As crypto world notches political wins in Texas and beyond, some of its emerging political action committees ditch bipartisan approach for a Republican focus.

What to know:

• The Fairshake PAC and its affiliates are still the major force in crypto election clout, and they’re marking a number of significant congressional campaign victories bought with tens of millions in spending.
• But a number of new crypto PACs have emerged, and their Republican focus could shift some of the bipartisan energy carefully built over multiple campaign cycles.
• The Texas primary runoffs this week — and the loss of longtime incumbent U.S. Representative Al Green, a crypto critic — reinforce that the crypto PACs may be a significant influencer in the makeup of next year’s Congress.

The U.S. cryptocurrency industry has flexed its campaign-finance might to help dethrone veteran incumbents and elevate new allies in Texas and other states as the congressional midterm season approaches full velocity, though the arrival of new political action committees may put the sector’s meticulous bipartisanship in question.

Fairshake is still an unrivaled channel for millions of old-fashioned U.S. dollars to steer primary elections, but other crypto super PAC names have crept into the conversation, getting louder in the wake of this week’s Texas primaries. And the collective crypto spending is already contributing to real consequences for the next Congress.

The most recent Texas runoff bouts illustrated the widening reach of the crypto industry in politics, with Fairshake targeting and helping oust a longtime Democrat member of the House of Representatives, crypto critic Al Green, and one of the new PACs throwing weight behind a Republican Senate candidate. The Fellowship super PAC, associated with Tether and Cantor Fitzgerald, backed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s trouncing of the incumbent Republican with $500,000.

Though House races are often won or lost on funding in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, Fairshake spent $6.5 million to get U.S. Representative Christian Menefee advanced in place of Green. The Blockchain Leadership Fund (established recently with inaugural donations from Anchorage Digital and Chainlink) also endorsed and donated to Menefee, who won Tuesday’s unusual runoff of two incumbents pitted against each other by redistricting and is expected to win November’s general election in his Democratic-dominated district.

Across the Texas primaries, Fairshake also backed a list of Republicans seeking House seats, including Alex Mealer ($453,000), Tom Sell ($426,000), Carlos De La Cruz ($607,000) and Jon Bonck ($348,000) — turning in dominant wins in districts generally considered likely to come out for Republicans later this year.

But eliminating Al Green, a fixture on the House Financial Services Committee, is seen by crypto insiders as a major win. Green was a critic of the hazards the industry could pose to consumers, and he voted against crypto policy legislation while also co-sponsoring a bill seeking to ban President Trump from his personal crypto business interests.

Southern wins

The Texas successes join a recent Fairshake sweep from the $20 million it spent supporting candidates in Kentucky, Alabama and Georgia primaries. Two of the Republicans in those states were also backed by Fellowship: U.S. Representative Andy Barr in his Kentucky race for Senate and U.S. Representative Barry Moore’s campaign for Senate in Alabama, which still faces a runoff.

However, the industry has also seen setbacks — most notably in Illinois, where Fairshake spent more than $10 million trying to defeat Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton on her way to her Democratic primary victory in March, meaning a crypto-crossed candidate is likely to arrive in the Senate next year.

For a crypto industry that maintains some two dozen distinct policy organizations in the lobbying and advocacy space and is continually establishing new ones, the dominance of a single super PAC has been noteworthy. However, it doesn’t really come from any unifying sentiment across the sector, but from the fact that a trio of core crypto businesses have been willing to devote so much money to politics — primary backers Coinbase, Ripple and a16z.

Those who run Fairshake have routinely declined to answer questions about its decision-making and strategy since the fund’s early days, and a spokesperson declined to comment for this article. But the mega PAC now has a significant record to demonstrate its strategy, which has involved carefully seeking a balance of Republican and Democratic candidates to throw its support behind. The organizers set up two affiliate PACs to operate through: Protect Progress (for Democrats) and Defend American Jobs (for Republicans). And those arms have sought to bolster primary election wins, especially in districts or states in which one party is dominant and the primary will essentially decide who will win the November general election.

The party balance may be tilting this year, though, judging from the greater funding of the Republican affiliate in the most recent Federal Election Commission filings. But even if its backing of GOP candidates becomes more heavily weighted, Fairshake has illustrated its goal has nothing to do with traditional political ideology and everything to do with friendly crypto policy. It buys ads for its favored candidates, using whatever political messaging helps the particular Republican or Democrat get elected — almost never mentioning crypto.

The crypto industry’s campaign funding isn’t lost on the members of Congress currently trying to hash out digital assets policy, including the Senate’s bipartisan effort to advance the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act that represents the leading policy goal of crypto lobbyists. But the strategy to build crypto support in both parties on Capitol Hill is not the apparent aim of a couple of the other PACs.

Republican lean

The brothers atop Gemini, Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, set up the Digital Freedom Fund with $21 million to support Republican candidates and President Donald Trump’s crypto agenda, though the PAC hasn’t yet burst onto the political scene.

And the new Fellowship PAC, established with about $11 million — far short of an originally pledged $100 million — has solely contributed Republican support in several races. All but two of Fellowship’s chosen Republican candidates boast Trump’s personal endorsement, with the remaining two in crowded fields in which the president didn’t make a pick. The PAC’s alignment with the president’s politics was hinted in the first press release touting its foundation in support of what the administration had begun enacting in crypto policy. However, its chairman claimed it’s not dead-set on GOP support.

“Fellowship will also be providing bipartisan support,” Jesse Spiro, the super PAC’s chairman, said on stage at Consensus Miami 2026 earlier this month. “It’s not partisan. In that sense, it’s going to be candidates that support innovation in the U.S., that support crypto, that support the ecosystem.”

What’s less certain is the nature of its backing. Though foreign firms can’t engage directly in U.S. elections, the fund was associated with Tether since its beginnings, when an anonymous press release promised it would be a $100 million campaign-finance giant that championed transparency. Since then, a Tether executive, Spiro, emerged as its chairman, but its treasurer and its major opening contribution were from Cantor Fitzgerald, Tether’s U.S. financial partner that manages the stablecoin leader’s reserves.

So far, the millions in ads it’s bought for Republicans (the most, $629,000, going to Barr in Kentucky) has run through Nxum Group, a firm co-founded by Tether U.S. CEO Bo Hines (a former crypto adviser for Trump). Nxum has launched a number of ads across the country, and some of those produced by the fledgling political firm have apparently leaned into AI video production.

Spiro didn’t respond to messages seeking comment. The PAC’s federal filings indicate it may have spent the bulk of its opening funds.

The industry’s Republican emphasis outside of Fairshake comes at a time the party is beset by midterm election math. The declining popularity of Trump in the polls has dragged down the party’s already tenuous chances to keep its House majority next year. It’s possible that Republicans backed by the industry in this year’s races will find themselves in the congressional minority next year, and less able to direct crypto policy.

