What can I say? We're all dead now. Dune Worm confirmed.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-votes-confirm-robert-f-kennedy-jr-health-secretary-rcna191856

Senate votes to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary
Kennedy managed to allay the concerns of several key GOP senators over his anti-vaccine activism. Mitch McConnell was the lone Republican to vote against him.

Feb. 13, 2025, 8:31 AM PST / Updated Feb. 13, 2025, 8:35 AM PST
By Natasha Korecki and Kate Santaliz
The GOP-controlled Senate voted Thursday to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist, to lead the country’s most powerful health care agency.

Kennedy was confirmed as health and human services secretary on a mostly party-line vote of 52-48. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., broke ranks on yet another of President Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees, joining all Democrats in opposition.

McConnell, a childhood polio survivor, said Kennedy had a "record of trafficking in dangerous conspiracy theories and eroding trust in public health institutions."

"Mr. Kennedy failed to prove he is the best possible person to lead America’s largest health agency," McConnell said in a statement. "As he takes office, I sincerely hope Mr. Kennedy will choose not to sow further doubt and division but to restore trust in our public health institutions.”

Still, Thursday's vote marks another win for Trump, all of whose Cabinet-level nominees who have come before the Senate have been approved.

Kennedy will now be in charge of an expansive, $1.7 trillion agency that steers pandemic preparedness, manages government-funded health care for millions of people and oversees vaccine and pharmaceutical drug development.

Kennedy, a scion of the famous Democratic family, managed to overcome concerns among some Republicans over his past stances on vaccines and abortion.

The Republican senator who most vocally questioned Kennedy’s qualifications, Bill Cassidy, of Louisiana, ultimately voted to confirm him. Cassidy, a longtime physician who chairs the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, had said he was “struggling” with his decision after he quizzed Kennedy at two confirmation hearings.

But Cassidy, who is already politically vulnerable should he run for re-election, said in a floor speech last week that Kennedy gave him a series of reassurances that he would maintain the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s advisory committee on immunization practices and that he would not remove statements on the CDC’s website noting that vaccines do not cause autism.

Kennedy also secured the backing of two other key Republicans, Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska, and Susan Collins, of Maine, before the vote.

Murkowski announced her support after, she said, Kennedy reassured her about his stance on vaccines.

"He has made numerous commitments to me and my colleagues, promising to work with Congress to ensure public access to information and to base vaccine recommendations on data-driven, evidence-based, and medically sound research," Murkowski wrote on X on Wednesday. "These commitments are important to me and, on balance, provide assurance for my vote."

Collins offered a similar statement this week, saying Kennedy had allayed her concerns about his stances on vaccines.

In addition to the CDC, the HHS secretary oversees the heads of the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Kennedy initially ran for president last year as a Democrat before he launched an independent campaign. He eventually dropped his bid and endorsed Trump, taking his "Make America Healthy Again" message onto the campaign trail.

Kennedy’s call to more closely examine chemicals in the nation’s food brought support from both parties. But his past activism against vaccines and his advancement of false theories that they are linked to autism prevented him from winning any Democratic support.

“When you continue to sow doubt about settled science, it makes it impossible for us to move forward,” Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., told Kennedy in an emotional statement at a committee hearing last month. “So that’s what the problem is here, is the relitigating and the rehashing and the continuing to sow doubt so we can’t move forward. And it freezes us in place.”

pain torture agony distress misery torment affliction anguish discomfort hardship hurt ordeal sorrow adversity grief sadness woe hurting trauma tribulation unhappiness wretchedness angst dolour heartache heartbreak dolor hell martyrdom misfortune stress difficulty passion travail hell on earth

Why do we cling to these? Why do we picture ourselves as melancholy?

I think to challenge someone that they love their misery, is unfair, because they don't have the energy to rise above that identity. It simply adds humiliation to injury once they realise they are trapped in victim. It happens slowly, as we dwell on unfairness and resentment.

