Stuart Jeanne Bramhall's Blog: The Most Revolutionary Act , page 57

Massive Anti-War Movement Forming in US: Left, Right and Center

Video of protestors taking over Times Square at  https://t.me/PrivateCanadianNews/33935By Azad Essa

[…]

The emergency protest, organised by a coalition of advocacy groups in New York and in several cities across the country, came as rumours swirled of a possible announcement of direct US military intervention in Israel‘s attacks on Iran.

More than 585 Iranians have been killed since Israel launched its aerial strikes on 13 June over claims Iran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons.

Though Israel said it would exclusively targeting Iran’s nuclear programme and military sites, Israel has struck residential buildings, hospitals, civilian infrastructure and the Iranian state television headquarters, killing hundreds of civilians in what is largely being seen as a operation geared towards regime change in Iran.

Hospitals in Iran are reportedly overwhelmed with the injured and thousands have been searching for ways to evacuate the capital city, Tehran.

Protesters held up Palestinian flags, as well as signs urging for the bombardment to end. Several people waved placards that read: “Money for people’s needs. Not War with Iran”.

[…]

Spectre of US involvement

Though the US has denied direct involvement in Israel’s strikes on Gaza, several reports indicated that not only has the US assisted Israel, it has also encouraged Israel to continue bombarding Tehran.

On Wednesday, three officials at the Arms Control Association, said American involvement in Israel’s “illegal attacks” on Iran would “set back efforts to reach an effective nuclear agreement to block Iran’s pathways to the Bomb”.

‘There was no imminent threat that Iran was weaponising its nuclear program before Israel’s attack began’

– Arms Control Association

The statement, released on Wednesday, said that a “consensus view among US intelligence agencies before Israel’s bombing campaign was that Iran had not made a decision to move forward on building a bomb, and was several months away, if not longer, from being able to assemble a crude device.

“There was no imminent threat that Iran was weaponising its nuclear program before Israel’s attack began.”

For more than 20 months, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers have taken to the streets to protest the ongoing war in Gaza.

Many at the protest on Tuesday said the impunity had allowed Israel to expand the war to Iran.

More than 55,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s war on Gaza, which both human rights groups and genocide scholars have labelled a genocide.

On Friday, the UN Security Council will convene for a meeting to discuss the hostilities between Israel and Iran.

[…]

Via https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/us-new-york-protest-israel-attacks-iran

Israel’s Economy on Brink of Structural Collapse

By Vanessa Beeley

Food and fuel crisis in the occupied territories

Following Iran’s massive missile attack on the occupied territories, the Israeli economy has faced an unprecedented crisis, from the closure of refineries and ports to the paralysis of airports and infrastructure.

Experts believe that continuing this trend will push the Israeli economy into a stage of structural collapse.

The Haifa Refinery, Israel’s largest oil refinery with a capacity of 200,000 barrels, was among the targets and has been taken out of production.

The destruction of three oil terminals in the ports of Haifa, Ashkelon, and Eilat, along with the shutdown of two major refineries, has effectively disabled Israel’s energy backbone.

Port activity has reached zero, airports have been closed, and all export and import logistics systems are in lockdown. In this situation, even food and fuel imports are facing a crisis.

[…]

Via https://t.me/VanessaBeeley

Clock Clicking Down to Israeli Capitulation

Samuel Geddes

Netanyahu has led “Israel” into a war it cannot win; as Iranian missiles continue to rain down, the countdown to “Israel’s” military and economic collapse has begun.

Netanyahu has put “Israel” in an impossible position that it cannot sustain, even with indefinite American re-supply.

It has taken Iran less than three days to fully absorb the blows struck in “Israel’s” surprise offensive against its military and nuclear infrastructure. With its balance restored, it has gone on the offense to reestablish the deterrence that collapsed over the course of the last two years.

Among the Israeli public and political elites, the initial euphoria over their fleeting successes is already giving way to a terrible realization. They are in a direct war, for the first time in 50 years, with a state that can continue the current levels of hostilities for far longer than they can.

