Category Archives: International

International

Killer disease spreads in Africa? Cases in DR Congo! 90% kill rate!

30 May 2013 (04:03 UTC-07 Tango)/20 Rajab 1434/09 Khordad 1391/21 Ding-Si (4th month) 4711

Just a few days after what sounds like a new hemorrhagic virus reportedly killed more than 100 children in Benin, UN health officials have revealed that the deadly Ebola virus is alive and well in Democratic Republic of Congo.

At least six people have been infected in the first two weeks of May.  DR Congo has been the site of numerous Ebola outbreaks since 1976.

Benin is hundreds and hundreds of miles from DR Congo, so maybe they are dealing with a different type of hemorrhagic virus?  In January 2013 it was reported that fruit bats in parts of Asia are now infected with Ebola.  Also, in February there were reports that Chinese officials accused U.S. officials of spreading Ebola with GMOed mosquitoes, in the name of fighting Dengue Fever.

Ebola has a 80-90% kill rate (a level 4 bio-hazard RNA virus).  No treatment.  People have been known to go as many as 21 days after infection before symptoms appear.  After several decades of study, researchers still aren’t sure where Ebola comes from or how humans get infected.

 

 

International

Coronavirus MERS update: More deaths! Infected people spreading the disease before they get sick!

30 May 2013 (03:30 UTC-07 Tango)/20 Rajab 1434/09 Khordad 1391/21 Ding-Si (4th month) 4711

The UN World Health Organization said there are now 49 confirmed cases and 27 deaths.

Health officials are calling for longer quarantine periods for people infected with the new MERS virus.   A new study published in the Lancet concluded that the bat virus takes much longer to incubate inside a host (9-12 days versus 1-9 days).  This means it’s possible for an infected person to spread the virus before they actually get sick.

International, U.S.

False Flag Bio War? Outlawed GMO wheat shows up on Oregon farms!

30 May 2013 (02:00 UTC-07 Tango)/20 Rajab 1434/09 Khordad 1391/21 Ding-Si (4th month) 4711

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is investigating a farmer’s claim that he discovered outlawed GMO wheat growing on his Oregon farm.

Monsanto was testing a GMO version of wheat, in 13 states, but dropped it by 2005 because U.S. wheat farmers categorically rejected any genetically modified wheat.

Supposedly Monsanto stopped their GMO wheat test in Oregon back in 2001.

The farmer in Oregon found wheat growing where he knew he didn’t plant any seed, so he sprayed them with Monsanto’s Roundup weed killer.  The wheat didn’t die.  Scientists at Oregon State University confirmed they are GMO crops.

Wheat speculators are expecting the discovery to affect international wheat prices.

This case is similar to what’s happening in Hungary.  Recently more than 404.6 hectares (1000 acres) of maize (corn for those ‘mercians livin’ in ‘merica) were burned because they were contaminated with GMO crops.  GMO crops are outlawed in Hungary, yet Hungarian agriculture officials now suspect there are dozens of farm fields tainted by GMOs.

 

International

Killer disease out of Africa, 100 children dead in four weeks!

28 May 2013 (12:52 UTC-07 Tango)/18 Rajab 1434/07 Khordad 1391/19 Ding-Si (4th month) 4711

In Benin, on the continent of Africa, local TV reports say more than 100 people, mostly children, have died from a strange and violent disease in the past four weeks.

To make things worse, the only health official in the area of Dekin is a mid-wife who runs the area’s only health center.  Reports say the victims are vomiting blood and making a strange “snoring” like sound.

According to French news media reports, the symptoms are “Fever, vomiting, and simultaneous bleeding from the nostrils, followed by strange breathing sounds, and finally the victims’ heart stops.”

French reports also say the disease kills children within 24 hours of infection.  Apparently the adults have more resistance, and those adults infected are reported to be “languishing” in the local health clinic.  There are no certified nurses or doctors at the clinic.

Many of those infected do not have access to clean drinking water and have been drinking water from the same watering holes used by wild animals.

A commenter on ProMED believes this is a new hemorrhagic fever, similar to the Marburg or Ebola viruses.

Benin is a country sandwiched between Togo and Nigeria.

(here’s something scary; last year Canadian researchers concluded that Ebola could become airborne)

International

SFTS update: More deaths! Finally proof that it’s Vampire Spiders!

