87% of the World’s Oceans Are Dying (Source globalresearch.ca)

The world’s oceans are rapidly becoming unrecognizable as impacts from human activity strip them of marine life, according to a report published in the journal Current Biology.

In fact, just 13% of the world’s oceans have intact marine ecosystems, while the rest have been plundered and degraded.

The majority of healthy ocean space, meanwhile, exists in the high seas, outside of national marine protected areas. As a result, these sections are vulnerable to being exploited, making the creation of international treaties to protect the oceans all the more urgent, according to the Guardian. The goods news is that the United Nations is spearheading an effort to comprehensively protect the high seas later this year.

“We were astonished by just how little marine wilderness remains,” Kendall Jones, lead author of the report, told the Guardian. “The ocean is immense, covering over 70% of our planet, but we’ve managed to significantly impact almost all of this vast ecosystem.”

Oceans are being harmed in a variety of ways.

Climate change is causing global ocean temperatures to rise, changing how fish species migrate, affecting how animals reproduce, causing coral reefs to die, and unleashing dangerous pathogens.

Why washing romaine lettuce won’t kill E. coli that’s already sickened 32 people (Source usatoday.com)

Washing romaine lettuce won’t rid it of E. coli, experts say amid an outbreak that’s already sickened 32 people across multiple states.

Sarah Sorscher, deputy director of regulatory affairs at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said running water over the lettuce can’t ensure that harmful germs are killed. Even scrubbing with baking soda or vinegar won’t do the trick.

Why? Because bacteria can get stuck in “microscopic crevices,” James Rogers director of Food Safety and Research at Consumer Reports has said.

If you have romaine lettuce at home, throw it out, the CDC warned in a food safety alert issued two days before Thanksgiving. All of it — even if it’s bagged and “triple washed.” You should also clean your refrigerator where the contaminated lettuce was stored — maybe even with a tablespoon of bleach, according to the CDC. Don’t forget to wash your hands, too.

Thinking about cooking your greens? Even wilting lettuce can’t guarantee all of the bacteria is gone. There’s also no research saying that buying organic is less risky for E. coli.

1. coli symptomsinclude stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting. Some cases can be life-threatening. Among the illnesses reported by the CDC in the current outbreak, one person was hospitalized with a kind of kidney failure.

Mississippi Republican apologizes for ‘hanging’ remark in Senate runoff debate (Source Yahoo)

Mississippi Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith apologized Tuesday evening for a recent remark that evoked the South’s ugly past of racial terror against African-Americans and has turned what should be an easy win for the GOP in a runoff election for the U.S. Senate into an unexpectedly competitive race.

“For anyone that was offended by my comments, I certainly apologize. There was no ill will, no intent whatsoever in my statement,” Hyde-Smith said in a debate with Democrat Mike Espy. “In nearly 20 years of service … I have worked with all Mississippians. It didn’t matter their skin color.”

But Hyde-Smith, a former state senator appointed to her seat in March, also said that her words had been “twisted” and “turned into a weapon to be used against me.”

Espy, a former congressman and secretary of agriculture under President Bill Clinton, told Hyde-Smith that “no one twisted your comments because your comments were live.”

“I don’t know what’s in your heart, but we all know what came out of your mouth,” said Espy, who is black. “It’s given our state another black eye that we don’t need.”

“We got a senator here talking about public hangings,” Espy said. “Ladies and gentleman, I am not going back to yesteryear. We are going to move forward … not talking about horrors of the past.”

On Nov. 11, video of Hyde-Smith surfaced where she told an audience at a campaign event that she appreciated the host who had invited her so much that “if he invited me to a public hanging, I’d be on the front row.”

Mississippi has a gruesome history of “racial terror lynchings,” as they have been described by the Equal Justice Initiative. In 1877, the last of the federal troops sent to the South following the Civil War were pulled out of the region. The withdrawal was followed by lynchings and Jim Crow laws that systematically took political power away from blacks in the South.

“The Outlook For The Global Economy Has Deteriorated” (Source theeconomiccollapseblog.com) Oil, copper and lumber are all telling us the exact same thing, and it isn’t good news for the global economy.  When economic activity is booming, demand for commodities such as oil, copper and lumber goes up and that generally causes prices to rise.  But when economic activity is slowing down, demand for such commodities falls and that generally causes prices to decline.  In recent weeks, we have witnessed a decline in commodity prices unlike anything that we have witnessed in years, and many are concerned that this is a very clear indication that hard times are ahead for the global economy. The price of oil peaked in early October, but since that time it has fallen more than 25 percent. The International Energy Agency said that while US demand for oil has been “very robust,” demand in Europe and developed Asian countries “continues to be relatively weak.” Meanwhile, the price of copper has been declining for quite some time now.  The price of copper also fell substantially just before the last recession, and many analysts are pointing out that “Dr. Copper” is now waving a red flag once again. The message of weakening demand on the oil front was reinforced by the falling price of copper. The base metal is often referred to as “Dr. Copper” on its presumed ability to forecast the peaks and troughs of business cycles since it is used in different areas of the economy such as homes, factories and electricity generation. Copper has served as a leading indicator of both recessions and economic booms.