Betters at prediction markets platform Kalshi (whose own regulatory fate could be influenced by these political outcomes) put the Democrats at a 77% chance to win the House majority. They suggest the Democratic Party’s tougher road to win enough Senate seats put its chances for a majority in the upper chamber at 46%.

Hewing to the industry’s early strategy to support candidates from both parties, the Blockchain Leadership Fund backed by Anchorage Digital and Chainlink has so far had a modest beginning, focused on smaller, organic contributions directly to candidates’ own campaigns.

Its chairwoman, Jennifer Holdsworth, told CoinDesk that the fund was “proud to endorse several candidates who won their primaries yesterday.” She said the outcome made clear that “voters want leaders who will keep digital asset innovation, jobs and opportunity here at home.”

Anchorage Digital also contributed funds to Fellowship. Kevin Wysocki, head of policy at the crypto bank, said its engagement with both PACs is meant to reflect its “commitment to investing in bipartisan policy outcomes.”

“Crypto’s largest legislative wins — including the enactment of the GENIUS Act — have come from the thoughtful leadership of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle,” he said in a statement to CoinDesk.

Other crypto interests, the Solana Policy Institute and Multicoin Capital, have partially backed a separate PAC — the Sentinel Action Fund. Sentinel pitched an aggressive $8 million spending campaign against Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown’s attempt to return to the U.S. Senate, where he’d previously run the Senate Banking Committee and stymied crypto legislation. More recently, it’s supporting Republican Mike Rogers’ Michigan Senate run with almost $900,000 in spending.

But none of the other PACs is remotely approaching the scale of Fairshake, which had boasted $193 million in spending power before the election season began. It’s not only the top crypto campaign fund but a leading super PAC across all U.S. industries and political organizations.

With U.S. House veteran Green going down in flames this week, a Fairshake spokesman, Geoff Vetter, called it proof that “anti-crypto hostility carries consequences.” It’s a message the industry’s money is spelling out clearly, even as lawmakers who are up for election this year continue to work on (or oppose) crypto legislation.

The post The crypto industry’s massive political war chest is starting to lean Republican ahead of midterms appeared first on Activist Post.

No matter what happens now, the world is facing a very painful energy crisis. Let’s be as wildly optimistic as we possibly can and assume that Iran agrees to allow free passage through the Strait of Hormuz with absolutely no tolls or restrictions starting tomorrow. Before normal traffic through the Strait could resume, Iran would first have to remove all of the mines that they have laid in the Strait, and that could take months. Once all of the mines have been removed, it will take the tankers that are currently trapped in the Persian Gulf weeks to arrive at their destinations. Moving forward, Persian Gulf countries will be exporting much less oil and natural gas for the foreseeable future because of all the oil and natural gas infrastructure that was damaged or destroyed during the war. It will take years before all of that infrastructure is fully repaired and rebuilt. Meanwhile, global supplies of oil and natural gas will be very tight for an extended period of time.

What I have just laid out for you is the best case scenario.

Ultimately, what we end up facing could be so much worse.

Over the past couple of months, global oil reserves have been falling at the fastest rate ever recorded…

Record inventory draw: Global oil stocks have fallen by 246 million barrels in March-April, with draws in May hitting a record 8.7 million barrels per day.

Hormuz closure impact: The Strait of Hormuz shutdown has cut off 25% of the world’s seaborne oil, compounding already low reserves and boosting prices.

US price outlook: Analysts expect U.S. gasoline prices could reach $5 this summer unless flows resume, with relief unlikely before autumn.

Needless to say, this is not sustainable.

Here in the United States, the strategic petroleum reserve has been dropping at a record-breaking pace…

The SPR’s most recent drawdown, covering the week ended May 22, shows a drop of 9.1 million barrels, leaving the reserves at 365 million barrels. The previous weekly drawdown, covering the week of May 15, was its steepest on record — the U.S. withdrew 9.92 million barrels from the SPR then.

Before that record-breaking decline, the largest weekly drop in the SPR’s history occurred in the week ended Oct. 7, 2022, when the reserves dropped by 7.41 million barrels, and was connected to the war in Ukraine.

Commercial oil inventories are being rapidly depleted as well.

At some point the tanks are going to hit minimum operating levels and we are going to have an enormous crisis on our hands.

The chief economist at Capital Economics is projecting that commercial oil inventories “could reach critically low levels by the end of June”…

“At the current pace of drawdown, commercial oil stocks could reach critically low levels by the end of June,” Neil Shearing, chief economist at Capital Economics, wrote in a research note on May 18.

If supply conditions don’t improve soon, “prices could rise sharply,” Shearing warned.

Jeff Currie is warning that Asia is already very close to minimum operating levels, and he is projecting that the U.S. could potentially be dealing with shortages in July…

Oil markets are nearing minimum operating levels in Asia, with Europe likely next and the U.S. potentially facing shortages by July, said veteran market strategist Jeff Currie on Monday, underscoring the global energy shock due to the Iran war.

Headline global inventory figures can be misleading as much of the oil stored worldwide cannot be used immediately, said Currie, Carlyle’s chief strategy officer of energy pathways and co-chairman of Abaxx Markets.

A large portion of that oil is needed to keep pipelines and storage systems running safely, leaving only a smaller share available for the market. Asia is already close to these so-called “minimum operating levels,” Currie told CNBC on the sidelines of the UBS Wealth Conference in Singapore.

This is really happening.

The Australian government is so concerned about what is ahead that they have already prepared a plan to limit the amount of fuel each vehicle can purchase per day when that becomes necessary…

Contained in documents obtained by Guardian Australian under freedom of information, one option the government had at its disposal to arrest a local fuel supply shortage would be to impose a “maximum transaction value per vehicle per day” – a rationing rule which would limit how much fuel a single vehicle can buy at a service station over a 24-hour period.

If the Strait of Hormuz does not get reopened, we could eventually see similar measures get implemented all over the world.

Of course rationing of motor oil has already started…

Nissan is rationing 5W-30 and 0W-20 Nissan Genuine Motor Oils. Starting this week, Nissan’s stock of these oils has dropped by 30% year-on-year. With only 70% left in the tank, the brand is already taking precautions, sending memos to dealers to manage its stock during the shortage.

The brand will prioritize certain owners, such as those claiming “warranty, extended warranty, recall repairs, goodwill, and prepaid maintenance,” according to Kim Less, the vice president of aftersales at Nissan Americas, in the bulletin addressed to Nissan dealers.

