Project (GlacierMIP) and coordinated by the Climate and Cryosphere (CliC) Project of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP).
Farinotti notes that the release of the Science study coincides with the opening of the High-Level International Conference on Glaciers' Preservation, initiated by the President of Tajikistan through the United Nations (UN) Resolution that established both the UN Year of Glaciers' Preservation and, later, the UN Decade of Action for the Cryospheric Sciences 2025-2034.
On the Swiss side, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) was invited to support the organisation of the event, particularly in drafting what is intended to become the "Dushanbe Glacier Declaration". Daniel Farinotti, for his part, is acting as an advisor to the FDFA in the preparation of the declaration.
Reference
Zekollari, H, Schuster, L et al. Glacier preservation doubled by limiting warming to 1.5°C versus 2.7°C. In: Science, 29 May 2025. DOI:10.1126/science.adu4675
This graph illustrates the loss of glacier mass worldwide as global temperatures rise. It shows that more glaciers—particularly in Asia and New Zealand—could be preserved if global warming is limited to 1.5°C compared to the 2.7°C path resulting from current policies. Each circle represents the proportion of glacier mass projected to be lost even if temperatures remain at today’s level of +1.2°C (blue segment). The colored lines indicate the additional long-term loss expected if warming continues.
Credit
ETH Zurich and Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Glacier retreat is a global phenomenon. The Chandran Glacier in India is a striking example of glacial change in Asia.
