A health zone in Congo’s healthcare system covers a defined area with a network of clinics and a referral ​hospital.

More than three weeks after the epidemic was declared, these new infections in a new area are “undermining” the ability to prevent the transmission of this Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus.

The health ministry said Tchomia, about 50 kilometers south of the ​provincial capital Bunia on the shores of Lake ​Albert, has become the latest affected health zone, ⁠bringing the total number of affected zones to 26 nationwide and ​18 in Ituri province, which accounts for more than ​94% of confirmed cases. –Reuters

The government said that the latest situation report confirmed 37 new cases, including 12 deaths. These were reported in the previous 24 hours, ‌all ⁠in Ituri.

The outbreak has so far recorded 635 confirmed cases and 127 deaths across three eastern provinces.

This outbreak was declared on May 15th, and so far, there is no approved vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. Some vaccines are in the works, but it will take time for studies to confirm safety and efficacy.

Three New Vaccine Candidates For Ebola Are Being “Fast-Tracked”

First, we heard there’s new funding of up to US$62 million to fast-track the development of vaccine candidates against the type of virus circulating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and neighboring Uganda.

As of June 2nd local time, DRC health authorities reported 344 confirmed cases, including 60 confirmed related deaths. Uganda has reported 15 confirmed cases, including one death. Previously, suspected cases in the region were more than 1,000. –Science Alert

It isn’t clear how effective or safe any of these vaccines could be. The COVID-19 vaccine has been shown to be effective in a lot of people. But humanity, apparently, hasn’t learned its lesson when it comes to quickly approving an injectable substance.

Explosions and impacts were reported across southern and central Iran hours after US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said US Central Command (CENTCOM) “will be busy tonight.”

“Because President Trump said we will be hitting Iran hard – and we will be,” Hegseth told reporters.

This news comes as the ruling class continues to tell the public that a peace deal is in the works. Obviously, we are being lied to. It does not appear that there is any intention of negotiating a ceasefire agreement with Iran.

Hegseth To Testify Before The Senate As The Iran War Price Tag Reaches $25 Billion

Hegseth added that the strikes would target “key facilities” in Iran and claimed that Tehran “has an opportunity to make a deal” with Washington.

For all intents and purposes, though, it doesn’t look like anyone is willing to make any kind of a peace deal right now.

If There Is Fighting With Iran Almost Every Single Day, What Is The Point Of Having A “Ceasefire”?

Tehran’s conditions for a peace agreement include the cessation of hostilities “on all fronts,” including Lebanon, where Israel has been waging a war against Hezbollah since early March. Israel and Iran exchanged strikes on Monday. -RT

At the very least, this has not really spilled over to include more countries and multiple regions. It seems fairly contained to Iran and its proxies, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon. But that doesn’t mean it won’t explode at some point, becoming a massive world war involving more weapons and deaths than imaginable.

Just yesterday, the US launched a series of strikes against Iran in “self-defense” for a downed helicopter. Iran immediately retaliated and denied any responsibility for shooting down the helicopter.

Donald Trump Orders “Self Defense” Strikes On Iran

Trump Worries Netanyahu Will Restart a War He’s Continuing

Summary

• Trump tells Fox he “may keep going” with strikes.
• Trump says Iran took too long to negotiate, and now “will have to pay the price”.
• Tehran claims the prior night attacks in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan as fulfillment of its previously vowed ‘retaliation’ – targeted the Fifth Fleet headquarters in Manama, footage shows.
• Iran again signals it could cut off all indirect talks & any negotiations, says it is ‘reviewing’ US talks after latest exchange of missiles.

*  *  *

Could ‘Keep Going’ With Strikes: Trump to Fox

More strikes coming? Trump is certainly strongly hinting at this, and yet an overall strategic vision still remains murky and ill-defined. Once again he in a short 12-hour period went from hyping a deal being a few days away, to now threatening yet more attack waves on Iran, in the wake of last night’s:

President Trump said Wednesday that he’s close to ordering more strikes on Iran after the country’s attacks targeting American bases in Persian Gulf nations, according to Fox News’ Trey Yingst.

Mr. Trump said he “may keep going” with strikes, which he said would target power plants and bridges, because Iranian negotiators are “tapping the United States along,” according to Yingst.