“Given these constraints, it is critical to prioritize the use of Nissan Genuine 0W-20 (and 5W-30, where applicable) for warranty, extended warranty, recall repairs, goodwill, and prepaid maintenance,” Kim Less, vice president of aftersales, Nissan Americas, said in the May 15 bulletin to Nissan dealers.

I would encourage my readers to stock up on motor oil while they still can.

Supplies are only going to get tighter from this point forward.

The pharmaceutical industry is also very dependent on raw materials from the Middle East, and one pharmacist is claiming that the current drug shortage is the “worst I’ve ever known”…

Some people living with heart conditions, stroke risks, eye infections and bipolar disorder are among those unable to get the medications they rely on, a pharmacist has said.

Graham Jones, who owns Shrivenham Pharmacy in Oxfordshire, said vital medication like aspirin was harder to obtain because of surging global prices and government funding which was not keeping up with costs.

Jones said the current medication shortage was the “worst I’ve ever known”.

Personally, I am even more concerned about the global fertilizer shortage.

The UN is telling us that we could be facing a worldwide food crisis that could last for “years”…

The de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz risks a global food crisis that could extend for years, the UN warned.

Global fertilizer companies have slashed production over shortfalls of sulphur, required to make many farming inputs; about half of the global supply passed through the strait before the Iran war.

As a result, farmers are likely to produce lower yields in coming harvests. Richer economies like those in Europe are mulling building fertilizer stockpiles, reducing duties on imports, and onshoring production, but poorer ones have limited room to adapt.

I want to be very clear about what lies in front of us.

No matter what happens now, there will be shortages and rationing.

It is just a matter of how intense they will be and how long they will last.

Needless to say, the outlook for the global economy in the months ahead is not promising at all.

We really do have a major crisis on our hands, and it will become a historic nightmare if the Strait of Hormuz does not get reopened soon.

The post Shortages And Rationing Loom As Global Oil Reserves Fall At The Fastest Rate In History appeared first on Activist Post.

Story at-a-glance

• Ozempic, originally developed for Type 2 diabetes, is now widely used for weight loss, but new research shows serious effects on muscle and organ health
• A study in Cell Metabolism found Ozempic reduces lean mass by around 10% in mice, with the liver shrinking nearly 50%, raising concerns about long-term organ function
• Researchers observed a mismatch between muscle size and strength, with some muscles staying the same size but losing power, suggesting potential frailty risk and reduced physical performance in animal models — effects requiring confirmation in human clinical trials
• Older adults may face a higher risk, as age‑related weakness combined with potential drug‑related declines in strength may undermine independence, mobility, and overall longevity
• Long-term use of Ozempic and similar GLP-1 drugs is also associated with adverse side effects like dental issues, eye damage, mental health risks, and possible weight regain following discontinuation

Ozempic, known generically as semaglutide, is a drug originally developed to treat Type 2 diabetes, and it works by mimicking a natural hormone called GLP-1. Its commonly advertised effects include regulating blood sugar, slowing digestion, and reducing appetite — and these are the reasons why many are now relying on it to further their weight loss goals.

But as the number of people worldwide using these drugs continues to grow, so does the list of damaging health effects that are being associated with it. One study, for example, linked Ozempic to effects on muscle strength, even though muscle size remains stable. In animal models, this was associated with increased frailty risk and reduced physical performance — findings researchers note urgently need confirmation in human clinical trials.

Study Finds Unexpected Patterns in Muscle Health During Ozempic Use

A recent animal study published in Cell Metabolism investigated how Ozempic changes body tissues beyond just fat loss.¹ Conducted by researchers from the University of Utah Health, the study found that although changes in muscle mass appear trivial, the same cannot be said for muscle strength. According to a press release from the University, this points out “an urgent need for clinical studies to pin down the full effects of the popular medications.”²

•The research used mice as the study population and produced surprising results — They found that the lean mass of the test subjects dropped by about 10% overall. However, most of that decrease came not from skeletal muscle but from organs like the liver, which shrank nearly in half.

•This means that your organs are also reshaping during weight changes — The researchers said that some organ shrinkage is considered normal during healthy weight loss. However, the exact effects on humans are still unclear.

•Skeletal muscles also shrank slightly — The researchers noted a 6% reduction in these muscles, although this wasn’t enough to explain the total lean mass loss. Some muscles even stayed the same size. The researchers explained that this could reflect a “return to baseline,” because when you gain fat, your body also tends to build more muscle just to move the extra weight around. As fat goes away, that supportive muscle drops as well.

•A significant finding was the mismatch between muscle size and muscle strength — When the scientists tested how much force the mice’s muscles could produce, they found some muscles got weaker even though their size looked unchanged. In others, strength remained unchanged.

•These effects raise particular concerns for older adults — People over 60 years old are already at a higher risk for muscle weakness and mobility issues, so if the drug-related strength declines observed in mice translate to humans, it could increase falls and reduce independence. As senior author Katsu Funai, Ph.D., emphasized, “the loss of physical function is a strong predictor of not just quality of life but longevity.”³

The researchers cautioned against drawing one-to-one comparisons with people, stressing the urgency of conducting human clinical trials to confirm these findings. They explained that while the mice in the study became obese from eating a high-fat diet, human weight gain comes from many causes, including poor sleep, stress, and genetics.

Still, there are similar studies highlighting these effects of Ozempic and similar GLP-1 receptor agonist medications on your musculoskeletal health, adding to the growing body of evidence suggesting that rapid weight loss has damaging consequences for your well-being.

Ozempic Alters More Than Just Your Weight

Earlier this year, I published an article on how Ozempic leads to alarming side effects, affecting users not just physically but also psychologically, and even influencing their long-term health trajectory. One of the primary points I raised was that these drugs are leading to severe loss of muscle and bone.

•GLP-1 drugs reduce lean mass, according to studies — To better understand, it’s important to know what “lean mass” is. Simply put, this refers to the weight of everything in your body except fat — muscle mass, bone mass, organ size, fluids, and water in fat tissues.⁴

According to one review, up to 40% of total weight lost on semaglutide may come from lean mass, while liraglutide, the active ingredient in Victoza, a GLP-1 drug similar to Ozempic, has been linked to a reduction of up to 60% of total weight lost.⁵ A 2023 study published in Diabetes Care also compared semaglutide and tirzepatide with a placebo and found lean mass reduction accounted for 15% or less in total weight loss across all groups.⁶

•GLP-1s help you shed fat, but cause you to lose valuable tissue, too — One clinical trial involving 140 participants with a mean age of 52 looked at the effects of semaglutide and found that during a 68-week period, they were able to lose 23 pounds of fat — but at the same time, lost about 15 pounds of lean muscle mass as well. That’s nearly 40% of their total weight loss coming from tissue the body actually needs to survive and thrive.⁷

•Rapid weight loss also causes you to lose important bone tissue — A 2024 study involving 195 participants found that liraglutide led to lower bone density — particularly in the spine and hip. Published in the JAMA Network Open, the study said:

“Liraglutide alone led to weight and fat loss compared with placebo; however, this was associated with decreased hip and spine BMD compared with placebo and exercise alone.”⁸

•This combination of reduced muscle mass and low bone mineral density poses a mortality risk, especially to older people — Having low muscle mass and fragile bones leads to a higher risk of injury from falls, particularly in older populations who struggle with mobility. It may also compromise your immune system,⁹ potentially reducing your body’s ability to handle infections, which is also a common health concern among the elderly.