The Apricot Antichrist spoke to both Putin and Zelenskyy today. Can he end the Ukraine/Russia war? He best not try to strongarm Ukraine to give up territory.

https://www.npr.org/2025/02/12/nx-s1-5294478/hegseth-ukraine-nato-europe-trump

Trump spoke with Russia's Putin and Ukraine's Zelenskyy to start talks to end the war
Updated February 12, 20253:07 PM ET
By

NPR Staff

President Trump says he spoke with the presidents of Russia and Ukraine in separate phone calls Wednesday, in an effort to begin negotiations toward ending the two countries' war.

"We agreed to work together, very closely, including visiting each other's Nations," and to start negotiations on the war immediately, Trump said of his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a social media post.

He then followed with a post saying his conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "went very well" and that Zelenskyy "wants to make PEACE."

The Russian and Ukrainian governments, in individual statements afterward, each confirmed the calls with Trump and agreed to negotiate.

Zelenskyy said he had a "very substantive" and detailed conversation with Trump. "We believe that America's strength is enough to push Russia and Putin to peace together with us, together with all our partners," he said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin and Trump's call lasted an hour and a half. In addition to the war in Ukraine, he said they discussed a prisoner exchange. On Tuesday, Russia released U.S. teacher Marc Fogel, and the Trump administration said Wednesday it is releasing Russian national Alexander Vinnik, who had been charged for laundering money in a cryptocurrency exchange, as part of the deal.

The conversations came as Trump's new defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, laid out the administration's ideas about European defense and the future of Ukraine in a meeting in Brussels.

While the United States remains committed to NATO and defending partners in Europe, he said, "the United States will no longer tolerate an imbalanced relationship which encourages dependency. Rather, our relationship will prioritize empowering Europe to own responsibility for its own security."

Hegseth went further to detail the administration's positions on how to end the Russia-Ukraine war, which later this month will hit the three-year mark. He was speaking to Ukraine's backers gathered for a meeting at NATO headquarters.

"We must start by recognizing that returning to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective," Hegseth said, referring to the year Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine.

"The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement," he said.

Both statements could dash hopes in Ukraine, which has fought a costly war to defend and regain its territory, and has pushed to join NATO.

He said Trump "intends to end this war by diplomacy and bringing both Russia and Ukraine to the table."

European leaders will watch for more detailed pronouncements on U.S. foreign policy as Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other officials attend the Munich Security Conference later this week.

This is a developing story that may be updated.

Danielle Kurtzleben contributed reporting from Washington, D.C., Teri Schultz from Brussels, Joanna Kakissis from Kyiv, Ukraine, Charles Maynes from Moscow and Willem Marx from London.

Thanks to the Apricot Antichrist, and media bending the knee, and not having enough resources to read from. Getting Bird Flu news is hard.

I just saw in my local paper, someone out here reportedly got bird flu

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/nevada-resident-infected-with-new-strain-of-bird-flu-we-re-gonna-have-another-influenza-pandemic/ar-AA1yPTmr?ocid=BingNewsSerp

Nevada Resident Infected with New Strain of Bird Flu: 'We’re Gonna Have Another Influenza Pandemic'
Story by Vanessa Etienne • 3h • 2 min read



The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed that a Nevada resident has been infected with a new strain of the bird flu.

On Feb. 10, the Central Nevada Health District (CNHD) reported a case of the bird flu (highly pathogenic avian influenza, HPAI) in a worker who had exposure to infected dairy cattle at a farm in Churchill County.

Health officials said the dairy worker’s illness was mild, they were not hospitalized and have since recovered.

The patient reportedly had the D1.1 strain of bird flu, differing from the B3.13, which is the strain of the virus that has resulted in the majority of human infections in the United States. This new strain was first confirmed in Nevada cattle on Jan. 31 after the virus was detected in milk collected for monitoring purposes in December.

The latest development raises concerns about whether dairy cows may be more susceptible to the bird flu, which would increase the risk of cow-to-human transmission.