He wrote on Truth Social just before these comments that Iran will have to “pay the price” after taking too long to proceed with negotiations.

Trump: Iran Took Too Long To Negotiation, Now Will ‘Pay’

As part of what the United States is calling its latest ‘defensive strikes’ after Iran shot down an Apache helicopter in the Hormuz region, American forces overnight into the early Wednesday hours targeted “air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites” – the Pentagon said. Iran confirmed that there were indeed fresh attacks around Bandar Abbas and Qeshm Island, but gave no details on the damage, or info on other strikes potentially conducted elsewhere across the Islamic Republic.

“The operation was a proportional response to recent attacks on U.S. forces and international commercial ships transiting regional waters,” US Central Command (CENTCOM) said. Trump is meanwhile again lashing out at Tehran, claiming its military is now a “complete and total mess” – and yet it keeps responding:

Oil reacts, sensing no peaceful off-ramp or de-escalation on the horizon…

Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan Hit Hard by Iranian Overnight Attack

Tehran later claimed attacks in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan as fulfillment of its previously vowed ‘retaliation’ – and given these countries host American forces. This marks merely the second time this week the ceasefire was ignored (or rather, shattered – though the White House is maintaining it’s still on) with major tit-for-tat strikes, as each side asserts that it is acting ‘defensively’.

Iran has been saying it’s going to keep up the pressure on Washington and its Gulf allies through both the ‘battlefield and diplomacy’ – with Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei freshly charging that the US is “undermining” the diplomatic process through “contradictory messages, frequent shifts in its positions and demands, as well as repeated violations of the ceasefire.”

He indicated that at this point, there’s not even the “minimum level of conducive conditions” that is “required in order to carry out diplomacy effectively.”

Bahrain and Kuwait got hit hardest in these newest strikes, with reports saying the US Fifth Fleet base came under fire:

Iran Touting Both ‘Diplomacy & the Battlefield’

“The Zionist regime is also damaging this process through its repeated violations of the ceasefire in Lebanon,” Baghaei said, adding, “any diplomatic process is harmed by the use of force and unlawful actions.”

“Diplomacy and the battlefield are not separate matters. Together they serve as instruments for safeguarding Iran’s national interests and security,” he stressed in a familiar refrain of late.

He also indicated the question of negotiations will be “reviewed” in light of last night’s developments, and further emphasized, “Wherever necessary, our armed forces will respond to the enemy with authority.“

“Every Side Believes They Can Control the Escalation”

But it’s also clear Tehran feels it must assert strong red lines immediately and without hesitation if it is to survive this now several months-long military confrontation with Washington. On this, longtime regional war correspondent and analyst Elijah Magnier has some insight as to each side’s calculus:

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Magnier said it’s a volatile situation with no “stable political exit” as peace is far from being achieved while Lebanon and Gaza remain outside of any final settlement.

“The most dangerous thing is that every side believes they can control the escalation. However, a repeated incident can erode restraint, and if talks collapse completely, this controlled escalation could widen into a much larger conflict,” he said.

History has shown if “one strike crosses the red line” the attacks can spiral out of control, said Magnier.

Indeed in many ways that’s how we got here in the first place.

Vital water infrastructure reportedly struck in Iran during this new round of intense but brief escalation:

The White House believed it could control the outcome from day one of Operation Epic Fury, and then perhaps a bit of panic set among US officials in when it was realized the government in Tehran would not so easily fall, and that the military apparatus would become hardened, and its power expanded.

Reports of another US MQ-9 Reaper drone shot down over Iran:

From there it took many weeks to get the naval armada in place, enough to where a blockade could be enacted against Iran’s ports and its crucial oil exports. The White House continues to face several ‘bad’ and ‘worse’ options for dealing with the crisis, as energy prices are set to soar this summer.