Even the regime’s much gloated-over missile defense systems, the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow, began to fail with the first barrage of Iranian missiles, which inflicted unprecedented destruction in the heart of Tel Aviv. While still intercepting most of the projectiles fired, at least according to “Israel”, the rate of depletion of interceptor missiles is exponential. At best, Tel-Aviv can sustain acceptable interception levels for a matter of weeks. This while Tehran has yet to unleash the most powerful missiles in its arsenal.

As of day four of this war, the critical power plant in the Haifa Bay area has already been struck, with the effects on operations at its largest port and northern power grid being immediate and only compounding by the hour.

The distinct focus of media coverage on the destruction in urban areas and against economic targets is hiding, but only barely, the true extent of losses inflicted on critical military infrastructure. Army and air-force bases, weapons and fuel depots, and of course “Israel’s” nuclear facilities, remain cloaked by official military censorship.

Given the rate at which the regime is burning through its interceptor munitions, it will very soon face the reality of having to ration them, limiting their use to the defense of vital military targets, and leaving the country’s urban and economic fabric utterly exposed.

Repeated hits on the Haifa plant, or similar facilities like Orot Rabin, Rutenberg, or Eshkol, will bring down the civil power grid entirely, halting everything from weapons manufacturing to water desalination. As the missile shield depletes, airbases will be rendered inoperable (if they aren’t already) and the Israeli regime’s most potent weapon, the air force, will be unable to continue operating.

While Tel-Aviv does have its US patron to replenish its stocks, even this will not restore its capabilities to their initial level. The production of interceptors such as the Tamir and Stunner missiles is limited, even in the US, to the low thousands per year. Resupply is probable, if not inevitable, but it will be of limited use when the regime must expend thousands of such rockets per week simply to prevent nationwide devastation.

Elite opinion has begun to recognize this fact. Netanyahu’s senior security advisor, Tzachi Hanegbi, has publicly noted that Tehran’s inventory of mid-to-long-range ballistic missiles is far deeper than was initially estimated. As the relative cost of successful strikes declines (fewer missiles can be fired at once with more evading interception), this allows the Iranians to sustain the current tempo of operations for months, if not longer.

Under current conditions alone, the countdown to “Israel’s” societal, economic, and military collapse can be measured in weeks, not months. The only variable that would extract Tel Aviv from the trap it laid for itself is active US involvement. Though this remains frighteningly possible, the combination of domestic opposition and the prospect of a ferocious energy-driven inflation shock makes this less appealing with each passing day.

Ultimately, absent a full-scale American war on the Islamic Republic, Netanyahu has set up his regime and himself for a historic humiliation. The ceasefire likely to end this conflict will be imposed on terms dictated by Tehran, which could include everything from the definitive end of the Gaza genocide, UN scrutiny of Israeli nuclear weapons, to large-scale sanctions relief and abolition of the snap-back mechanism expected later in the year.

Iran has undoubtedly suffered serious blows at the outset, but that was the extent of what “Israel” was capable of. The pace of events is now dictated by Ayatollah Khamenei more than anyone else, and he has at last been presented the opportunity to shatter Israeli pretensions of being the region’s “superpower.”

[…]

Via https://english.almayadeen.net/articles/opinion/the-clock-is-ticking-down-to–israel-s–capitulation

Say goodbye to cheap oil – and thank Israel and Iran while you’re at it

FILE PHOTO. © Getty Images / Revolu7ion93

By Manish Vaid

Insurance spikes, tanker collisions, and Red Sea detours reveal how regional conflict translates into real costs for a world still reeling from inflation

The sudden outbreak of the Israel–Iran war has thrown global oil markets into uncertainty by destabilizing the world’s two most critical shipping chokepoints. Tehran’s strategic messaging, including heightened military readiness around the Strait of Hormuz, has already impacted global trading patterns. In recent days, maritime advisories have reported a surge of electronic jamming in the Gulf, scrambling merchant ship tracking systems. Two oil tankers even collided near Hormuz on June 17, causing a fire and the evacuation of a crew, but no oil spill. The incidents highlight the razor-thin margin for error in a waterway that routinely carries 18–20 million barrels of oil per day, nearly a fifth of global trade.

While Iran’s actions may be aimed at deterrence, the regional risk perception is very real. Historical precedent shows that even the suggestion of closing the Strait of Hormuz can send global oil prices soaring. Shipping routes remain on edge amid ongoing airstrikes between Israel and Iran. Merchant vessels have reported navigational interference near Bandar Abbas, a strategic Iranian port. Greek authorities, whose shipping companies operate much of the world’s tanker fleet, have instructed vessels to log all passages through Hormuz, underscoring the seriousness of current tensions.