Muscle and Bone Damage Make Up Just a Fraction of Ozempic’s Overall Impact on Health

Ozempic has become a “global sensation,” with an estimated 20 million people using it annually to help them reach their weight loss goals faster.¹⁰ But as more and more people become hooked on this trend, the more its ugly side starts to surface. That’s the thing about taking shortcuts, especially when it comes to your health — there can be serious consequences.

I’ve been sounding the alarm about GLP-1 agonists for a few years now, and if you do an in-depth search on this site, you’ll see the many articles I’ve written exposing the pitfalls of these so-called “miracle drugs.” Below, I’ve highlighted some examples of side effects associated with Ozempic and other similar medications:

•Noticeable physical changes — These include what’s called “Ozempic face,”¹¹ which is when a person loses too much facial fat, leading to a hollowed-out, gaunt appearance, and “Ozempic breast”¹² in women, wherein their breasts become “saggy” or “deflated” due to too much fat loss.

•Dental health problems — There are now increasing cases of tooth- and gum-related health issues among those who use GLP-1 medications — a phenomenon dubbed as “Ozempic teeth.” These include symptoms like tooth decay, oral infections, bad breath, and dental collapse. Even those with no prior history of dental disease are experiencing these side effects.

•Blindness — A 2024 study published by JAMA Ophthalmology found a link between semaglutide and non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) among Type 2 diabetics and overweight or obese participants.

This condition is marked by a loss of blood flow to the optic nerve, the neural pathway connecting your eyes to your brain.

According to the study findings, semaglutide was associated with a 4.28 times higher likelihood of developing NAION among diabetic participants, and a 7.64 times higher likelihood among those who were overweight or obese.¹³

•Suicide ideation — One JAMA Network Open analysis of World Health Organization (WHO) adverse-event reports found a 45% greater rate of suicidal ideation reports among patients taking semaglutide compared to other medications.¹⁴ This may be related to how the drug’s main component targets GLP-1 receptors, which are present not just in the digestive tract but also in brain areas involved in managing emotions.

•Kidney damage — There are reports of semaglutide users experiencing kidney issues like acute interstitial nephritis (AIN), a serious kidney inflammation, and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). FSGS is associated with an increased risk of kidney failure.¹⁵

•Gastrointestinal problems — A 2023 study published in JAMA linked GLP-1 agonists to an increased risk of serious health conditions like pancreatitis, stomach paralysis, and bowel obstruction.¹⁶ There are also studies warning about the possible risk of these drugs causing fatal intestinal obstructions.¹⁷

•Thyroid tumors and other cancers — There are animal studies showing semaglutide causes thyroid C-cell tumors “at clinically relevant exposures,” a reason why this medication carries a black box warning.¹⁸ There’s also an incident in a trial wherein a patient developed metastatic pancreatic carcinoma about 65 days post-treatment.¹⁹

There’s Also the Problem with ‘Ozempic Rebound’

Another issue with taking shortcuts to lose weight is that the effects are not long-term — eventually, many patients end up gaining back the weight they lost, meaning all their efforts go down the drain. This is what’s called “Ozempic rebound.”

For example, a clinical trial conducted in 2022 found that among 327 long-term semaglutide users, many of those who stopped using the drug regained about two-thirds of their lost weight within a year.²⁰

•Stopping Ozempic may bring back all your hunger cues and cravings — Basically, when you take Ozempic and then go cold turkey, the hunger cues it had suppressed come raging back. This leads you to revert to unhealthy eating, which causes the weight to return.

•Even the other purported “health benefits” disappear — Ozempic is said to help reduce blood pressure, but this could bounce back when you discontinue using the drug.

•Patients are advised to stop the drug after a period of use — During this time, they need to assess their cravings for carbohydrates. Benjamin Bikman, Ph.D., a metabolic scientist at Brigham Young University in Utah, said in a Daily Mail article, “Ideally, a person has learned how to eat better and control carb cravings and their weight loss can be sustained in the long run.”²¹

There Are Better Strategies to Help Manage Your Weight

Going back to the featured study, the researchers noted that their findings on muscle stress can provide insights to help in the production of other weight loss drugs. “There are many additional weight loss drugs that are in clinical trials and coming out in the next three to five years,” Funai says. “But with all those clinical trials, if they’re interested in measuring lean mass loss, they need to consider physical function,” Funai said.

But that is exactly what’s wrong with this picture — many have become so engrossed by these quick remedies to shed pounds and fail to realize that these are not long-term solutions.

I believe that the key to eliminating excess fat and maintaining a healthy weight lies in optimizing your cellular energy production. And while it involves a multifaceted approach that takes time and effort to implement, the payback is so much better, as it leads to safer, healthier results — something GLP-1 receptor agonists don’t offer. Here are key strategies that I recommend for healthy weight management.

1.Eliminate vegetable oils and ultraprocessed foods from your diet — These contain high amounts of linoleic acid (LA), which disrupt your metabolic pathways and alter how your body stores fat. Instead, cook your meals using tallow, grass fed butter, or ghee. Ideally, keep your LA intake around 5 grams per day; if you can get it down to 2 grams, that would be better.

2.Shift your carbohydrate sources gradually — Choose fruits, whole grains, and well-cooked vegetables as your carb sources. If your gut is compromised, start by introducing easily digestible carbohydrates like whole fruit or white rice before incorporating more complex carbs. For those with severe gut issues, sipping dextrose water will provide the cells with a steady source of easy-to-digest, healthy carbohydrates for energy.

3.Consider your protein intake — Aim for 0.8 grams of protein per pound of your ideal body weight from a mix of high-quality animal sources. This may help support muscle maintenance, tissue repair, and hormone balance. If you exercise frequently, you might need to slightly increase your intake. My suggestion is to take it slow and listen to how your body responds.

4.Support your mitochondrial health with other healthy habits — Getting daily sun exposure is one example; however, if you’re still consuming vegetable oils, make sure to avoid intense midday sun for at least six months. Research suggests vegetable oils may accumulate in skin tissue and contribute to oxidative stress under UV exposure.²² Learn more about this by reading “The Fast-Track Path to Clearing Vegetable Oils from Your Skin.”