“Some experts do fear that it could mark a new chapter in the outbreak or that bird flu may become endemic in the U.S.,” Andrea Garcia —  vice president of science, medicine and public health at the American Medical Association — said during a news brief on Feb. 10. “This is something we are continuing to very closely follow.”

Related: What to Know About the Bird Flu amid the Current Outbreak

“That’s a big deal,” Michael Osterholm — infectious disease expert and director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota — told NBC of the virus being found in more cows.

“We’re gonna have another influenza pandemic, and when it happens, we shouldn’t be surprised,”  he added.

However, the CDC and CNHD said the public health risk for the general public remains low, while noting that “people who work with birds, poultry or cows, or have recreational exposure to them, are at higher risk.”

Those at greater risk are encouraged to avoid touching sick or dead animals, and ensure that they are not eating uncooked or undercooked food. Cooking poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165˚F kills bacteria and viruses, according to the CDC.

Last Month, health officials announced the first death in the United States linked to the bird flu. The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed on Jan. 6 that a 65-year-old man died from the virus after exposure to “a combination of a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds.”

The World Health Organization previously called the current outbreak a “significant public health concern.” However, the agency does not currently list the bird flu outbreak as a global health emergency.

Read the original article on People

Netanyahu is doubling down on The Mad Mango's deadline of Saturday.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/11/middleeast/israel-hamas-ceasefire-deal-intl/index.html

Ceasefire ‘will end’ if Hamas does not return hostages by Saturday, Netanyahu says
By Lauren Kent, CNN
 6 minute read
Updated 12:53 PM EST, Tue February 11, 2025

It’s only three weeks into a fragile ceasefire, and Israel and Hamas are each ratcheting up allegations that the other party has violated the deal.

So far, 16 out of 33 hostages scheduled for release in the current phase of the agreement have been freed by Hamas, and 656 Palestinian prisoners from a list of nearly 2,000 have been released by Israel. But the weekly exchanges may now be disrupted after Hamas accused Israel of violating the agreement and said it would postpone Saturday’s hostage release “until further notice.”

Israel has hit back, with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying late Tuesday that the Gaza ceasefire will end if Hamas does not release hostages as planned on Saturday.

“If Hamas does not return our hostages by Saturday noon - the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will return to intense fighting until Hamas is completely defeated,” Netanyahu said in a video statement.

US President Donald Trump, whose envoy helped mediate the agreement along with officials from Egypt and Qatar, has suggested dismissing the multi-staged approach of the deal altogether and giving Hamas an ultimatum to release all the hostages at once.

Here’s what each side is saying, and where the deal could go from here:

Hamas says Israel violated the deal
On Monday, Hamas threatened to postpone the next hostage release, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire deal by targeting Palestinians with gunfire in various parts of Gaza, delaying the return of displaced people to the heavily bombarded north, and not allowing the agreed humanitarian aid to enter the enclave.

The militant group also accused Israel of delaying the entry of essential medicines and hospital supplies, as well as not allowing tents, prefabricated houses, fuel, or rubble-removing machines into Gaza.

On Tuesday, the Gaza health ministry said that 92 people in the enclave had been killed in Israeli military operations since the ceasefire came into effect.

CNN has asked Israeli authorities for comment on the allegations regarding casualties and disrupted aid.

A diplomat with knowledge of the ceasefire talks told CNN that the United Nations, Qatar and other countries had requested to deliver temporary shelters to Gaza but Israel turned them down. CNN has reached out to Israeli officials regarding the claim.

Tents sheltering displaced Palestinians are erected in the yard of a secondary school in the north of Gaza City on February 10, 2025, amid the current ceasefire deal. Bashar Taleb/AFP/Getty Images
Abu Obeida, a spokesman for Hamas’ armed wing, said in a social media post on Monday: “We affirm our commitment to the terms of the agreement as long as the occupation commits to them.”

In a later statement, Hamas added that there was still an opportunity for the release to go forward as planned, saying that Israel has sufficient time “to fulfill its obligations.”