A misstep, be it a stray projectile or a retaliatory move from regional actors like the Houthis, could temporarily block this vital artery, triggering immediate price surges and logistical disruptions.

Even without a full shutdown, economic consequences are mounting. War-risk insurance premiums for Gulf-bound tankers have surged. In mid-June, Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) freight rates from the Arabian Gulf to Asia jumped over 20%, with further hikes likely if tensions escalate.

Analysts have cautioned that any Iranian strike on Strait infrastructure or an uptick in maritime confrontation would cause premiums to spike further. One London broker estimated that an extra $3–8 per barrel may result purely from risk recalibration. These hidden costs are inevitably passed to consumers and energy-importing nations already grappling with inflation.

The Red Sea Spillover

Further south, the Red Sea and the Suez Canal remain volatile. Since late 2023, the Yemen-based Houthis have targeted commercial vessels in the Bab al-Mandab strait, complicating East-West maritime traffic. Most container lines and some oil tankers are now avoiding the Suez route, detouring via the Cape of Good Hope. This diversion adds 10–14 days to voyage times and congests African ports, straining supply chains and inflating shipping costs. Even after a temporary ceasefire brokered earlier this year, Red Sea transits remain subdued. The Suez Canal Authority reported revenues fell dramatically, from $2.4 billion to just $880 million in the span of a year. Egypt is now offering up to 15% discounts to attract shipping back, but many carriers remain wary of the enduring threat.

The insurance sector mirrors this caution. War-risk premiums for vessels transiting the Red Sea have remained high despite lulls in attacks. One report from June 17 noted that for ships destined for Israel, war-risk costs ranged from 0.7% to 1.0% of vessel value. For a $100 million tanker, that’s nearly $1 million in added cost for a week-long voyage. These elevated costs reinforce the broader economic implications of maritime insecurity.

Energy Security Redefined in a Fragmented World

The Israel–Iran conflict has exposed pre-existing vulnerabilities and rendered them urgent. The world’s energy corridors are increasingly fragile. Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Iraq have made diplomatic and operational efforts to reassure markets. Riyadh has offered extra oil cargoes to offset volatility, while Tehran, despite elevated rhetoric, has not officially disrupted its exports. Still, the potential for broader escalation looms, making disruption more plausible.

For policymakers and energy strategists, the key takeaway is that modern energy security must go beyond domestic stockpiles and price stabilization measures. Greater international coordination is essential. Regional naval operations focused on secure navigation, better real-time maritime intelligence, and deconfliction mechanisms must be prioritized. Additionally, longer-term infrastructure investments, like undersea pipelines, overland transit corridors, and expanded port capacity in lower-risk regions, should form a core part of contingency planning.

Diplomacy also plays a critical role. Confidence-building measures between key maritime states and crisis communication channels can help prevent unintended escalation. The goal should not be confrontation, but a shared commitment to keeping global trade arteries open.

[…]

Via https://www.rt.com/india/619620-israel-iran-global-oil-trade/

IDF eases some Israeli restrictions 6 days into Iran conflict; schools stay closed

People take shelter in a parking lot in Tel Aviv amid a fresh barrage of Iranian rockets on June 17, 2025. (Menahem Kahana / AFP) By Emanuel FabianSmall gatherings now permitted, workplaces can open if shelter can be reached in time; Katz says reopening of economy a ‘message of victory over the Iranian enemy’

Six days into Israel’s military operation in Iran, the Israel Defense Forces’ Home Front Command said Wednesday it was easing some of the restrictions imposed on civilians at the outbreak of the conflict, allowing workplaces to resume activities and permitting small gatherings.

However, schools are to remain closed nationwide until further notice, which will likely prevent many parents of young children from returning to their jobs.

The changes come amid a downward trend in Iran’s ballistic missile attacks, with recent days seeing smaller salvos.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said he had approved the IDF’s recommendations to ease the civil defense policy, following an assessment with Home Front Command chief Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo and other officials.