5.Boost your GLP-1 levels naturally with Akkermansia muciniphila — This bacterium is a keystone strain in your microbiome. Having higher levels of Akkermansia is associated with lower weight, better blood sugar control, lower inflammation, and less body fat. Meanwhile, having lower levels is linked to obesity.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Ozempic and Muscle Health

Q: What is Ozempic and why are so many people using it?

A: Ozempic, or semaglutide, was originally designed to manage Type 2 diabetes by mimicking a natural hormone called GLP-1. It helps regulate blood sugar, slows digestion, and curbs appetite. Because of these effects, millions worldwide now use it as a quick solution for weight loss, making it one of the most talked-about drugs in recent years.

Q: How does Ozempic affect muscle health?

A: Animal studies show that Ozempic use may reduce muscle strength even when muscle size remains mostly stable. This could create a hidden problem — your muscles may look the same but perform worse. This decline in strength may increase the risk of frailty, falls, injuries, and loss of independence, particularly as you age.

Q: Does Ozempic impact organs and bones too?

A: Yes, it does. Research has shown that Ozempic may not only reduce fat but also shrink organ size, especially in the liver, which shrank nearly in half in animal studies. It may also lead to possible decreased bone density in the spine and hips, raising the risk of fractures, frailty, and health complications, especially in older adults.

Q: What other side effects are linked to Ozempic?

A: Beyond weight loss, Ozempic has been tied to a wide range of non-favorable side effects. These include sagging skin and facial fat loss (“Ozempic face”), dental collapse known as “Ozempic teeth,” vision damage, kidney issues, gastrointestinal paralysis, pancreatic tumors, and even higher rates of suicidal thoughts.

Q: Is weight loss from Ozempic permanent?

A: No, the results often do not last. Many users experience “Ozempic rebound,” where they regain most of the weight they have lost within a year after stopping the drug. Hunger and cravings return quickly, and even the temporary health benefits, like lower blood pressure, diminish.

These findings include results from animal models and clinical research. Results may not apply to all individuals.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health regimen.

The post New Study Gives More Insight on How Ozempic Use Affects Muscle Health appeared first on Activist Post.

The investment firm said nation-states and central banks are increasingly turning to assets like Bitcoin and gold as alternative settlement systems outside of US control.

Recent moves by the Iranian government to Bitcoin for oil tolls as gold overtakes US dollar assets in global central bank reserves signals a “shift away from dollar-based systems,” according to Fidelity Digital Assets.

Tehran’s acceptance of BTC for oil shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz represents the emergence of “alternative settlement mechanisms,” according to the company’s just-released “Six Key Trends Shaping Digital Assets in 2026” report. 

Accepting Bitcoin for shipping toll payments is evidence that the biggest cryptocurrency could replace the US dollar as the global reserve currency because of its neutral, confiscation-resistant and decentralized properties, supporters of BTC say.

At the same time, central banks’ demand for gold remains “strong” despite its 20% decline from the all-time high of about $5,600 per ounce reached in January. The report said:

“Gold’s performance and continued central bank demand are broadly aligned with our initial thesis, while the anticipated follow-on outperformance from bitcoin has yet to materialize.”

Related: US law firm files motion requesting redistribution of $344M USDt linked to Iran

Iran considers an insurance model for oil ships paid in Bitcoin

In May 2025, Iranian media reported that the government of Iran was considering a maritime shipping insurance model for oil vessels crossing the Strait that would be payable in Bitcoin and “settled at the speed of blockchain.”

“Under the Economy Ministry’s plan, managing the Strait through an insurance framework would enable the issuance of various marine insurance policies as well as certificates of financial responsibility,” according to the state-run Fars News agency.

In April 2026, the Iranian government announced it would accept oil shipping tolls in Bitcoin, US dollar-pegged stablecoins and Chinese yuan.

Later that month, US authorities froze $344 million in stablecoins linked to Iran’s government and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Despite the ability of US officials to freeze and confiscate stablecoins, Tether’s USDt dollar-pegged token continues to dominate oil shipping fees, according to Sam Lyman, the head of research at digital asset advocacy organization Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI).

Magazine: Is China hoarding gold so yuan becomes global reserve instead of USD?

The post Fidelity Digital Assets highlights ‘growing evidence’ of shift from dollar-based systems appeared first on Activist Post.

A recently published book outlines a protocol for an autonomous, decentralized supply chain that industry analysts say directly challenges the centralized cloud and logistics monopolies held by major technology firms.

The book titled “The Void Age Bootstrap Protocol” provides open-source designs for survival hardware produced by what it terms “dark factories” – fully automated manufacturing facilities that can operate with minimal human oversight and without reliance on major platforms such as Amazon, Google or Microsoft. According to author Daniel D. Lee, this protocol forces these tech titans into a difficult strategic choice: either host and distribute the blueprint for their own potential obsolescence or move to censor it, risking backlash from advocates of free speech.

Tech Titans Face Difficult Choice

The protocol detailed in the book enables self-organizing dark factories to produce hardware using open-source designs, bypassing centrally managed cloud infrastructure. According to the book, this directly threatens the business models of Amazon, Google, and Microsoft by reducing demand for their high-profit cloud and logistics services.

The book argues that the same digital tools that these companies use to manage global supply chains can be repurposed to build independent production networks that operate outside their control. Analysts note that the publication of such a protocol forces a decision between hosting and censorship.

Officials at the major tech companies have not commented publicly. However, a 2026 report by ZeroHedge noted that half of all U.S. data centers scheduled for 2026 construction have already been canceled or delayed, partly due to rising energy costs and infrastructure strain ^[1]. The book suggests that decentralized manufacturing could further reduce the need for massive centralized data centers, accelerating this trend.

Energy Sector Impact Detailed

The book’s central tenet – producing hardware without petroleum – is described as an existential threat to the oil supply chain. It highlights the fragility of oil-transport routes, citing events such as the ongoing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz as evidence of vulnerability. According to the book, this undermines the geopolitical and economic power of petrostates and oil companies by offering a completely decoupled manufacturing path that does not rely on fossil fuels.

Lee points to recent battery breakthroughs as enabling this transition. A report on a Finnish startup called Donut Lab described a solid-state battery that could power decentralized manufacturing units ^[2].

Additionally, sodium-sulfur battery technology from Jiao Tong University in Shanghai has achieved energy densities surpassing lithium-ion, making off-grid, localized production more feasible ^[3]. The book argues that these developments allow communities to produce essential goods independent of global energy supply lines.

Gatekeepers of Industry Lose Leverage

The book details how existing Industry 4.0 infrastructure – including robotics, 3D printing and artificial intelligence-driven logistics – can be repurposed for distributed production networks. According to the author, this democratizes access to advanced manufacturing and empowers a network operating outside legacy financial and logistical systems.