28 May 2013 (11:23 UTC-07 Tango)/18 Rajab 1434/07 Khordad 1391/19 Ding-Si (4th month) 4711

A third person has now died, possibly of SFTS (Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome) in Korea.  Lab results are taking a long time to confirm whether or not the victims had SFTS.  He was suffering from fever, stomach problems and septicemia.  These symptoms could also been associated with meningitis.

The second Korean to die did so on 16 May, and has finally been confirmed to have been infected with SFTS.  He was a cattle farmer and reports say his body was covered in tick (a type of blood sucking spider/arachnid) bites.

The first Korean to die did so in August 2012.  She was only recently confirmed to have SFTS.  It took several blood tests to confirm SFTS.  She was bitten by a tick in July 2012.  One month later she suffered fever and stomach problems.  The tick bite had not healed and began swelling.  She died four days after being transferred to Seoul National University Hospital.

In Japan, at least 15 people have been infected, and eight have died from SFTS.  However, researchers were having trouble connecting the disease to ticks, because they couldn’t find any that were carrying the virus.  Finally, this past week they found a tiny 3mm tick on the latest human victim.  The tick tested positive for SFTS.

The last reports out of China said researchers were also having problems making definitive connections between ticks and humans, but assumed it was being caused by ticks.

Here’s the rub; as I’ve posted before, it seems this SFTS is evolving independently in the different countries where it’s being found (it evolved from the bunyavirus).  Japanese researchers have pointed out that their SFTS is slightly different than the SFTS in China.

The infected tick just found in Japan is reported to be the Haemaphysalis longicornis tick.  The same tick associated with Lyme disease.

Unconfirmed reports say SFTS has also been found in the Rhipicephalus microplus tick.  This tick was supposedly eradicated from the United States, but is still found in Mexico, Central America and parts of Austral/Asia and east Africa.

Breaking news update as of February 2019: Longhorn ticks are making their way back to North America! 

International

Norovirus / Tummy Bug update, 27 May 2013: Now number 1 cause of gastroenteritis! Meat good! Another misdiagnosis gone wrong!

In Maryland U.S.A., health officials revealed that on 17 May at least 200 kids attending the Pot Spring Elementary school got sick.  Nine employees also got sick.  Preliminary lab tests blame norovirus.

In Washington U.S.A., weeks later an outbreak continues.  Back on 10 May Longview Elementary school was closed.  Grant County Health District officials have confirmed it’s norovirus, and they’re warning that there are still “…pockets of students in other Moses Lake schools with stomach illnesses.”

In Iowa U.S.A., the Siouxland District Health Department concluded their investigating into what caused about three teachers and 80 students to get sick at the Bryant Elementary School.  They blame norovirus.

A study published in the latest edition of the New England Journal of Medicine says norovirus will soon be the number one cause of gastroenteritis in children.  Rotavirus was the number one cause, but that is on the decline since a vaccine was developed.  There is no vaccine for norovirus.

According to the journal Foodborne Pathogens and Disease, norovirus is now the number one cause for gastroenteritis for children and adults in Canada.   The study says one in eight Canadians will get norovirus every year.   In the United States it’s now one in every six people!

The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting that meat based E.Coli (bacteria) caused gastroenteritis is down, by a lot.  An overall drop of 44% from 2000 to 2010.  It’s even better for ground beef (hamburger), a whopper, I mean a whopping 72% decline in E.Coli cases!  The decline is being credited to better raising of beef cows, cleaner handling of meat at the slaughter houses, and better cooking practices by consumers.

In Southampton, Hampshire U.K., a Celebrity Cruises ship docked after a trip to the Mediterranean.  It was revealed that at least 77 passengers and five crew members were sick with gastroenteritis.  The cruise line says from now on passengers will be asked if they’ve had stomach problems within three days prior to the cruise.  Customers can reschedule their cruises.

Norovirus has hit the Royal Lancaster Infirmary in Lancaster U.K.  Visitation in Ward 37 is now restricted.

In Finland, a study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health found that ‘open plan’ office work spaces not only result in less productivity, but they’re the main reason why office workers get sick!   Open space office workers take 62% more sick days than office workers who have their own office.  Studies by several U.S. and U.K. universities had similar conclusions.