More Latest Developments

via Newsquawk…

• US President Trump told ABC that the US was responding to Iran and that it is important to respond to Iran’s downing of the helicopter, as well as noted that the response is very strong and powerful.
• US VP JD Vance said the US is very close to reaching a deal that would address Iran’s nuclear program for the long term, which could come next week or months from now, but absolutely before the midterms, according to CBS.
• White House senior official said nothing has changed in their position regarding an agreement with Iran, and it is still close despite the strikes.
• A US official said the US military carried out strikes on almost 20 targets inside Iran, but noted preliminary assessments indicate most Iranian missiles and drones were successfully intercepted.
• Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Baghaei said they need to reassess, following the overnight clashes, when questioned on talks with the US, SNN reported.
• Iranian Foreign Ministry statement strongly condemns America’s crime in its military aggression against Iran.
• An Iranian military source tells IRIB that no offensive military operations have been conducted in the Strait of Hormuz over the past 24 hours. Warned that if the enemy carries out another hostile action under the pretext of the military helicopter crash, it will face a decisive response.
• A massive fire in the center of Erbil and an explosion have been heard near the US base in the vicinity, Mehr news reported, citing sources.
• Local sources reported that an explosion was heard in the area of Qeshm city, Mehr News reports. However, this was later denied by the Qeshm governor.
• UN Security Council debated reviving the Iran sanctions panel, although Russia and China opposed the revival of the Iran sanctions committee, according to Tasnim.
• Israeli air raids hit the Lebanese towns of Touline, Srifa, and Kafra. It was separately reported that missiles were spotted from Lebanon that were headed towards Kiryat Shmona and its surroundings, while rockets launched from Lebanon towards Upper Galilee were also detected.
• UKMTO has received a report of an incident 20nm Northeast of Oman’s Sohar.
• UKMTO reported an incident involving a cargo vessel 88 nautical miles southwest of Balhaf, Yemen.

We are being told that we have a “ceasefire” with Iran, but both sides keep breaking it over and over again. We are also being told that a peace deal with Iran “is being finalized” or is “just days away”, and yet no deal ever materializes. I feel like I am living in a twisted version of “Groundhog Day” where the exact same things just keep repeating in the Middle East day after day.

There is hopeful talk of peace in the morning, but by the evening, both sides are blasting one another again. What is the point of keeping up this charade at this point? We obviously don’t have a “ceasefire” with Iran, and it has become exceedingly clear that no peace deal is imminent.

On Tuesday, the financial markets responded quite positively when President Trump told the press that a peace deal with Iran is in “the final throes”…

US President Donald Trump says he is in the “final throes” of reaching a Middle East peace deal.

“We’re in the final throes of what will be a very, very good deal,” he tells reporters on his return from an NBA Finals game.

When asked whether it would be matter of days or weeks, he says it will take “two or three days.”

I don’t want to spoil the rest of the story for those who want to be surprised, but there isn’t going to be a peace deal with Iran this week.

There isn’t going to be a peace deal with Iran next week or the week after that, either.

It is possible that President Trump could get some sort of an extension of the current ceasefire from Iran, but that will only be possible if Trump essentially surrenders and gives Iran virtually everything that they are requesting.

But what good would an extension of the current worthless ceasefire be anyway?

There really isn’t any point in even having a ceasefire if both sides are going to pummel one another night after night.

On Tuesday, Trump promised that the U.S. would respond after the Iranians shot down one of our Apache helicopters…

President Trump on Tuesday accused Iran of shooting down a U.S. Apache helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz and said the U.S. must respond to the attack.

The downing of the helicopter late Monday set off a race to find two American crew members before Iranian forces could close in on them. They eventually were rescued by a drone boat in a first-of-its-kind operation at sea, the military said.

“I have just been informed by our Great Military that last night the Iranians shot down one of our highly sophisticated Apache Helicopters while patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump said on Truth Social. “There were two pilots involved, both are safe and uninjured. Nevertheless, the United States must, of necessity, respond to this attack.”

Shooting down one of our helicopters was a very foolish thing for the Iranians to do.

Of course, they are not exactly known for making good decisions.

Just a little while ago, Trump gave the green light and U.S. Central Command began a series of “self-defense strikes” against Iran…

Donald Trump has launched strikes against Iran in retaliation for the shooting down of an Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz.

US Central Command said in a statement that it ‘began launching self-defense strikes against Iran at 5pm ET today at the Commander in Chief’s direction, in response to yesterday’s downing of a US Army Apache helicopter.