Lee’s book draws on historical examples, such as Henry Ford’s efforts to make his River Rouge plant virtually self-sufficient by owning coal mines, forests and iron mines ^[4]. While Ford centralized production, the new protocol decentralizes it, using modern technology to achieve similar self-sufficiency at the community level.

In an interview, Marcin Jakubowski, founder of Open Source Ecology, emphasized the importance of open-source manufacturing in creating resilient local economies ^[5]. The book argues that by opening up designs and protocols, the power traditionally held by industrial gatekeepers – large corporations that control capital and supply chains – is transferred to local producers. This directly challenges the control exercised by the old industrial elite over production, pricing, and distribution.

Conclusion: Broader Implications for Censorship and Control

The publication raises questions about the role of centralized platforms in hosting content that undermines their own existence. According to analysts, this could prompt efforts to suppress the book’s distribution through censorship or surveillance.

A 2026 article from NaturalNews argued that survival now means “escaping the system that wants you dead,” echoing the book’s call for self-reliance outside institutional control ^[6]. The protocol represents a significant step toward decentralizing power away from globalist institutions, according to the text, but its success depends on whether it can evade the censorship and infrastructure dependency that currently constrain alternative systems.

References

1. Zero Hedge. “Half Of US Data Centers Scheduled To Start In 2026, Will Be Canceled Or Delayed”. April 13, 2026.
2. Mike Adams. “The Donut Lab Battery: A Wright Brothers Moment for Energy Independence?”. NaturalNews.com. February 21, 2026.
3. Mike Adams. “Health Ranger Report – SODIUM SULFUR BATTERY”. BrightVideos.com. January 20, 2026.
4. Walker Martin. “America Reborn: A Twentieth-Century Narrative in Twenty-Six Lives”.
5. Mike Adams. “2025 11 18 DCTV Interview with Marcin Jakubowski “.
6. NaturalNews.com. “Survival Now Means Escaping the System That Wants You Dead”. March 25, 2026.

Explainer Infographic

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Conservation and public health groups filed a formal notice on Thursday, May 28, with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin to force the agency to develop water-quality standards for atrazine, a pesticide linked to cancer, according to the groups.

According to the notice, atrazine has been found at dangerous levels in thousands of U.S. waterways and in drinking-water supplies. The filing is a required step before the groups can sue the EPA under the Clean Water Act. ^[1][2]

Background: Atrazine Use and Health Risks

Atrazine is the second most widely used pesticide in the United States, with tens of millions of pounds applied annually on corn and other crops. The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer in 2025 classified atrazine as “probably carcinogenic to humans,” according to a report from NaturalNews.com. ^[2] Since 1999, cancer has been the leading cause of premature death in the United States for those under age 85, according to the book “Taking Action, Saving Lives” by Kristin Shrader-Frechette. ^[3]

The herbicide is banned in more than 60 countries due to links to birth defects, cancers and fertility problems, reported Children’s Health Defense. ^[4] Atrazine has been shown to disrupt endocrine systems and cause reproductive abnormalities in wildlife, including turning male frogs into hermaphrodites, according to a 2007 report from NaturalNews.com. ^[5]

The 1972 Clean Water Act regulates discharges into U.S. waterways, but toxic runoff from agriculture continues to pollute, according to a Frontline report cited by Mercola.com. ^[6] The act requires the EPA to develop water-quality criteria for pollutants; the agency initiated that step in 1999 but never completed it, according to the groups.

Legal Action and Group Statements

Nathan Donley, environmental health science director at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement: “The Trump administration has failed to do anything to adequately protect our families and most endangered wildlife from the dangers of cancer-linked and hormone-disrupting pesticides, like atrazine.”

Tom Fox, senior legislative counsel at the Center for Environmental Health, said: “Atrazine is polluting waterways throughout the United States at unsafe levels leading to health risks like cancer and birth defects.” Emily Marquez, a senior scientist at the Pesticide Action & Agroecology Network, meanwhile reiterated: “The science is clear that atrazine is a threat to public health in America, especially farmworkers and agricultural communities.”

The groups filed the notice as a prerequisite for a future lawsuit to compel EPA action. The Safe Drinking Water Act, enacted in 1974, regulates public drinking water systems, but no new chemicals have been added to the regulated list since 1996, according to “The Facts on File Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine.” ^[7]

Government Actions and Shortfalls

The Trump administration’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) in May 2026 issued a finalized review concluding that atrazine does not pose an extinction risk to any threatened or endangered species. This contradicted the EPA’s 2021 finding that the pesticide harms more than 1,000 species, according to reports. ^[4]

The EPA proposed steps to reduce contamination in 11,249 watersheds where atrazine levels exceed safety thresholds. However, a 2025 analysis found the plan would bring only 1% of those watersheds below harmful levels, according to the Center for Biological Diversity.

Atrazine pollution affects about one-eighth of the landmass of the continental U.S., according to the analysis. In 1992, the EPA and FWS signed a memorandum linking Clean Water Act standards to species protection, according to “Beacham’s Guide to Environmental Issues.” ^[8] The recent FWS finding stands in contrast to that earlier agreement, according to critics.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called for a ban on atrazine, and President Donald Trump has stated that Kennedy is “looking into” pesticides, as reported by NaturalNews.com. ^[2] The EPA had previously issued a report highlighting atrazine as a concern in drinking water, noting the chemical’s presence in many public water systems. ^[1]

Outlook

The legal notice states that the EPA must act under the Clean Water Act, and the groups are prepared to sue if no action is taken. The groups argue that immediate steps are needed to reduce human and environmental exposure to atrazine. The widespread contamination underscores the gap between U.S. regulatory practice and the bans in place across more than 60 other nations. ^[4]

References

1. Mercola.com. “Toxic Pesticides Found in Drinking Water an”. April 18, 2017.
2. NaturalNews.com. “Trump administration faces criticism for inaction on atrazine after WHO labels the pesticide probably carcinogenic”. November 26, 2025.
3. Shrader-Frechette K S Kristin Sharon. “Taking action saving lives our duties to protect environmental and public health”.
4. ChildrensHealthDefense.org. “60 Countries Banned This Pesticide. Trump Insists It’s Safe to Use in the U.S.”.
5. NaturalNews.com. “Common crop herbicide Atrazine linked to reproductive mutations in amphibians”. August 27, 2007.
6. Mercola.com. “Poisoned Waters An In Depth Look at the S”. November 05, 2016.
7. None. “The Facts on File encyclopedia of health and medicine”.
8. Beacham Walton 1943-Beacham Publishing-1. “Beachams guide to environmental issues sources”.