In Galway, Ireland, a family recounted the death of their four years old daughter and gave a warning.  At first everyone thought she was suffering a bad case of gastroenteritis, because of the symptoms.  She died hours later in her fathers arms, after a doctor said it was just a tummy bug.  Turned out it was  an aggressive type of pneumococcal meningitis that rapidly progressed to septicemia (blood poisoning).  Meningitis can result in flu like/stomach bug like symptoms, but it’s not the flu.  You can visit the privately funded actformeningitis.ie for more info.

Business/Economics, International, Technology, U.S.

False Flag Bio-War? Corn syrup + GMO corn crops + Pesticides = Honey Bee Colony Collapse! Human collapse next!

26 May 2013 (19:54 UTC-07 Tango 25 May 2013)/16 Rajab 1434/05 Khordad 1391/17 Ding-Si (4th month) 4711

“This is the biggest general threat to our food supply!”-Kevin Hackett, USDA’s bee and pollination program

“There is no question that neonicotinoids put a huge stress on the survival of honey bees in the environment.  The evidence is clear that imidacloprid is likely the culprit for Colony Collapse Disorder via a very unique mechanism that has not been reported until our study.”-Chensheng Lu, HSPH

Several studies have revealed direct links between high fructose corn syrup, GMO (genetically modified organism) crops and increased pesticide use with the massive death and disappearance of honey bees.   On 24 May 2013 the European Union (EU) banned the use of three pesticides based on such studies.

The EU ban begins in December and will last two years, before being reviewed.

On 02 January 2013, Poland banned the use of Monsanto’s GMO MON 810 maize (corn) and BASF’s Amflora strain of potato, after Polish beekeepers claimed a direct link between the genetically enhanced pesticide laden seeds and the collapse of honey bees.

A report published in May 2013 concluded that GMO/pesticides are affecting other pollinators, not just bees.  The study indicated that the European Union was about to ban such pesticides based on their own studies.

In September 2012, another study says GMO/pesticides are destroying bees’ ability to navigate.

In April 2012, the Harvard School of Public Health proved that pesticide laced corn syrup is killing bees.  The unknowing culprits here are the beekeepers themselves.  Honey farmers want all the honey for sale, and feed the bees high fructose corn syrup in its place.  Here’s the rub; prior to 2004 the corn syrup did not contain pesticides.  How’d it get there?  In 2004-05 U.S. maize crops began being sprayed with a new pesticide. It turns out the pesticide stays in the corn even after harvest and is showing up in the corn syrup (this also means that we humans are eating it as well). The Harvard study concluded that it only takes 20 parts per billion of neonicotinoid pesticides to kill off a bee colony within six months!

A study published online in March 2012 revealed that the GMO crops use a neonicotinoid toxin that disables an insects homing abilities, which explains why so many bees never get back to their hives.

Another study showed that even low doses of neonicotinoid pesticides is harmful to bees.

In February 2012, a study said that even dust coming from the GMO seeds could kill bees.

There are dozens and dozens of studies around the World which say the GMO/pesticide corporations are responsible for declining crop production as well as killing off the insect pollinators necessary for food production, yet those very corporations continue to deny that such studies exist!

In 2007 USDA official, Kevin Hackett, said what those corporations are doing is the biggest threat to our survival that we face, but you won’t find those corporations on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s terrorist list!

“If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left.”-Albert Einstein

International

Coronavirus / MERS update: Corporate greed hampers search for treatment? Pisses off United Nations!

26 May 2013 (18:06 UTC-07 Tango 25 May 2013)/16 Rajab 1434/05 Khordad 1391/17 Ding-Si (4th month) 4711

“We do not know the full geographic spread of this virus.”-Keiji Fukuda, UN World Health Organization

The United Nations World Health Organization is now demanding that all countries share data on new diseases.  The concern is that many countries are not willing to share info because they might lose valuable patent rights.  Margaret Chan, Director General of WHO, said new international health regulations should protect such copyrights: “WHO collaborating centers, all of them, will not take intellectual property right to stop the sharing of information and to stop or delay the development of diagnostic tests or serology tests.”

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia claims there was a three months delay in addressing the new coronavirus/MERS outbreak, because a European company was arguing over who gets the patent rights!

Officials with the Erasmus Medical Center, in the Netherlands, fired back saying “It is clearly a misunderstanding…”, pointing out that “….a virus cannot be patented, only specific applications related to it, like vaccines and medicines…”

Saudi Arabian health officials are now sending MERS samples to the United States.  Researchers are sure MERS evolved from the bat coronavirus.  The samples being sent to the U.S. include samples from bats and other non-human animals.