“Alongside our intense fighting against Iran until the threats are removed, we will also reopen the economy, ease restrictions for the public, and return Israel to a path of productivity, activity, and security,” Katz said in remarks published by his office.

The changes take effect at 6 p.m. Wednesday and will remain in effect until Friday at 8 p.m., when the Home Front Command will conduct another assessment.

Home Front Command guidelines issued on June 18, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)

The scale of activity in most areas of the country will be adjusted from “strict defensive posture” to a “limited activity posture,” Home Front Command said. This means gatherings of up to 30 people are permitted, provided a shelter can be reached in time.

Along Israel’s borders — in northern frontier communities, the Golan Heights, Beit She’an Valley, Jordan Valley, Dead Sea, Arava, Eilat, and Gaza border communities — the scale will be adjusted from “strict defensive posture” to a more lax “partial activity posture.” This means gatherings in those areas are permitted for up to 50 people outdoors and 100 people indoors, provided a shelter can be reached in time.

Nationwide, workplaces will also be able to operate under the same conditions, but schools will remain closed for now.

Until now, all gatherings had been prohibited since Friday and workplaces — aside from those deemed essential — had been shuttered.

Katz said the decision to begin to reopen Israel’s economy “is a message of victory over the Iranian enemy.”

“They seek to harm us and shut us down, but we are not only striking back offensively and protecting the population, but also beginning a gradual reopening process,” he said.

Speaking at the assessment on Wednesday, Milo, the Home Front Command chief, said his forces were “deployed and prepared, together with emergency and rescue organizations, the police, the fire service, Magen David Adom, and local authorities, in order to provide a rapid response to any incident.”

He said easing the restrictions on the public was “very important.”

“It demonstrates resilience and the ability to return to activity. It relies heavily on the IDF, on offense and defense, but also on the behavior of the population,” Milo said.

“It’s very important to emphasize that this does not mean the war is over. Citizens must continue to follow Home Front Command instructions, and when they hear an alert, they must take action and seek shelter. This truly saves lives and enables us to continue striking and hitting Iran,” he added.

In the first days of the war Iran launched infrequent attacks of dozens of missiles — up to around 60 at a time. Over the past two days, it has been launching smaller but more frequent salvos, most of them consisting of fewer than 10 at a time. Some have had as few as two missiles.

The IDF believes Iran’s capabilities have been degraded by Israeli strikes on missiles and launchers. According to IDF assessments, the drop in missile numbers is the result not of Iran trying to conserve missiles for a long war but rather of its struggle to coordinate larger attacks.

The majority of Iran’s top military leadership has been eliminated in strikes, and some 40% of its ballistic missile launchers have been destroyed, according to the IDF.

The army has also said it has been “hunting down” missile launchers and thwarting some of the attacks, as it has aerial supremacy over western Iran to Tehran.

Israel says its sweeping strikes on Iran’s top military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment sites, and ballistic missile program — which began early Friday — is necessary to prevent the Islamic Republic from obtaining a nuclear weapon and from realizing its avowed plan to destroy the Jewish state.

Iran has retaliated by launching over 400 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel. So far, 24 people have been killed in Israel and more than 500 wounded.

[…]

Via https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-eases-some-restrictions-6-days-into-iran-conflict-schools-stay-closed/

Klaus Schwab’s Great Reset Book

Covid-19: The Great Reset

By Klaus Schwab and Thierry Malleret (2020)

World Economic Forum (publisher)

Book Review

This book was very different from what I expected. I assumed former World Economic Forum chief Klaus Schwab would be promoting a Great Reset in which you own nothing, live in a 15-minute city, receive a Universal Basic Income and spend your time taking drugs and playing computer games. I also expected him to advocate for population reduction and total social control.

Instead he mainly uses this book to identify deep rooted Western problems that a Great Reset would hopefully fix. Thus I was really surprised by his call to end “shareholder value” as the primary driver of corporate decision making and an end to the exploitation of gig* workers by guaranteeing them health and unemployment benefits. The book points out that inflation has fallen in all areas except housing, health care and education – services that employees on zero hour contracts have a serious problem accessing in “Anglo-Saxon” societies.

I was also surprised to see him raise the possibility of using MMT (a form of government issued credit similar to Lincoln’s greenbacks) or “permanent quantitative easing” (which in his view amounts to the same thing) to reduce government debt.