‘The mission is a proportional response to unjustified Iranian aggression.’

The U.S. response was quite a bit stronger than I initially expected.

According to Iran International, a significant number of important military sites in southern Iran were targeted…

The US airstrikes targeted Iran’s Sirik and Jask naval bases, an air defense position in Bandar Abbas, coastal missile batteries in Minab and Qeshm, and the port of Qeshm, according to unofficial reports by local media in Hormozgan province.

Of course, it was probably inevitable that the Iranians would choose to hit back, and they quickly promised that there would be a “heavy response” to these U.S. airstrikes…

The IRGC Aerospace Force said it would deliver a “heavy response” in the coming moments to what it called the enemy’s hostile actions.

Many were expecting the Iranians to target U.S. military facilities in the region, and so Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates all raised their alert levels…

If any Americans are killed by these strikes, Trump will definitely order another round of retaliation.

So let’s hope that doesn’t happen.

But there is no turning back now, because the Iranians have already unleashed a barrage of missiles and drones…

IRGC-linked Sabereen News says Iran has launched missiles and drones toward US targets in the region.

Details remain limited and there has been no immediate confirmation from officials in Tehran or Washington.

As I write this, I have not seen any damage reports yet.

Hopefully, most of the missiles and drones that Iran has launched will be intercepted.

But for those who are still desperately hoping for peace, this latest round of fighting is certainly not going to be helpful.

Meanwhile, we are being told that Hezbollah has launched more rockets toward northern Israel…

The Iranians could order Hezbollah to stop firing rockets into northern Israel, but they refuse to do this.

Hezbollah knows that firing rockets into civilian areas of northern Israel will provoke a very strong response.

In fact, it is quite likely that we could see the IDF bomb southern Beirut again.

If that happens, the Iranians will almost certainly send more ballistic missiles at Israel.

And then Israel would almost certainly launch the absolutely “massive” wave of airstrikes that was called off at the last moment earlier this week.

This is not what a “ceasefire” looks like.

Instead, this is the opposite of what a “ceasefire” looks like.

But I am sure that tomorrow morning there will be a lot more headlines assuring us that a peace deal with Iran is right on the verge of being finished, and that will calm the markets.

We live at such a bizarre time in human history, and I am convinced that things will get even stranger as time rolls along.

Michael’s new book, entitled “10 Prophetic Events That Are Coming Next,” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.

About the Author: Michael Snyder’s new book, entitled “10 Prophetic Events That Are Coming Next,” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com.  He has also written nine other books that are available on Amazon.com, including “Chaos”, “End Times”, “7 Year Apocalypse”, “Lost Prophecies Of The Future Of America”, “The Beginning Of The End”, and “Living A Life That Really Matters”.  When you purchase any of Michael’s books, you help to support the work that he is doing.  You can also get his articles by email as soon as he publishes them by subscribing to his Substack newsletter.  Michael has published thousands of articles on The Economic Collapse Blog, End Of The American Dream, and The Most Important News, and he always freely and happily allows others to republish those articles on their own websites.  These are such troubled times, and people need hope.  John 3:16 tells us about the hope that God has given us through Jesus Christ: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  If you have not already done so, we strongly urge you to invite Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior today.

Washington claims that it is coordinating the bans to protect citizens ahead of the FIFA World Cup. The travel restrictions should be imposed on people who have recently been in Central African countries affected by the Ebola outbreak, in hopes of avoiding the spread of the virus during the soccer World Cup, sources and officials said on Tuesday.

Ebola Cases Now Top 500, With More Than 90 Deaths Recorded

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month issued an order barring noncitizens who have been in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan in the previous 21 days from entering the U.S. Americans were told to go through select airports for screenings. –CNBC Africa

Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently said that Ebola must not be allowed to enter the U.S. He added that the administration’s efforts have focused on keeping anyone potentially exposed to the virus overseas, even though the US has facilities equipped to treat Ebola cases while containing the spread of the virus.

Three New Vaccine Candidates For Ebola Are Being “Fast-Tracked”

The US claims that it is doing its part to stop Americans from contracting the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, and that now other countries must do their part.