It’s been revealed that a hospital in Saudi Arabia might be the source for an outbreak that took place in April.  The Al-Moosa General Hospital, in Hofuf, saw 22 cases, with ten people dying.  No new cases reported since the beginning of May.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says it already has MERS samples from sources in the United Kingdom, and has already “….developed MERS-CoV molecular diagnostics and has distributed testing kits to domestic public health laboratories through the Laboratory Response Network as well as to other groups.”

Currently there are about 44 cases worldwide, with 22 deaths.

International

World War 3, Asian Front: U.S. taxes pay for Russian weapons! China, India & Pakistan preps to take over Afghanistan!

19 May 2013/09 Rajab 1434/29 Ordibehest 1391/10 Ding-Si (4th month) 4711

In Logar Province, a U.S. NATO C-130 transport made a hard landing.  ISAF gave no more information.   Mujahideen claim they’ve destroyed three armored vehicles in a battle against “invader troops”.

In Ghazni Province, Moqor District, Mujahideen attacked police checkpoints, killing at least six local cops, and wounding four others.    Mujahideen also claim that five “invaders” were killed when their dismount patrol stepped on a landmine, in the capital city of Ghazni.

In Sar-e Pol Province, reports that a car bomb exploded in the governor’s compound.  No details on casualties.

In Maidan Wardak province, Syed Abad District, Mujahideen claim to have destroyed 14 supply vehicles and killed 26 people, as well as wounded 10 others.  They say it’s the single worst day for the U.S./NATO invaders so far this year.

The Afghan government has decided to buy five Ukrainian built Antonov An-74 military transport aircraft.  There was no details as to where the money to buy them was coming from.

According to reports from India, China is pushing India and Pakistan to settle their disputes and join China in taking over Afghanistan after the supposed 2014 U.S./NATO pullout.

In Kandahar Province, Canada has sent 15 soldiers to investigate more than 375 shipping containers that never made it back to Canada!  The containers full of military spare parts were left in Kandahar (after Canadian forces pulled out of that area), because they were not considered “seaworthy”.  Some critics say the containers were left because the Canadian government could not afford to pay the cost of shipping them back to Canada.

18 May 2013/08 Rajab 1434/28 Ordibehest 1391/09 Ding-Si (4th month) 4711

In Kunduz Province, Kunduz city, reports that U.S. led Afghan forces conducted a home invasion, kidnapping two people after ransacking their house.

In Farah Province, Bakwa District, an Afghan National Army vehicle ran over a landmine, killing four soldiers.  In Khak-e-Safid District, the district police chief was assassinated by gunman on a motorcycle.

In Khost Province, an explosion killed one border cop, wounded three other cops, and wounded six civilians.

In Paktika Province, Yahya Khel District, one person was killed and four wounded after they drove over a landmine.

In Boise, Idaho U.S.A., 20 members of the U.S. Army Reserve’s 949th Transportation Detachment said goodbye as they deployed to Afghanistan.

It was reported that Afghanistan’s Amu Darya basin oil fields will begin commercial production in about two months.  The China National Petroleum Corporation controls that area.

17 May 2013/07 Rajab 1434/27 Ordibehest 1391/08 Ding-Si (4th month) 4711

In Kandahar Province, two explosions killed at least nine people, and wounded 70 others.   The first explosion was caused by a suicide car bomber, the second was a remote detonated bomb inside a car.   Other reports say it was two motorcycle bombs and one car bomb.  One report says the target was the family of President Hamid Karzai.

Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport plans to deliver 12 Mil Mi-17 helicopters to Afghanistan by the end of 2013.  The $367.5 million USD deal was actually paid for by the U.S. Department of Defense, with an option to buy another $600 million worth of Russian helicopters!

Russia is considering returning troops to patrol the Tajik-Afghan border.  Russia ceased border patrols there in 2009, but officials say illegal drug trafficking and violence has increased since then.  They blame the United States for not securing Afghanistan.

According to Indian news media reports, the government of India is considering sending troops to Afghanistan: “It is in India’s interest to enhance security and defense cooperation with Afghanistan.”-unnamed officials with Indian External Affairs Ministry

700 Canucks are preparing for Operation Attention, supposedly the final Canadian deployment to Afghanistan.  They begin deploying over the next six weeks.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

False Flag Bio-War? GMO creates SuperBugs, destroying our food sources! India says GMO research “fradulent”!