The book also raises concerns that the battle against pandemics (which he predicts will increase) will lead to permanent surveillance societies, as well as observing that the offloading of health and education to individuals and markets (as has happened in “Anglo-Saxon” societies) may not be in the best interest of society as a whole. He also notes the unfairness of requiring working class citizens to take on all the risks of COVID exposure as frontline workers (transport, health care, checkouts, security).

Predictably the book contains a number of lies, half truths and glaring inaccuracies:

1. A statement that there is nothing new about quarantines and lockdowns – that they date back at least as far of the plague epidemics of the Middle Ages. Although quarantines are a very old method of coping with infectious disease, health-based lockdowns (in which healthy people are quarantined) are totally unprecedented. Lockdowns have much more to do with social control than health. The first US lockdown occurred in 2013 after the Boston Marathon bombing.

2. A reference to Bill Gates’ longstanding warning about pandemics emerging in highly populated regions where people live in close proximity to animals. In March 2020 when the first Covid lockdowns started, it was widely believed in China that the US government was the source of the coronavirus infecting their people. Chinese farmers had been complaining for years about unidentified drones spraying their pig farms with spine flu.

3. A reference to the quadrupling of zoonotic diseases from tropical rainforests (like Ebola and HIV), ignoring growing evidence infectious agents causing these illnesses (as well as Zika and Lyme’s disease virus) were most likely manufactured in one of America’s 336 global biolabs.

4. A claim that a large majority of the world’s citizens want their governments to support climate change. This is total nonsense. In China (the world’s most populous country), Russia and the continent of Africa, support for climate hysteria is virtually non-existent. In the West, support for the deindustrialization advocated by climate activists is limited to the academic and professional class.

5. A boast that the development RNA and DNA platforms make it possible to develop vaccines faster than ever. The time consuming element in producing vaccines isn’t manufacturing them – it’s the lengthy double blind testing to ensure they are safe.

6. A prediction that “mitigating measures,” such as physical distancing and mask wearing, will continue. I think both Schwab and Malleret know perfectly well these are both instruments of social control, given the total absence of credible research documenting their effectiveness.

*I was very surprised to see the authors refer to a recent film by activist film director Ken Loach on this topic.

Why All States Should Ban Water Fluoridation

Dr Mercola

Story at-a-glanceFlorida became the second U.S. state to ban water fluoridation after Governor DeSantis signed legislation calling it “forced medication” without informed consent; the ban takes legal effect July 1, 2025 — that’s when public water systems must stop adding fluoride and state regulators can begin enforcementA National Toxicology Program review of 72 studies found consistent evidence that fluoride exposure lowers children’s IQ scores and impairs cognitive developmentMultiple states including Ohio and Texas are considering similar bans while federal agencies reevaluate fluoride recommendations under new leadershipResearch links fluoride to thyroid dysfunction and neurological harm, with doses as low as 2 to 5 milligrams daily affecting hormone regulationMany European countries rejected water fluoridation decades ago; 98% of Western Europeans now drink non-fluoridated water

Florida just became the second U.S. state, after Utah, to ban fluoride in public drinking water. Governor Ron DeSantis signed the bill into law, ending a decades-old public health policy that once promised to protect teeth but now faces mounting criticism for threatening neurological and endocrine health. Roughly 63% of Americans currently drink fluoridated water, meaning millions could soon be reevaluating how safe their water really is — and what’s really in it.1

Fluoride was added to municipal water systems starting in 1945, based on the idea that ingesting small amounts could reduce cavities. But data now shows the risks outweigh the benefits, particularly for infants and children. Excess fluoride has been linked to thyroid suppression, lower IQ and neurodevelopmental disorders — issues that go far beyond cavities.

Countries across Europe have already moved away from fluoridation. The U.S. is lagging behind, clinging to outdated protocols while evidence mounts that mandatory exposure does more harm than good. As this movement grows, it’s important to understand what’s driving these bans and how the science supports them.

Florida’s Fluoride Ban Draws National Attention

As The New York Times reported, on May 15, 2025, DeSantis signed legislation that bans the addition of fluoride to public water systems throughout the state of Florida.2 DeSantis referred to fluoridation as “forced medication,” arguing that the public deserves the right to informed consent when it comes to what’s added to their drinking water. This policy change echoes broader public resistance to public health mandates following COVID-era controversies.