“Other countries must do their part to ensure this outbreak does not spread further. Action is required now. That includes financial contributions and implementing commonsense restrictions on travel from the affected area,” said the official, who provided comment anonymously. “We are engaging diplomatically with countries around the world to coordinate our approach to protect our citizens, including the millions of visitors, fans, athletes, and tourists expected during the FIFA World Cup.”

Unfortunately, you can’t make this up. Trump has recently restarted attacks on Iran, to which the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has already retaliated. Yet, it looks like his goal is to shift blame onto Israel, when both rulers are war-mongering sociopaths.

Trump has allegedly been irritated over the suspension of peace talks with Iran due to Israel’s continued strikes. Which is hypocritical considering he just ordered more attacks on Iran himself.

Accoridng to a report by RT, Iran’s conditions for a peace agreement include the cessation of hostilities on “all fronts,” including Lebanon, where nearly 3,700 people have been killed since early March, when Israel resumed strikes in response to attacks by Hezbollah.

Axios reported on Monday that Trump said in a phone interview with the outlet that he had warned Netanyahu that “if he went back to war with Iran, he might find himself fighting alone.” Trump previously confirmed reports that he had called Netanyahu “f**king crazy” during an earlier conversation.

It looks like Trump has no intention of letting Netanyahu fight alone, however.

Multiple reports said Trump tried to persuade Netanyahu not to retaliate after Iran launched 11 missiles, all of which were intercepted. According to Smith, Trump said Netanyahu told him that Israeli missiles “were already on the way” by the time they spoke. –RT

Israel Launches New Strikes Against Lebanon While Trump Claims Iran Deal Is Close

Iran has accused Trump of starting the war entirely at Israel’s behest. These allegations echo those of some of Trump’s domestic critics. Trump, however, has argued that he “calls the shots” and recently said that Israel would have no choice but to accept whatever terms he agreed upon with Iran.

As of right now, it doesn’t appear that either the US or Israeli rulers are looking for an end to the war. Both continue to attack, making a peace deal impossible.

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) described Trump’s order to attack as “self-defense strikes… in response to yesterday’s downing of a US Army Apache helicopter.”

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) almost immediately retaliated, hitting US military targets in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait. The IRGC has published footage of missile launches it stated were aimed at American military facilities in several Arab countries, describing the operation as retaliation for recent US attacks, according to a report by RT.

US strikes were also reported in other parts of Iran’s southern Hormozgan Province.

Earlier on Tuesday, CENTCOM said the helicopter that started these renewed strikes had crashed off the coast of Oman while patrolling the area and that its two pilots had been rescued. Iran has not taken responsibility for the downing of the helicopter, with one official being quoted as saying “there was no deliberate attack” on the aircraft.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that US forces operating near Iranian territory “are at constant risk on account of their own human errors, plain accidents, or potentially being caught in crossfire.”

The IRGC claimed the American strikes damaged a telecommunications tower on Sirik Island and destroyed two water reservoirs in the Bemani district. It said its response included attacks on the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and four targets at Jordan’s al-Azraq air base, including hangars housing F-35 fighter jets. –RT

Shortly after the US instigated the strikes, Araghchi warned that Iran “will leave no attack or threat unanswered.”

“Leave our region if you want to be safe,” he warned the US military on X.

Not long ago, Trump claimed that a peace deal with Iran was getting close.

Israel Launches New Strikes Against Lebanon While Trump Claims Iran Deal Is Close

Iran threatened to suspend all negotiations last week after Israel struck Lebanon. Nearly 3,700 people have been killed since the Israeli Defense Forces resumed its military operation in response to attacks by Hezbollah. Tehran’s peace terms with the US include the cessation of fighting “on all fronts,” including Lebanon.

It still looks like that’s little more than a lie to placate the American public, which is becoming quickly tired of the high gasoline prices tied to this war, and the moral decay linked to it.

]]> https://www.shtfplan.com/member-exclusive/donald-trump-orders-self-defense-strikes-on-iran/feed 0 https://www.shtfplan.com/economics/is-the-us-economy-headed-for-a-bust https://www.shtfplan.com/economics/is-the-us-economy-headed-for-a-bust#respond Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:30:19 +0000 https://www.shtfplan.com/?p=369535 This article was originally published by Frank Shostak at The Mises Institute. 