Dollar Monopoly Slips as China and Japan Dump US Treasuries (Source globalresearch.ca)

China and Japan – the two main holders of the US Treasury securities – have trimmed their ownership of notes and bonds in August, according to the latest figures from the US Treasury Department, released on Tuesday.

China’s holdings of US sovereign debt dropped to $1.165 trillion in August, from $1.171 trillion in July, marking the third consecutive month of declines as the world’s second-largest economy bolsters its national currency amid trade tensions with the US. China remains the biggest foreign holder of US Treasuries, followed by long-time US ally Japan.

Tokyo cut its holdings of US securities to $1.029 trillion in August, the lowest since October 2011. In July, Japan’s holdings were at $1.035 trillion. According to the latest figures from the country’s Ministry of Finance, Japanese investors opted to buy British debt in August, selling US and German bonds. Japan reportedly liquidated a net $5.6 billion worth of debt. Liquidating US Treasuries, one of the world’s most actively-traded financial assets, has recently become a trend among major holders. Russia dumped 84 percent of its holdings this year, with its remaining holdings as of June totaling just $14.9 billion. With relations between Moscow and Washington at their lowest point in decades, the Central Bank of Russia explained the decision was based on financial, economic and geopolitical risks.

Turkey and India have followed suit. Like Russia, Turkey has dropped out of the top-30 list of holders of American debt following a conflict with Washington over the attempted military coup in the country two years ago. While India remains among the top-30, the country has cut its US Treasury holdings for the fifth consecutive month, from $157 billion in March to $140 billion in August.

Earlier this week, Goldman Sachs said that US policy of sanctions and tariffs against major economies, including Russia, China and Iran, dragged down the dollar’s share of global central-bank reserves. Meanwhile, the data from the International Monetary Fund confirms that the US dollar’s share in the global central-bank reserves dropped to 62.3 percent from April to June, while holdings in the euro, yen and yuan gained as a share of allocated reserves.

France: We Want a European Empire (Source thetrumpet.com) France is ready for a European empire. That is according to French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, who said in an interview published on November 12 in Germany’s Handelsblatt newspaper that the European Union must become a “form of empire, like China and the U.S.” Le Maire’s comments come just days after French President Emmanuel Macron said Europe needs a “real army” to defend itself. “I use the term to sharpen awareness that we are going into a world where power matters,” Le Maire said. “Europe should no longer shrink from deploying its power.”

“It’s going to be all about power … technological power, economic, financial, monetary, cultural power—all will be decisive,” he said. “Europe cannot be shy any longer about using its power” Mr. Armstrong said in a sermon on Aug. 10, 1984: “Europe will reunite, and they will form a new empire: a new nation, political, with one currency, one military force, one government.” In 1982, he said: “Now what they [Europe] want is political union. What they want is one military force. What they want is one great world power ….” This is exactly what Le Maire very publicly emphasized. In his interview with Handelsblatt, Le Maire said that the ball is in Berlin’s court, effectively saying, Look, Germany—we want you to take the lead! Europe needs German leadership in order to form a real empire. The Bible—and current headlines—also show that this European power will be anti-American. Le Maire said in his interview: “Everybody knows it takes guts to stand in the way of Donald Trump’s administration. The people of Europe have had enough of the babble from Brussels. They want to see action.” Are you awake to what is going on in the world today?

Too many aren’t. While Europeans openly talk about building an empire to oppose the U.S., we are focusing on domestic issues: voter recounts, drama over a White House press pass, and other events that are perhaps more sensational. What the Europeans are building will desolate this nation! Most haven’t even heard of the truly significant stories like Europe talking about getting its own army. At the Trumpet, we are dedicated to telling you the truth! Destruction is prophesied to come.

Huge stockpile of nuclear waste on California fault line threatens US (Source rt.com) Millions of pounds of toxic waste are being buried under the site of a privately owned former nuclear power plant in California. The only problem? Experts warn that it sits on a major fault line — and in a tsunami zone. The San Onofre nuclear plant, located just 108 feet from a popular beach, was shut down in 2015 after a leak was discovered. Now, the Southern California Edison energy company is burying the nuclear waste at the failed site — a move which has been approved by federal regulators. Charles Langley, the executive director of Public Watchdogs, told RT that the situation at San Onofre is of “grave concern” because spent nuclear fuel and water “don’t mix.” Langley claimed that research carried out by experts which highlighted the extreme risks of storing the waste at the facility was “suppressed” by the very government agency responsible for protecting public health and safety. “There are actually fault lines that run underneath the facility. We’ve documented this in geological reports that were suppressed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. It’s in a Tsunami zone and it’s also extremely vulnerable to terrorist attacks.” So far, 29 of 73 canisters of waste are below the surface of the ground. Langley warns, however, that the canisters are unequipped to store the toxic nuclear waste. Nina Babiarz, a board member at Public Watchdogs. Babiarz believes the San Onofre plant is a ticking time bomb.