The bill DeSantis signed on May 15, 2025 (SB 700, part of the “Florida Farm Bill”) takes legal effect on July 1, 2025. That is the date when public water systems statewide must stop adding fluoride, and state regulators can begin issuing compliance orders and penalties.

• The law was introduced amid growing skepticism of government-run health interventions — This ban is part of a broader national movement fueled by leaders like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. secretary of health and human services, and Lee Zeldin, who leads the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Kennedy has publicly called for all U.S. states to eliminate fluoride from drinking water. DeSantis’ position reflects this new wave of political health independence, where bodily autonomy has become a rallying cry in matters of public policy.

• There are safer, individualized alternatives — According to DeSantis, the issue isn’t about whether fluoride helps teeth. It’s about removing mandatory exposure through municipal water. This line of reasoning appeals to parents, caregivers and individuals who want more control over how and when fluoride enters their or their children’s bodies.

• More states are considering similar bans, and federal policy could change — Ohio and Texas are now weighing their own anti-fluoride legislation.

Meanwhile, Zeldin announced that the EPA is reevaluating its fluoride recommendations, and Kennedy planned to tell the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop endorsing community water fluoridation altogether. These announcements suggest that what began as a state-level move could soon reshape federal policy.

My Open Letter to the American Dental Association (ADA)

In an open letter, I urged the ADA to discontinue supporting water fluoridation, based on research linking fluoride exposure to reduced IQ scores, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and thyroid dysfunction. I argued that emerging research no longer justifies this practice continued endorsement reflects outdated science, not best practices.

• Compelling evidence links fluoride to neurological and hormonal damage — Multiple modern studies, many of them high-quality human trials, show clear links between fluoride exposure and reduced intelligence in children. A systematic review in JAMA Pediatrics found that fluoride negatively impacts children’s IQ, for instance.3

• Fluoride has negative effects on thyroid function — Fluoride was once used medically in the 1950s in both Europe and South America to lower thyroid hormone levels in people with overactive thyroid, or hyperthyroidism.

That usage relied on a daily fluoride dose as low as 2 to 5 milligrams (mg) — levels many people already consume today if they live in fluoridated regions.4 Even modest intake, over time, interferes with thyroid hormones that regulate metabolism, energy and mood.

• Countries around the world have already rejected water fluoridation — About 98% of people living in Western Europe now drink non-fluoridated water. Nations including Germany, France, the Netherlands and Sweden have completely banned the practice. Instead, they rely on education, dietary improvements and fluoride-free oral hygiene products to support dental health without risking neurological harm.

Largest Review yet Confirms Fluoride Lowers IQ in Children

Published by the National Toxicology Program (NTP) in August 2024, an extensive review assessed 72 studies that investigated the link between fluoride exposure and children’s intelligence levels. It also included animal and mechanistic studies to better understand how fluoride impairs cognition. The review found consistent evidence of harm, particularly in children exposed to higher levels of fluoride through drinking water or other environmental sources.5

• Researchers found strong evidence of lower IQ scores in fluoride-exposed children — Eighteen of the 19 highest-quality studies showed that children exposed to elevated fluoride levels scored lower on IQ tests.

These results held across different countries, cultures and types of study design, which adds weight to their validity. The review specifically highlighted three prospective cohort studies, which also found significant negative effects on children’s cognitive development.

• The higher the fluoride, the worse the cognitive outcomes — The researchers found a clear pattern: as fluoride exposure increased, IQ scores decreased. Children living in areas with drinking water fluoride concentrations above 1.5 mg/L — the World Health Organization’s maximum safe level — were consistently more likely to show lower intellectual performance.

• IQ risks apply even in the U.S. due to total fluoride exposure, not just water levels — The review emphasized that children in the U.S. often exceed “safe” fluoride levels even if their water supply meets federal guidelines. That’s because fluoride doesn’t just come from drinking water. It’s also found in toothpaste, processed food, tea and other sources.

While most of the strongest evidence comes from high-exposure regions, the cumulative intake from multiple sources means that U.S. children, especially those in areas with natural fluoride over 1.5 mg/L, are not exempt from risk.