There is a high likelihood that, due to the past large decline in the yearly growth rate of the money supply, the US economy is heading towards an economic bust. Note that the yearly growth rate of money supply fell from 79 percent in February 2021 to minus 7 percent by May 2023.

The sharp decline in the yearly momentum of money supply is starting to hurt various activities that emerged on the back of the huge increases in the money supply between August 2019 and February 2021, from minus 1 percent to 79 percent. It is likely that the effect of this massive increase is still dominating the present state of economic activity (see chart).

As time goes by, however, the effect of the huge decline in money supply growth is increasingly likely to assert itself on economic activity.

As a result, various bubble activities are likely to crumble. The reason for this is that the diversion of savings to them from wealth-generators will weaken due to the decline in money supply growth. Consequently, various bubble activities will be deprived of the funds they have relied upon in order to grow and survive.

Projects that have emerged because of the expansionary monetary policy of the central bank and the resulting money creation by the commercial banks might be impressive in nature and scale—such as the artificial intelligence (AI) capex boom—but these projects might not be affordable. What determines the affordability of these ventures is the state of the subsistence fund.

The Essence of a Subsistence Fund

Most goods that individuals require to support their lives and well-being are not readily available from nature. These goods have to be produced by transforming various things in nature into goods that individuals can use. This transformation undergoes various stages.

In an economy that operates in the framework of the division of labor, some individuals are employed in the extraction of various raw materials such as coal and iron. Some other individuals are employed in the alteration of raw materials into various tools and machinery. Whereas some other individuals are employed in the transformation, by means of the tools and machinery, of various goods into consumer goods.

Individuals employed in the various stages of production must have access to savings to support them while producing in those stages. This investment in capital goods comes from private savings.

If private production and saving increase, all other things being equal, this would permit an expansion of productive infrastructure. An expanded subsistence fund enables individuals to introduce new stages of production which, prior to the expansion of the fund, could not be undertaken. This, in turn, permits the production of a greater quantity and a greater variety of consumer goods.

In addition, once there has been an adequate increase in savings, individuals would then be in a position to aim at further enhancing their well-being by seeking things such as entertainment and services related products, such as medical services, etc. The size of the subsistence fund—comprised of private savings—sets the limit on the projects that can be implemented. On this, Richard von Strigl wrote:

Let us assume that in some country production must be completely rebuilt. The only factors of production available to the population besides laborers are those factors of production provided by nature. Now, if production is to be carried out by a roundabout method, let us assume of one year’s duration, then it is self-evident that production can only begin if, in addition to these originary factors of production, a subsistence fund is available to the population which will secure their nourishment and any other needs for a period of one year. . . . The greater this fund, the longer is the roundabout factor of production that can be undertaken, and the greater the output will be. It is clear that under these conditions the “correct” length of the roundabout method of production is determined by the size of the subsistence fund or the period of time for which this fund suffices.

According to Bohm-Bawerk:

The entire wealth of the economical community serves as a subsistence fund, or advances fund, and, from this, society draws its subsistence during the period of production customary in the community.

The size of the subsistence fund constrains the affordability of various projects, such as AI. An enhanced structure of production is what sets in motion an increase in economic growth, all other things being equal. The improvement in the infrastructure, in turn, takes place as a result of the increase in the subsistence fund. Hence, anything that weakens the subsistence fund undermines the prospects for economic growth. Consequently, regardless of how impressive various projects are, what determines whether these projects are viable is the state of the subsistence fund.

Introducing Money

Money’s main function is to fulfill the role of the medium of exchange. Money does not sustain or fund economic activity, but, without the medium of exchange, neither the division of labor nor the market economy could have emerged. (The existence of money enables individuals to specialize).

Individuals pay with goods and services they produce—they do not ultimately pay with money. Money only helps to facilitate payments. Money enables the goods of one specialist to be exchanged for the goods of another specialist. On this Mises wrote,

Commodities, says Say, are ultimately paid for not by money, but by other commodities. Money is merely the commonly used medium of exchange; it plays only an intermediary role. What the seller wants ultimately to receive in exchange for the commodities sold is other commodities.