Explainer Infographic

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Introduction

China has unveiled its first fully autonomous electric tractor, the Honghu T70, according to reports. The tractor was developed by an agricultural technology company based in the country and has drawn significant online attention in recent weeks.

Videos and images of the tractor operating without a driver have circulated across social media platforms, including X, according to platform data. The clips show the vehicle navigating fields and performing tasks independently, prompting widespread discussion among viewers.

Technical Specifications and Features

The Honghu T70 is equipped with GPS, LiDAR, and multiple sensors for autonomous navigation, according to the manufacturer. The company stated that the tractor uses these systems to map its surroundings and follow pre-programmed routes without human intervention.

The tractor is powered by an electric battery, with a listed operating time of several hours, the company said. It can perform tasks such as plowing, seeding, and spraying autonomously. Officials noted that the vehicle is designed to operate in various agricultural settings, including fields of different sizes and terrain types.

The development of electric farm machinery aligns with broader trends in China’s energy sector, where sodium-ion battery technology is gaining ground for use in electric vehicles and large-scale energy storage, according to industry reports ^[1].

Online Virality and Public Reaction

Posts on social media platform X showing the Honghu T70 in operation have accumulated millions of views, according to platform data. Commenters on the platform expressed interest in the tractor’s potential to reduce labor costs and improve efficiency in farming operations.

Some users raised questions about the reliability and safety of fully autonomous farm machinery, the posts indicated. Concerns included the tractor’s ability to handle unexpected obstacles and its performance in adverse weather conditions. The manufacturer has not publicly addressed these specific questions, according to available information.

Implications for Agriculture and Industry

The release of the Honghu T70 comes as China promotes agricultural modernization and self-sufficiency in farm equipment, according to government statements. Analysts said autonomous electric tractors could help address rural labor shortages, a challenge noted in agricultural literature where young people migrate to cities, leaving the countryside deprived of farm labor ^[2].

Autonomous vehicle systems have already shown measurable results in sectors such as agriculture, mining, and logistics, according to executives at firms specializing in retrofitting heavy equipment ^[3]. The technology may face regulatory hurdles and require infrastructure upgrades, including charging stations and network coverage, for widespread adoption, industry experts noted.

Large landowners have previously complained about difficulty obtaining returns on investment in farming, according to reports, and have asked for government aid ^[4]. Autonomous tractors could reduce reliance on human labor, potentially lowering operating costs.

Conclusion

The Honghu T70 represents a notable step in China’s development of autonomous agricultural vehicles, according to observers. Officials said further testing and certification are needed before large-scale deployment can begin.

The tractor’s viral online presence has highlighted growing public interest in agricultural automation. The trajectory of such technology will depend on regulatory approvals, infrastructure development, and market acceptance in the coming years.

References

1. “Sodium-Ion Batteries Gain Ground as Energy Option”. Sodium Battery Hub. April 22, 2026.
2. “Farming and food”.
3. “From hype to reality: ASI CEO Mel Torrie on why autonomous vehicles are outpacing humanoid robots”. Robotics and Automation News. April 9, 2026.
4. John E Pomfret. “The geographic pattern of mankind”.

Explainer Infographic

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So… the last tanker to exit the Strait of Hormuz before the US and Israeli strikes has now arrived at its destination. The final barrels of crude loaded before the conflict have been delivered, refined, and consumed.

Since the end of February, tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has become a critical pressure point, yet governments and mainstream media (increasingly operating as one system)  have largely avoided explaining the full implications to the public. You saw the headlines last week, didn’t you? “Peace talks progressing,” “Deal imminent,” and suddenly… poof!… oil prices dip. 

I actually got liquidated on my oil futures again because of this nonsense. I was up 400%, sold some, and then BOOM! Fake news hits the wire, the algo-bots panic sell, and my position gets wiped out. It’s been happening for months. The market isn’t pricing in reality; it’s pricing in the scripted hallucinations of the elite.

But here is the reality that the algorithms and the “What To Do In Case of a Nuclear Attack” crowd aren’t telling you: The Strait has been effectively closed for three months. The last tanker that managed to squeeze through the choke point before the “terror attacks” or whatever military intervention occurred has just arrived at its destination. That gasoline is already in your tank. It’s gone.

Now, picture a supertanker. It’s not a FedEx envelope. It doesn’t zip from the Persian Gulf to Houston in 24 hours. Most people still don’t understand the timeline involved. Oil tankers leaving the Persian Gulf can take two to three months to reach destinations, depending on where they’re headed. Imagine cycling from Iran, around Africa, and across to Brazil – that’s the kind of distance these ships cover. The tankers arriving now were loaded months ago.

Behind them? NOTHING!

Supply chains don’t break overnight. They empty slowly, quietly, and then suddenly everyone notices at once. We are now entering the “gradually, then suddenly” phase. The pipeline is dry. The SPR is empty. The repricing of the entire energy complex is about to break the backs of the central banks. 

Right now, everything still appears “on schedule.” The shelves are stocked, the fuel pumps are running, the construction crews are working, and people are preparing for summer as usual. But beneath the surface, the global energy system may already be entering a new phase… one almost no-one has been prepared for. (Except if you’ve been following my videos on Vigilante.TV or following me on X @ BerwickJeff.

And, while the supply shock hits the real world, the financial house of cards is tumbling. 

In March alone, oil-importing emerging markets dumped $86 billion in US Treasuries. That is the largest decline since 2011. They need cash to buy oil at any price and are liquidating US assets to get it. When nations stop buying (or start selling) US debt, the Ponzi scheme wobbles.

The US government plans another Dirty War, relies on the world holding its debt. If they stop playing ball, the bond market crashes. The dollar reserve system is eating itself alive.

But don’t think for a second that this isn’t orchestrated. Just before the energy shock hits, the markets are being artificially propped up to facilitate the final exit strategy for the Techno-Totalitarian giants.

We are seeing a massive pump-and-dump. They are keeping the illusion of wealth alive just long enough to float the IPOs of the companies that will enslave you: SpaceX, OpenAI. The beast system needs capital to go public at the absolute top to secure funding for the surveillance grid, the AI control networks, and the 6G prison. Once they cash out, they pull the plug. They let the crash happen, scoop up real assets for pennies, and you get left with a digital currency that buys nothing.

It’s hard for the average person to see this because they are neurologically hijacked. People spend 12 years in government indoctrination camps, then come home to glue themselves to screens feeding them algorithmic mind control. They’re fluorinated. Injected with nanotech. Chemtrailed with ticks. And, it’s so incredible to be watching it all replay again. 