24 May 2013 (17:19 UTC-07 Tango)/14 Rajab 1434/03 Khordad 1391/15 Ding-Si (4th month) 4711

Since 2011 there have been growing reports that farmers are returning to massive use of pesticides, because of new superbug insects.  Those super insects have been created by the very GMO (genetically modified organism) crops meant to kill insects (in 2003 the U.S. EPA approved GMO on that very basis).

The latest report shows that Monsanto’s Bt Corn has actually created insects (like rootworms) that are now immune to GMO crops. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) recently reported that pesticide makers are seeing skyrocketing sales, as a result.

The WSJ also reported that years ago some corporations knew this would happen, and began taking over pesticide companies for the expected boom in bug spray sales.  Other reports say the amount of pesticide use is higher than what the WSJ reported.

Of course Monsanto says they will create new GMO seeds.

In 2010, India halted the use of GMO crops.  In 2012, India ordered testing of any GMO crop in a controlled environment before being approved.  Here’s why: “I was shocked to find the three years of so-called research trials conducted by Mahyco Monsanto Biotech or MMB, a joint venture between Indian seed company Mahyco and Monsanto, as erroneous……I went on record to state that GM technology, promoted by MMB, was fraudulent.”-Devinder Sharma, agricultural scientist

One possible reason that India began to question the claims of Monsanto and other GM makers, is that during the years Indian farmers used GMO seeds, there was no increase in overall crop production! (increased crop production was one of the claims made by GMO companies: “generate higher crop yields with fewer inputs”–Biotechnology Industry Organization)

In Lebanon, the Consumer Protection Department of the Economy and Trade Ministry (CPDET) warned consumers that recent testing of fruits and vegetables are showing high rates of pesticides, including chemicals banned in Lebanon.

Officials are calling the free use of chemicals by local farmers chaotic: “In the last few months findings indicate that farmers have reverted to chaos….”-CPDET statement

CPDET officials say “The main reason was attributed to insects developing immunity…….unleashing a vicious and fearful cycle.”

For years there has been fear in Lebanon that GMO crops grown in nearby Europe, or in neighboring Israel, would eventually adversely affect Lebanese agriculture.

According to Israeli news media there are no laws regulating GMOs in Israel: “Agricultural products that underwent genetic engineering are sold in Israel without any marking to inform consumers……main function is to test foodstuffs slated for export to Europe.”-Haaretz

It’s possible that Lebanon’s agriculture industry has been invaded (through pollination) by GMOs from Israel’s unregulated industry.

The problem of cross pollination is one of the concerns for the European country Hungary.  Hungary bans all GMOs.  A week ago 404.6 hectares (1000 acres) of maize was burned, after it was discovered that GMO seeds somehow got in with regular corn seeds (many Hungarian farmers bought their seeds from international companies).  The burning of the crop was done to prevent cross pollination.  Investigations are revealing that somehow thousands of acres of other crops in Hungary could also be contaminated with GMOs.

But contrary to what some bloggers say, about the Europe Union not allowing GMO crops, the European Union does allow Bt corn/maize, and several EU members have expressed intentions to grow other GMO crops (Spain is the largest producer of GMO crops).

So it is very possible that the agriculture industry in Lebanon is dealing with superbugs created by GMOs in Europe and Israel, which of course means more pesticide use.

Then there’s the rapidly declining bird population in United Kingdom.  Investigators blame increased pesticide use, and “changes in crop production” in Sussex.  It’s reported that 60% of overall bird species have disappeared in the past ten years.  Sussex is not listed as one of the English Counties that have banned GMOs.

Recently released studies in the United States back up the claims that GMOs do not decrease pesticide use and they do not increase crop yield!

In 2012 the Washington State University proved that the net effect of GMO crops is an increase in pesticide use, and other chemicals, not a decrease!

Now the University of Wisconsin says the gene splicing that goes into GMOs actually reduces crop yields!  Researchers call it “yield drag”, meaning genetic engineering of crops reduces overall production.   Their study (Commercialized transgenic traits, maize productivity and yield risk) shows that GMO crops tend to reduce environmental “yield risks” to the crops, but the overall yield output is also reduced.

What was that about GMOs saving humanity from starvation?