[…]

Via https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2025/06/17/florida-governor-bans-water-fluoridation.aspx

Fighting Iran For Israel Will Break MAGA

A Major Consensus Is Forming: If Trump Openly Joins Netanyahu In War Against Iran, The MAGA Coalition Will Break In Two and The Trump Presidency Will Be A Total Failure.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1934715492909941083

US intelligence assessed last March that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon.
https://x.com/wikileaks/status/1933844614105997336

Israel Kills Senior Iranian Official Who Wanted a Nuclear Deal With the US
https://news.antiwar.com/2025/06/15/israel-kills-senior-iranian-official-who-wanted-a-nuclear-deal-with-the-us/

Israel is not winning. Trump must not cave to new demands for help
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/israel-iran-war/

[…]

Via https://whiskeytangotexas.com/2025/06/16/fighting-iran-for-israel-will-break-maga/

From the blast zone: Russian expert on Iran’s calm – and its next moves

A view of a damaged building in the Iranian capital, Tehran, following an Israeli attack, on June 13, 2025. ©  Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images

By Elena Chernenko

BRICS talks go on as missiles fall – a Russian analyst shares what he saw and heard in the Iranian capital

“No panic. Everyone is just getting on with their work.”

That’s how Adlan Margoev, a Russian foreign policy expert currently in Tehran, describes the mood in the Iranian capital after Israel’s dramatic airstrikes on military and nuclear targets. Speaking to Moscow newspaper Kommersant’s Elena Chernenko from his hotel in northwestern Tehran, where he is attending a BRICS-related conference with other Russian scholars, Margoev offers a calm but clear-eyed account of events on the ground, Iran’s likely response, and the potential collapse of nuclear negotiations with the US.

Elena Chernenko: As I understand it, you are now in Tehran with a group of Russian experts. What are you doing there?

Adlan Margoev: We are attending a joint conference with the Iranian side on BRICS and the Russian–Iranian strategic partnership. Our regular work involves informing the Iranian side about opportunities for bilateral and multilateral cooperation, discussing problematic issues in bilateral and multilateral relations, and focusing on how to strengthen such cooperation through various mechanisms.

EC: It was known in advance that Israel was preparing to attack Iran. Did you sense any danger? Was anyone warning you about anything?

AM: No, everything went on as normal and continues to do so. Iranians are used to the fact that there is always a risk of attacks and sabotage. One of the ordinary participants of our conference from the Iranian side (who is not in a position of responsibility, it should be emphasized) said, ‘We have been fighting imperialism for so long that we are used to everything.’ In general, Iranians maintain a friendly and calm attitude. We continue to work in the same vein.

EC: Where are you located?

AM: We are staying in a hotel in the north-west of Tehran. The conference is also taking place here and will continue today.

EC: No change?

AM: Except that the cultural event scheduled for tonight in the city has been cancelled.

EC: Tell me what happened last night.

AM: When it all started, we were asleep. One of our delegation’s leaders was the first to wake up. At around three o’clock, she heard explosions from the strikes and the air defense systems that had been activated. A second round of strikes occurred at six o’clock in the morning. Needless to say, we were awake by then. We followed the news reports to find out what was happening. Among other things, we learned that the airspace had been closed. We have a return flight scheduled for Sunday.

EC: Are you thinking of leaving the country urgently by land?

AM: No, that would be an overreaction at this stage.

EC: So there’s no panic on your part or on the part of others on the ground?

AM: There is no panic within the limits of what we can see.

EC: Nevertheless, the situation looks much more serious than the shelling that took place between Israel and Iran last year, right?

AM: Much more serious. The escalation comes at an extremely crucial moment because Iranian-American nuclear talks have been ongoing since April and the next round was scheduled for Sunday in Oman. I did not expect Israel to launch an attack while these talks were ongoing. Now, however, I doubt that the talks will continue.

EC: Judging by the statements of American officials, it seems that the US was aware of Israel’s plans.

AM: No, but they were preparing for the possibility of such events occurring. They warned their diplomatic staff in the region and took a number of other steps.

EC: What kind of response do you expect from Iran?

AM: We have recently heard that Iran’s response will differ from their ‘True Promise’ operations in response to the Israeli strikes in April 2024, as well as from their response to the previous round of Israeli attacks in 2024.