I can’t believe the last few years since the Covaids scamdemic. Remember all the way back then I said I can’t believe no one could see what’s going on. Remember the ovens in Mexico City? The media told us they never stop burning. The ovens never stop burning. Black smoke billows out from Mexico City’s crematorium. And, I was just sitting here in Mexico going, nothing’s going on, no one’s dying. How come these crematoriums never stop burning. I even went there to check myself and found an empty parking lot with one guy who had just woken up from a siesta because, yeah, no one had been there recently. I said, are you guys busy? He’s like, no, there’s no one here.

I recently watched Planet Mind Control by Jason Christoff. It explains perfectly why nobody is reacting to what is happening in Hormuz. Christoff breaks down how Hollywood isn’t there to entertain you; it’s there to program you. They use predictive programming to prep your subconscious for the events they are about to unleash. It shows how alcohol and coffee are pushed in every scene to shut down your critical thinking faculties. Coffee cuts off blood flow to your brain. It’s like voluntarily putting yourself in a choke hold so you don’t notice the world burning.

Most people are serotonin-depleted zombies because their reality is a script written by producers who view the masses as a joystick. You live on Planet Mind Control. If you still trust the news, you are the product.

So, what do you do?

You prepare. At the ranch, we aren’t waiting for the government to save us. We’ve got the solar panels going up. We are building our own water, our own energy. We even have the local kids helping out (we pay them, of course) getting them out of the government schools and teaching them real skills.

But you also need to protect your wealth. The system is going to try to reset into a digital slave grid. You need to be outside of it before the doors slam shut. This bifurcation is happening. One group goes into the pod, eats the bugs, and takes the CBDC. The other group seeks decentralization, precious metals, and cryptocurrencies now.

Since Ed Bugos and I started The Dollar Vigilante 15 years ago, it has grown immensely, but despite our evolution toward freedom, our financial track record is our biggest achievement. People are making real money, so don’t miss out. Subscribe to the Dollar Vigilante newsletter today for less than $20 per month.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

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The post Planet Mind Control: Why You Can’t See the Collapse Coming appeared first on Activist Post.

If you believe Israel is worthy of disproportionately high levels of support, then you must necessarily also concede that it is worthy of disproportionately high levels of criticism.

Reading by Tim Foley:

One of the more asinine liberal Zionist talking points is conceding that you are technically allowed to criticize Israel while insisting that it veers into antisemitism if you place more emphasis on Israel’s abuses than on abuses in other countries.

If you believe Israel is worthy of disproportionately high levels of support, then you must necessarily also concede that it is worthy of disproportionately high levels of criticism.

You cannot simultaneously claim that it is appropriate and normal for the United States to be gifting billions of dollars in weaponry to Israel, AND that Americans should pay no more attention to Israel’s humanitarian abuses than those seen in places like Sudan or the DRC.

You cannot simultaneously claim that it is right and good for the governments of the western world to unite behind Israel’s relentless warmongering and provide it with myriad forms of military support, diplomatic cover and mass media apologia, AND claim it is a sign of prejudice against Jews for you to place more emphasis on Israel’s acts of military aggression than on those of Russia.

You cannot simultaneously claim that it is fine and correct for western governments to be aggressively stomping out free speech that is critical of Israel in the name of combatting “antisemitism”, AND insist that we should pay as much attention to the Israel lobby as we give to the lobbyists of nations like Qatar.

You can’t make support for Israel absolutely central to the foreign and domestic policies of my nation’s government, AND tell me that Israel should not be a special focal point of my scrutiny and opposition. You can do one or the other with logical coherence, but you can’t do both.

It’s fine if you want to try to argue that Israel is a super duper mega important ally whose fate is inseparable from the fate of my own country, but you don’t get to then turn around and also tell me I should place no more emphasis on its violence and abuses than on those of nations like Iran or North Korea. That’s not a thing.

If my rulers are going to insist on supporting Israel’s nonstop wars, assaulting my free speech rights in order to defend Israeli information interests, and allowing obscenely powerful lobby groups to manipulate my government for the benefit of Israel, then Israel is going to receive a disproportionate amount of attention from me, because there is no other nation on earth for whom all of these things are being done.

There is no valid argument to the contrary.

_________________

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The post If Israel Receives Immense Support, It’s Going To Receive Immense Criticism appeared first on Activist Post.

The payments giant said the approval supports its push into stablecoins and blockchain-based settlement infrastructure.

What to know:

• Mastercard has secured a New York BitLicense, allowing it to conduct digital asset activities under one of the toughest crypto regulatory regimes in the United States.
• The approval advances Mastercard’s strategy to build blockchain-based payments and settlement infrastructure, with a particular focus on stablecoins and tokenized deposits.
• The move highlights how major payment networks are preparing for a financial system in which blockchain-based rails operate alongside, rather than outside, traditional banking systems.

Mastercard has received a BitLicense from the New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS), giving the payments giant approval to operate digital asset activities under one of the strictest crypto regulatory frameworks in the United States.

The company announced Wednesday that Mastercard Transaction Services (U.S.) LLC secured the license as part of its broader push into blockchain-based payments and settlement infrastructure.

The approval comes as major financial firms deepen their involvement in stablecoins and tokenized payments, betting that blockchain networks could lower costs and speed up global money movement.

“Clear regulatory frameworks play an important role in building trust and confidence as new forms of digital value move from experimentation toward practical application,” Jorn Lambert, Mastercard’s chief product officer, said in a statement.

New York’s BitLicense framework, introduced in 2015, requires crypto firms to meet strict standards around capital reserves, cybersecurity, compliance and consumer protection. Companies operating under the license also face ongoing regulatory oversight from NYDFS.

The regime has often been criticized by crypto firms for its high compliance costs and lengthy approval process, though supporters argue it gives institutions clearer rules for operating digital asset businesses.

Mastercard joins a relatively small list of firms to recently receive the license. Crypto financial services company Galaxy obtained a BitLicense earlier this month, following Strike’s approval in March, alongside two dozen other firms to receive a virtual currency license since the regime’s launch a decade ago.

The move aligns with Mastercard’s growing focus on stablecoin infrastructure. In March, the company agreed to acquire stablecoin payments firm BVNK for $1.8 billion, a deal analysts viewed as a sign that stablecoins are becoming part of mainstream financial infrastructure rather than remaining a niche crypto product.

Stablecoins — digital tokens pegged to fiat currencies like the U.S. dollar — are increasingly used for cross-border payments, treasury operations and business-to-business settlements because blockchain transfers can settle around the clock and often faster than traditional banking rails.

Mastercard said the BitLicense approval supports its strategy around digital currencies, including stablecoins and tokenized deposits, while maintaining the compliance and operational standards used across its global payments network.

“As digital and traditional financial systems continue to evolve, Mastercard remains focused on advancing interoperability, reliability and trust across the payments ecosystem,” the company said.

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