Israel says delay is ‘complete violation’ of deal
Hamas’ postponement is a “complete violation of the ceasefire agreement and the deal to release the hostages,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Monday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting with his political and security cabinet on Tuesday, where they expected next steps.

Katz said he instructed the military to “prepare at the highest level of alert for any possible scenario in Gaza.” The Israeli military also said it was raising the level of readiness in southern Israel and that it would reinforce the area to enhance its “readiness for various scenarios.”

Those announcements also come after Israeli forces opened fire on Sunday in the eastern areas of Gaza City, close to the Gaza border, killing three Palestinians, Palestinian authorities said. The incident happened close to the border fence near Nahal Oz, an Israeli kibbutz, or agricultural commune. Following that incident, Katz said: “Anyone who enters the buffer zone, their blood is on their own head – zero tolerance for anyone who threatens IDF (Israel Defense Forces) forces or the fence area and communities.”

Doubts about the future of the deal also follow Israel’s condemnation of the gaunt, frail appearance of the hostages released last week as “shocking.” Many of the remaining Israeli hostages are believed to be in even worse condition, Israeli government officials told CNN on Tuesday.

What did Trump say?
President Trump has urged Israel to “let all hell break out” and cancel the ceasefire and hostages deal if Hamas does not return those still being held in Gaza by Saturday.

“As far as I’m concerned, if all of the hostages aren’t returned by Saturday at 12 o’clock – I think it’s an appropriate time – I would say, cancel it and all bets are off and let hell break out,” the president told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday,

Trump added that all hostages ought to be returned, not two or three “in drips and drabs,” which is the phased manner of releases outlined in the deal.

Pressed on what “all hell” might entail in Gaza, Trump said, “You’ll find out, and they’ll find out – Hamas will find out what I mean.”

Trump and his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff are part of the team that helped broker the ceasefire, which was finalized with cooperation between the Biden and Trump camps just before the new administration took office.

The US president went on to say that Palestinians would not have a right to return to Gaza under his plan to take US ownership of the enclave and rebuild it.

Trump also told reporters on Monday: “I think a lot of the hostages are dead.” At least 34 of the hostages are dead, according to Israel, though the true number is expected to be higher.

How likely is the ceasefire to hold?
In short, no one knows.

It took about a year of negotiations to reach the current deal. The first ceasefire, in November 2023, lasted about a week.

The current agreement is set up to progress in three distinct phases, the first of which is already halfway through.

As well as the release of 16 hostages so far, phase one has seen the entry of more humanitarian aid and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from parts of Gaza. The Israeli military has retained its presence along Gaza’s borders with Egypt and Israel.

Israel has to date released around a third of the nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners agreed for the exchange, some of them held without charge, and others facing life sentences.

Following Israel’s withdrawal from a key militarized zone dividing Gaza, Palestinians began returning to what’s left of their homes in the heavily bombarded north. The “overwhelming destruction of homes and communities in the north” has left people without viable shelter, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which has said “the need for food, water, tents and shelter materials in that area remains critical.”

Meanwhile, negotiations for the second and third phases have barely started.

An Israeli delegation was sent to Doha, Qatar, on Sunday, but an Israeli official told CNN that the team would not be discussing the second phase of the deal, adding that Netanyahu was planning separately to hold “a security-political cabinet meeting” this week regarding the second phase.

Netanyahu waited until last weekend – one week after a deadline for further ceasefire talks – to send his delegation to Qatar. Israeli media has speculated that he is simply running out the clock until phase one of the deal expires on March 1.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a key member of Netanyahu’s coalition, has threatened to quit the government if Israel doesn’t return to war after the first phase of the truce.

Qatari and Egyptian mediators are engaging with Israel and Hamas to solve “current issues” and ensure adherence to the agreement, a diplomatic source familiar with the matter told CNN.

CNN’s Jeremy Diamond, Abeer Salman, Kareem Khadder, Lauren Izso, Mostafa Salem, Becky Anderson, Mick Krever, Kevin Liptak, Donald Judd, Dana Karni and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to reporting.