California Fire Now Blocking Out the Sun, Lowering Temperatures by 10 Degrees (themindunleashed.com)

California’s deadliest fire in state history has generated so much smoke that it’s blotting out the sun – which has caused surface temperatures to drop by as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the US National Weather Service. The smoke from the Camp Fire, which has burned 140,000 acres, claimed at least 56 lives, and is 40% contained, is so bad that anyone in the cities of Chico or Gridley who venture outdoors without a surgical-grade respirator are putting themselves in danger, according to Bloomberg. Current air quality across much of the region is very poor. The air in the immediate vicinity of the fire is considered “hazardous” — the worst it can be — and the poorest in the U.S. Air now has an “unhealthy” rating for the air from Sacramento to Livermore, and it’s only a little better for San Francisco. The smoke is so thick “it prevents the sunlight from reaching the surface,” said Hannah Chandler-Cooley, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Sacramento.

US Military Faces a Crisis and Needs More Money, Report to Congress Warns (Source The Fiscal times)

America’s military superiority “has eroded to a dangerous degree,” leaving the national security “at greater risk than at any time in decades,” a bipartisan commission warned Wednesday in a congressionally mandated report.

The National Defense Strategy Commission, made up of 12 Republican and Democratic national security experts selected by Congress, was tasked with evaluating the Trump administration’s 2018 National Defense Strategy (NDS), released last January, which seeks to restructure the military, with a particular focus on preparing to meet renewed challenges from China and Russia in addition to threats from Iran, North Korea and radical terrorist groups.

The panel endorsed the new strategy and its emphasis on future competition and conflict with those rising powers. But it warned that the strategy “too often rests on questionable assumptions and weak analysis, and it leaves unanswered critical questions regarding how the United States will meet the challenges of a more dangerous world.”

Rising risks: America’s ability to defend itself, its allies and its interests “is increasingly in doubt,” the report says. Shifting regional military balances in Eastern Europe, Asia and the Middle East are undermining the confidence of U.S. allies and emboldening adversaries, raising the likelihood of military conflict.

The Biggest Threat to Dollar Dominance (Source oilprice.com) Russian oil exporters are pressuring Western commodity traders to pay for Russian crude in euros and not dollars as Washington prepares more sanctions for the 2014 annexation of Crimea by Moscow, Reuters reported last week, citing as many as seven industry sources.

While it may have come as a surprise to the traders, who, Reuters said, were not too happy about it, the Russian companies’ move was to be expected as the Trump administration pursues a foreign policy where sanctions feature prominently. This approach, however, could undermine the dominance of the U.S. dollar as the global oil trade currency.

Early indications of this undermining became evident this spring, when Russia and Iran launched an oil-for-goods exchange program seeking to eliminate bilateral payments in U.S. dollars and plan to keep it going for five years. The sanction buddies discussed this sort of agreement earlier, back in 2014, when Iran was still under Western sanctions. Even after the notorious nuclear deal was reached, the two countries decided to go ahead with their barter deal, and the preliminary agreement was reached last year. According to it, Russia would receive 100,000 bpd of Iranian crude in exchange for US$45 billion worth of Russian goods.

In March, Iran banned purchase orders denominated in U.S. dollars and said that any merchant using dollars in their orders will not be allowed to conduct the import trade. A month later, Tehran announced that it will publish all its official financial reports in euros instead of dollars in a bid to encourage a switch to euros from dollars among state agencies and businesses.

Merkel joins Macron in call for ‘real, true’ European army after Trump slams idea (Source rt.com)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for a “real, true” European army to be created, just days after French President Emmanuel Macron did the same – and received backlash from Donald Trump for doing so.

“We should work on a vision of one day establishing a real European army,” Merkel said during an address to MEPs at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

That statement was an apparent nod of support to Macron, who last week said that Europe has to “protect ourselves with respect to China, Russia, and even the United States of America.” Europe cannot do so, he said, “unless we decide to have a true European army.”

Macron’s statement didn’t exactly sit well with US President Donald Trump, who lashed out at his French counterpart on Tuesday and noted that France’s problem during World War II wasn’t the US, Russia, or China – it was Germany.

“They were starting to learn German in Paris before the US came along,” he tweeted.