By means of money, an individual can channel savings to other individuals as capital investment, which, in turn, permits the widening of the process of wealth generation.

As things currently stand, it is likely that the yearly growth rate of private savings is under pressure. The key reason for this is the ever-growing government outlays and the relentless central bank tampering with financial markets (see charts below). In April 2026, government outlays increased by almost 400 percent versus January 2000.

The erosion of the savings through decades of money printing and distortion of market signals means that individuals in the economy are currently not wealthy enough to pursue the current level of investment in activities. If the central bank were to aggressively lower the interest rates and increase the money supply, this would make things much worse. Expansionary monetary policy further undermines saving, depreciates the value of money, and distorts the structure of production. Furthermore, expect the yearly growth rate of banks’ inflationary credit to weaken in the months ahead. As a result, this is expected to put more pressure on bubble activities as they are starved of inflationary money and credit.

To alleviate the likely economic crisis, what is required is a reduction or cessation in the central bank’s tampering with financial markets and a large curtailment of government spending.

Conclusion

As a result of the decline in monetary growth from February 2021 to May 2023, it is quite likely that the US economy is heading towards an economic bust. Various projects that have emerged on the back of the previous expansionary policy from August 2019 and February 2021 might be of an impressive nature, but these projects are likely not demanded to that extent by an undistorted market. Regardless of how impressive these projects are, they are bubble activities and therefore are likely to burst.

An international team of researchers reported finding microplastic particles in human brain tissue at concentrations seven to thirty times higher than in the liver or kidneys, according to a Perspective published May 5, 2026, in the journal Brain Health. Researchers from the University of New Mexico, the University of Ottawa, Technische Universität Dresden, and King’s College London analyzed tissue samples from donors between 2016 and 2024 and observed a 50% increase in plastic burden over that period, with the highest levels found in donors diagnosed with dementia.

The findings prompted the authors to describe microplastic contamination in the brain as a medical emergency, the report stated.

Brain Tissue Analysis Details

Researchers examined brain, liver, and kidney samples from human donors and found that polyethylene in nanoscale shard-like fragments was the predominant plastic type, officials said. The concentration in brain tissue was seven to thirty times higher than in matched liver or kidney samples, and the cumulative plastic burden in brain tissue rose approximately 50% from 2016 to 2024, the report stated. Donors with diagnosed dementia carried the heaviest plastic loads, according to the study authors.

A separate body of evidence has shown that microplastics can infiltrate human organs, including the brain, liver, and bloodstream, and are linked to a range of chronic diseases, according to an article by Ava Grace ^[1]. Another study found that microplastics and nanoplastics affect a specific protein in the brain, causing changes associated with Parkinson’s disease and some types of dementia, according to a report from NaturalNews.com ^[2]. Polyethylene, the dominant material found in the brain samples, is the same plastic used in food packaging and bottles, researchers noted.

Cardiovascular Risk Findings

Separate data from patients undergoing surgery for blocked carotid arteries showed microplastics and nanoplastics present in arterial plaque, researchers said. Patients whose plaque tested positive for these particles faced a roughly fourfold increase in the combined risk of heart attack, stroke, or death over 34 weeks of follow-up, according to the report. The authors noted that stroke is a brain outcome, linking the cardiovascular findings directly to neurological risk, according to the Perspective.

The presence of microplastics and nanoplastics in arterial plaques was linked to increased inflammation, according to an analysis of the evidence from a Trends Journal report ^[3]. Chronic inflammation is a hallmark of most chronic diseases, not just cardiovascular disease, suggesting that plastic exposure could exacerbate or increase susceptibility to a wide variety of conditions, that report stated. Nanoplastics, due to their small size, can migrate through tissues of the digestive tract or lungs into the bloodstream, invading individual cells and tissues in major organs, according to that same analysis ^[3].

Routes of Exposure and Mechanisms

Research demonstrated that nanoscale polystyrene particles administered orally crossed the blood-brain barrier within two hours, while larger particles did not, the report stated. Ultra-processed foods, representing more than half of U.S. caloric intake, were identified as a high-volume route of microplastic delivery from packaging and industrial processing, researchers said. A meta-analysis of 385,541 participants found that the highest ultra-processed food intake was associated with a 53% higher odds of common mental disorder symptoms, while a separate UK study linked a 10% rise in ultra-processed food consumption to a 16% increase in cognitive impairment risk and an 8% increase in stroke risk, according to the report.