EC: Yes, it was quite restrained.

AM: Yes, it was done in such a way as to avoid further escalation. It is hard to say how the Iranian leadership will react now, but we will know soon.

EC: US President Donald Trump has questioned whether the US will be able to reach a deal with Iran over its nuclear program. Can we already talk about the failure of those talks?

AM: In retrospect, it’s easy to say that the systemic positions of Iran and the United States were so far apart, especially regarding uranium enrichment, that the outcome of the negotiations was predictable.

However, we have been monitoring the internal dynamics within the Trump administration to see which team or school of thought will prevail. Will it be that limited enrichment in Iran is Iran’s natural right as a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), like other member states? Or that, despite the NPT, Iran should not be allowed to engage in enrichment activities independently? President Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance and Steve Witkoff, head of the US negotiating delegation, have generally adopted a moderate stance, assuming that Iran can continue to exercise its right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes. However, the opposing team, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, essentially reversed the results of several rounds of negotiations by stating that there could be no enrichment in Iran. Unfortunately, this harder line won out.

And, in behind-the-scenes conversations over the course of several months, the Iranian side confirmed that at each new round of negotiations, the American delegation arrived with a position as if there had been no previous round. Steve Witkoff would leave Muscat or Rome (where the negotiations were also taking place – Kommersant) with a reasonable approach to the Iranian position. However, each time, his consultations in Washington reversed the process. At the next round of negotiations, he reiterated that there could be no uranium enrichment in Iran. This, of course, frustrated the Iranian side. Nevertheless, they invested in the negotiation process. There were hopes that a rational and pragmatic approach with a view to peacefully resolving the crisis would prevail in the United States. However, as we can see, this did not happen.

EC: The Iranians have warned that if Israel were to attack, they could retaliate by targeting American facilities in the region. Do you expect Tehran to take such action?

AM: That’s a good question. I would prefer not to speculate on the decisions Tehran might make. However, it still seems to me that it is not in Iran’s interest to provoke the Americans and draw them into an escalation. I would therefore expect a tough response on Israeli targets and a more moderate response on American ones. Perhaps something similar to the Iranian strikes on US facilities in Iraq following the US assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani. Around 100 Americans were concussed in those attacks, but there were no fatalities.

From the perspective of avoiding a regional war, it would probably be sensible to give Israel a tough response, but to separate this from any tacit agreement by the US to allow such an operation. The big question is whether this will stop at exchanges of strikes on nuclear and/or military infrastructure or whether attacks on civilian targets will follow, which could lead to a major regional war.

EC: Russia and Iran recently signed a Strategic Cooperation Treaty. Although there is no clause obliging either party to intervene in the event of an attack, the two countries still consider each other to be allies. What kind of reaction does Iran expect from Russia?

AM: Judging by what is said publicly and non-publicly, the Iranians will expect the harshest possible condemnation of Israel’s actions. They will also expect Russia and China to raise this issue at various international forums, such as the UN Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Additionally, we can expect the Iranians to be even more interested in continuing military-technical cooperation with Russia, including the supply of additional defense equipment — but this is not for public discussion.

[…]

Via https://www.rt.com/news/619437-russian-expert-tehran-israeli-strikes/

60% of Israel’s Fuel Supply Now Offline

Hal Turner World 

Haifa Oil Refinery announced that it has shut down all facilities, including the power plant responsible for some of the steam and electricity production, due to extensive damage caused by Iranian ballistic missile attacks.

This single refinery is responsible for production of sixty percent of ALL fuel used in Israel: Gasoline, Diesel, even Aviation fuel for Fighter Jets!

With this shut-down due to Iran missile hits, Israel is now OUT of production for sixty percent of its ability to refine the fuels used for daily life and for military use.

 

JUST IN

The Bazan Oil Refinery in Haifa has been hit — with damage to pipeline systems and fires breaking out at the site.#Iran #iranisraelwar #Israele #TelAviv #PahalgamTerroristAttack pic.twitter.com/bco2FJrZAW

— তন্ময় l T͞anmoy l (@tanmoyofc) June 16, 2025

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Via https://halturnerradioshow.com/index.php/news-selections/world-news/sixty-percent-60-of-all-israeli-fuel-supply-offline