Comparison of COVID/RSV/flu symptoms: https://health.usnews.com/health-care/patient-advice/articles/the-difference-between-covid-rsv-and-flu-symptoms .
Iowa passes 6 week abortion ban: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/iowa-republicans-pass-new-6-week-abortion-ban-rcna93625 .
WSJ: Opioid settlement still shakes drug companies: https://www.wsj.com/articles/mallinckrodt-sued-for-allegedly-misleading-investors-9c535a42 .
Farmers limits insurance sales in California and Florida: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/farmers-limits-insurance-sales-in-florida-and-california-206fe83 .
WSJ: The need for more Fed rate hikes: https://www.wsj.com/articles/historic-rate-increases-leave-some-on-wall-street-wanting-more-f86ac2e1 . So as readers know, for a very long time I have predicted the Fed rate increases would top out at 6 to 7 percent. There still has been no reason to revise that range. Bank of Canada expected to raise rates: https://www.wsj.com/articles/bank-of-canada-expected-to-deliver-another-rate-increase-3cd88f88 .
Feds hit Bank of America with $250 million penalty: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/bank-of-america-ordered-to-pay-250-million-over-wrongful-fees-fake-accounts-a39099c5 . So BoA is now copying plays from the Wells Fargo playbook? Not a good plan.
WSJ: China’s ongoing economic weakness: https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-reopening-trade-is-fizzling-out-2f63bb43 .
WSJ: Supply chain issues for ballistic steel: https://www.wsj.com/articles/facing-a-battle-for-armored-steel-this-tank-maker-bought-the-factory-dfb8839a .
Russian war dead estimated at 50,000: https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-military-deaths-facd75c2311ed7be660342698cf6a409 . This casualty estimate is reasonable based on other information out there. From a technical standpoint, everything about this article is suspect. As to the estimate itself, if the methodology is excess deaths, how did they adjust for COVID deaths? Apparently not at all. As to the criticism from a “scholar” that excess male deaths could the result of random chance, that comment would be idiotic even for a statistician who knows zero about human mortality. So this guy needs to crawl into a library somewhere and not come out.
Heavy fighting in Ukraine’s south and east: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-russia-report-heavy-fighting-east-south-2023-07-11/ .
WSJ: France sending cruise missiles to Ukraine: https://www.wsj.com/articles/france-to-become-second-nation-to-send-ukraine-cruise-missiles-da072c03 .
NATO gives Ukraine encouragement, but not a timetable to membership: WSJ: https://www.wsj.com/articles/bidens-reluctance-to-letting-ukraine-join-nato-tests-alliances-unity-4c850273 . However, there’s just no way NATO is admitting a country actively at war. Ukraine also has certain graft problems within its government.
WSJ: US will sell F-16’s to Turkey: https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-clears-path-for-f-16-sales-to-turkey-amid-nato-expansion-fe96797e . Meanwhile, Turkey tilts toward the West: https://www.wsj.com/articles/turkeys-economic-troubles-force-erdogan-to-tilt-away-from-putin-9006b5a3 . I agree with the author that Turkey’s current economic situation is sufficiently dire that they need deals with the West.
Former Auburn football coach and SINO (Senator-in-name-only) Tommy Tuberville holds up 650 military nominations: https://www.aol.com/news/bidens-pick-top-u-general-152220953.html . Tuberville, who earlier this week would not admit that a white nationalist is a racist, has become a one-man wrecking crew in terms of US military readiness: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4091794-tubervilles-white-nationalism-comments-trigger-gop-uproar/ . Way to go, Alabama!
WSJ: DOJ bows out of E. Jean Carroll case against Orange Julius: https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-loses-justice-department-backing-in-defamation-case-de338441 . Their previous position was ridiculous on its face.
Orange Julius’ lawyers ask for (document) trial delay beyond 2024 election: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/trumps-lawyers-oppose-starting-classified-docs-trial-december-rcna93572 . Frankly, this is an absurd motion. The people also have a right to a speedy trial. Here, where the defendant is a candidate for president, the people want to know the outcome of these charges before the primaries. The proposed trial date is now 5 months away, and as both sides know, the evidence already public makes this case a slam dunk. Judge Loose Cannon has no credible reason to delay this trial. So now we have to wait to see what she says. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-asks-court-to-delay-trial-in-classified-documents-case-af22ce09 .
Georgia grand jury empanelled to consider 2020 election fraud case: https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-grand-jury-0cfd32492da81697879b8c8ac00f8c83 . So just to cut to the chase here, the Fulton County prosecutor has already told law enforcement to prepare for an indictment in late August.
WSJ: House GOP investigation of Hunter Biden sinks rapidly: https://www.wsj.com/articles/gal-luft-indictment-china-hunter-biden-investigation-8a8560c7 . As we pointed out yesterday, when your main witness is on the run from the FBI, you have a serious problem.
WSJ: The work-from-home fight continues: https://www.wsj.com/articles/work-from-home-productivity-bosses-658a832c .
PGA defends the LIV deal to a US Senate panel: https://sports.yahoo.com/pga-tour-to-senate-we-faced-an-existential-threat-that-liv-golf-would-take-over-professional-golf-154451229.html . But the deal stinks, and everyone knows it. Money corrupts, and oil money corrupts absolutely. WSJ: More: https://www.wsj.com/sports/golf/liv-pga-saudi-arabia-documents-senate-hearing-92a7b3d7 .
WSJ: Senate looks for lead clean-up: https://www.wsj.com/articles/lawmakers-demand-telecom-firms-act-on-toxic-lead-cables-after-wsj-investigation-9c4f6a09 .
New theory doubles earth’s age to 27 billion years: https://www.earth.com/news/new-study-claims-our-universe-is-27-billion-years-old-double-the-current-age-estimate/ .