Plastic food packaging — bottles, containers, and wrappers — sheds microplastics and nanoplastics into food and drinks, with studies revealing up to 240,000 particles per liter of bottled water, according to an article by Ava Grace ^[1]. Another analysis noted that rain washes other chemicals from land into the ocean, where they cling to microplastics, and that chemicals such as DDT and PCBs can attach to these particles, according to the book “You Are Eating Plastic Every Day” by Danielle Smith-Llera ^[4]. A review of dietary choices published in April 2026 found that ultra-processed foods and bottled beverages are associated with higher microplastic levels, while dietary fiber, antioxidants, and probiotics may help mitigate harm, according to a report on NaturalNews.com ^[5].

Clinical and Public Health Implications

Lead author Dr. Julio Licinio stated that treating microplastic contamination as a peripheral environmental concern, given that the brain carries more plastic than any other organ, has become difficult to defend. The researchers noted that Western medicine has produced no clinical guidance, dietary recommendations, or standard testing protocols for plastic burden in the body, according to the Perspective. The authors called for immediate attention to the issue, using the term “emergency” to describe the magnitude of the findings, the report stated.

In April 2026, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a $144 million federal initiative aimed at tackling microplastic contamination in the human body, according to a report on NaturalNews.com ^[6]. The Systematic Targeting Of MicroPlastics (STOMP) program, spearheaded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), will focus on measuring, researching, and ultimately removing microplastics and nanoplastics from human tissues, that report stated. Kennedy said the problem is not a distant or theoretical threat, according to the announcement.

References

1. 1. Ava Grace. “Plastic Food Packaging Contaminates What You Eat and Drink, Study Reveals”. NaturalNews.com. July 28, 2025.
   2. NaturalNews.com. “Study links micro and nanoplastics to Parkinson’s and dementia”. February 05, 2024.
   3. Trends-Journal-2024-05-19.
   4. Danielle Smith-Llera. “You Are Eating Plastic Every Day”.
   5. NaturalNews.com. “Review Identifies Dietary Choices That May Reduce Microplastic Exposure”. May 04, 2026.
   6. NaturalNews.com. “Federal government allocates $144 million to combat microplastic threat in human bodies”. April 05, 2026.

“We’re in the final throes of what will be a very, very good deal,” Trump said early Tuesday of the ongoing negotiations to end the war that the US and Israel began in late February.

The attacks on Lebanon risked renewed fighting with Tehran, a day after exchanges that had threatened a return to all-out war. The US military, meanwhile, said it had used an unmanned boat to rescue two soldiers whose helicopter went down near the flashpoint Strait of Hormuz.

The Truth About What Is Really Going On In The Strait Of Hormuz

Trump said that there are no “sticking points” in negotiations with Iran, accoridng to a report by NBC News.  “I think we’re very close to having a very, very good, strong, powerful deal,” he said, adding that an agreement would be preferable to and “actually stronger than doing the bombing.”

Trump has stated, almost on repeat, that the US and Iran are close to a deal, even though nothing has ever materialized with regard to a peace agreement.

Trump said Tuesday that he’d had a “very good conversation” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the fighting. “He was hit, and he hit back, and I can’t blame him for that,” Trump told reporters, adding that both sides “agreed, through me, to stop.” –NBC News

Iran Says U.S. Peace Talks Hit “Consensus” On Many Issues, But No Final Deal Yet

Trump made the comments after Israel and Iran agreed to step back from their first direct exchange since the April ceasefire. These current tit-for-tat strikes were triggered when Tehran launched fresh attacks in response to Israel’s strikes on the Lebanese capital, Beirut, over the weekend. Israel responded, and the two sides exchanged attacks before stepping back after Trump’s calls for de-escalation.

Trump said Tuesday that he’d had a “very good conversation” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the fighting. “He was hit, and he hit back, and I can’t blame him for that,” Trump told reporters, adding that both sides “agreed, through me, to stop.” –NBC News